History of NFL draft in Timeline

The NFL Draft, or Annual Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event where NFL teams select eligible college football players. The draft order is determined by the previous season's record, with the team having the worst record drafting first and the Super Bowl champion drafting last. Teams can select players or trade their draft positions for other picks or players. The draft consists of multiple rounds, with each team getting a pick in each round. The NFL draft has been held every year since 1936, serving as the primary way for teams to acquire new talent.

1925: Inauguration of the East-West Shrine Bowl

In 1925, the East-West Shrine Bowl was established as the oldest running college all-star game. The game gives coaches and players an opportunity to show off their abilities and learn from NFL coaches and players and raises money for Shriners Hospitals for Children.

December 1934: NFL introduced waiver rule

At a league meeting in December 1934, the NFL introduced a waiver rule to prevent transactions where teams gave away player usage rights. The selection order to claim a released player would be in inverse order to the teams' standings.

1934: Stan Kostka leads Minnesota Gophers to undefeated season

In 1934, Stan Kostka led the University of Minnesota Gophers to an undefeated season.

May 18, 1935: Bert Bell proposed the NFL draft

On May 18, 1935, Bert Bell proposed a draft be instituted to enhance competitive parity and ensure financial viability of all franchises. His proposal was adopted unanimously that day.

August 25, 1935: Stan Kostka signed with Brooklyn Dodgers

On August 25, 1935, Stan Kostka signed a $5,000 contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the league's highest-paid player.

1935: The Eagles finished in last place in the NFL season.

In the 1935 NFL season, the Eagles finished in last place with a 2-9 record, securing the first pick in the upcoming draft.

February 8, 1936: The first NFL draft began at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia

On February 8, 1936, the first NFL draft began at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia. The first player selected was Jay Berwanger, who was later traded to the Bears but did not play in the NFL.

1936: NFL instituted the draft

In 1936, as a response to the bidding war for Stan Kostka, the NFL instituted the draft.

1936: Giants draft Tuffy Leemans

In 1936, the Giants drafted Tuffy Leemans, a result of Wellington Mara's extensive scouting efforts. The draft also led to reduced salary offers for players like Ken Strong, reflecting the altered salary structure in the NFL.

1936: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

In 1936, the NFL Draft was held in Philadelphia.

1936: The first NFL draft was held

In 1936, the first NFL draft was held. It has been held every year since.

1937: NFL Draft in New York City

In 1937, the NFL Draft was held in New York City.

1938: Steelers Draft Byron "Whizzer" White

In 1938, Art Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Byron "Whizzer" White, offering him a guaranteed contract of $15,000, which altered the pay expectations of college draftees.

1938: NFL Draft in Chicago

In 1938, the NFL Draft was held in Chicago.

1939: Kenny Washington viewed as one of the greatest college football players

In 1939, Kenny Washington was considered one of the greatest college football players of all time.

1939: Wellington Mara in charge of drafting players for the Giants

In 1939, Wellington Mara was put in charge of drafting players for the Giants. He selected Walt Nielsen, a player not on the official list, in the first round.

1939: NFL Draft in New York City

In 1939, the NFL Draft was held in New York City.

1940: NFL Draft in Milwaukee

In 1940, the NFL Draft was held in Milwaukee.

1940: Kenny Washington was not drafted

In the 1940 NFL draft, Kenny Washington, an African-American player, was not drafted by any team after concerns about his race became known to team owners.

1941: NFL Draft in Washington, D.C.

In 1941, the NFL Draft was held in Washington, D.C.

1942: NFL Draft in Chicago

In 1942, the NFL Draft was held in Chicago.

1942: "Bullet Bill" Dudley was the first overall pick in the 1942 draft

In the 1942 draft, "Bullet Bill" Dudley was the first overall pick. He would become the first player picked first overall in the draft to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

1943: NFL Draft in Chicago

In 1943, the NFL Draft was held in Chicago.

1944: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

In 1944, the NFL Draft was held in Philadelphia.

1945: NFL Draft in New York City

In 1945, the NFL Draft was held in New York City.

1946: Eddie Kotal became the first player scout

In 1946, Eddie Kotal became the first player scout when he was hired by Dan Reeves of the Los Angeles Rams.

1947: Competitive parity did not arrive

Competitive parity did not quickly arrive in the NFL and perennial losers, such as the Eagles and Chicago Cardinals, standings did not improve until 1947.

1947: NFL Draft in New York City

In 1947, the NFL Draft was held in New York City.

1947: Bonus pick institution

In 1947, the NFL temporarily instituted a bonus pick system due to competition with the All-America Football Conference (AAFC).

1948: NFL Draft in Pittsburgh

In 1948, the NFL Draft was held in Pittsburgh.

1949: George Taliaferro was the first African-American selected in the draft

In 1949, George Taliaferro became the first African-American selected in the NFL draft. Wally Triplett was the first African-American to be drafted and make an NFL team. Paul "Tank" Younger also became the first NFL player from an historically black college after the draft.

1949: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

In 1949, the NFL Draft was held in Philadelphia.

1951: NFL Draft in Chicago

In 1951, the NFL Draft was held in Chicago.

1952: NFL Draft in New York City

In 1952, the NFL Draft was held in New York City.

1955: NFL Draft in New York City

In 1955, the NFL Draft was held in New York City.

1956: NFL Draft in Los Angeles

In 1956, the NFL Draft was held in Los Angeles.

1958: Bonus pick abolished

By 1958, all twelve clubs in the league at the time had received a bonus choice and this system was abolished.

1960: NFL Draft in Minneapolis

In 1960, the NFL Draft was held in Minneapolis.

1960: 1960 NFL draft marked a turning point in the draft's history

The 1960 NFL draft marked a turning point in the draft's history due to the pending arrival of the American Football League (AFL), making it a "high-stakes, competitive affair."

1961: NFL Draft in Dallas

In 1961, the NFL Draft was held in Dallas.

1962: NFL Draft in Chicago

In 1962, the NFL Draft was held in Chicago.

1963: NFL Draft in Dallas

In 1963, the NFL Draft was held in Dallas.

1964: Last Time Draft Was Held in Chicago Before 2015

1964 was the last time that the NFL draft was held in Chicago before 2015.

1964: NFL Draft in Chicago

In 1964, the NFL Draft was held in Chicago.

1965: NFL Draft held in venues within New York City since 1965

Between 1965 and 2014, the NFL draft was held entirely in venues within New York City.

1965: NFL Draft by Telephone

In 1965, the NFL Draft was held by telephone, without a specific location.

1965: NFL Draft in New York City

In 1965, the NFL Draft was held in New York City.

1966: NFL Draft in New York

In 1966, the NFL Draft was held in New York.

1976: Paul Salata coined the moniker Mr. Irrelevant

In 1976, former NFL wide receiver Paul Salata first coined the moniker "Mr. Irrelevant" to refer to the last overall player selected in the draft.

1977: Evolution of Scouting Services

In 1977, the NFL Scouting Combine's origins evolved from the National, BLESTO, and Quadra Scouting services. This marked a transition towards a more standardized evaluation process for upcoming NFL prospects.

1977: Inauguration of the Supplemental Draft

Since 1977, the NFL has held a supplemental draft to accommodate players who did not enter the regular draft.

1978: Shouldergate controversy in 1978

The Shouldergate controversy occurred in 1978, leading to the Pittsburgh Steelers forfeiting a pick in the 1979 draft.

1979: Steelers forfeit pick in 1979 due to Shouldergate controversy

The Pittsburgh Steelers forfeited a third-round pick in 1979 due to the now-infamous 1978 Shouldergate controversy.

1980: ESPN broadcasted the draft live

In 1980, Chet Simmons of ESPN asked Pete Rozelle if ESPN could broadcast coverage of the draft live.

1980: First Televised Draft in 1980

In 1980, the NFL draft was first televised by ESPN.

1980: Draft pick forfeitures since 1980

Since 1980, a total of 28 NFL draft selections have been forfeited for 23 rules violations by 15 teams.

1983: University of Miami National Championship

In 1983, Quarterback Bernie Kosar led the University of Miami to its first national championship.

1983: Steelers draft Gabriel Rivera over Dan Marino in 1983

In the 1983 draft, Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach Chuck Noll had the final say and drafted Gabriel Rivera over Dan Marino, a decision that later haunted the Steelers.

1983: Meyer's exclusion from personnel decisions in 1983

New England Patriots head coach Ron Meyer stated that the team excluded the coaching staff from any personnel-related decisions in 1983, preventing him from reading scouting reports.

1984: Supplemental Draft for USFL and CFL Players

In 1984, the NFL held a supplemental draft for players who were under contract with USFL and CFL teams.

1985: Bernie Kosar Controversy

The 1985 supplemental draft was particularly controversial because Quarterback Bernie Kosar wanted to turn pro before finishing his eligibility at Miami.

1987: Brian Bosworth Declines to Declare for Draft

In 1987, Brian Bosworth did not declare because he did not want to play for the Indianapolis Colts or the Buffalo Bills, the teams who drafted second and third that year.

1987: ESPN Sunday Night NFL began airing

In 1987, ESPN Sunday Night NFL began airing.

Loading Video...

1988: Death of Art Rooney and reminder about Dan Marino

Art Rooney, Sr. reminded his sons daily until his death in 1988 that the team "should've drafted Marino".

1988: NFL moved the draft from weekdays to the weekend

In 1988, the NFL moved the draft from weekdays to the weekend and ESPN's ratings of the coverage improved dramatically.

1990: Eligibility for Supplemental Draft

As of the 1990 season, only players who had graduated or exhausted their college eligibility were made available for the supplemental draft.

1993: Supplemental Draft Eligibility Expanded

Since 1993, only players who had planned to attend college but for various reasons could not, have been included in the supplemental draft.

1995: NFL Draft in New York City

In 1995, the Theater at Madison Square Garden hosted the NFL Draft for a ten-year period.

1998: Will Wolford salary cap circumvention in 1998

The Pittsburgh Steelers attempted to circumvent the salary cap involving offensive lineman Will Wolford in 1998, leading to a penalty in 2001.

2001: Steelers forfeit pick in 2001 due to Wolford situation

The Pittsburgh Steelers forfeited a third-round pick in 2001 due to trying to circumvent the salary cap involving offensive lineman Will Wolford in 1998.

October 2003: The NFL Network launched

In October 2003, the NFL Network launched.

Loading Video...

2003: Minnesota Vikings delay leads to player 'stealing' in 2003

In the 2003 draft, the Minnesota Vikings were late with their 7th overall pick. The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Byron Leftwich and the Carolina Panthers drafted Jordan Gross before the Vikings selected Kevin Williams.

2004: NFL Draft in New York City

In 2004, the Theater at Madison Square Garden hosted the NFL Draft for a ten-year period.

2005: ESPN Sunday Night NFL stopped airing

In 2005, ESPN Sunday Night NFL stopped airing.

Loading Video...

2005: NFL Draft Relocation in New York City

In 2005, the NFL Draft was moved to Javits Convention Center in New York City following a dispute with the Cablevision-owned arena.

2006: NFL Network began to produce its own draft coverage

In 2006, the NFL Network began to produce its own draft coverage, providing competition to ESPN. ESPN pays the NFL a rights fee for the non-exclusive rights to draft coverage.

Loading Video...

2006: NFL Draft in New York City

In 2006, the NFL held the draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

2007: San Diego Chargers Draft Paul Oliver

In 2007, FS Paul Oliver was taken by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the supplemental draft.

2007: Changes in Time Limits for Draft Selections

Until 2007, NFL teams had 15 minutes for first-round picks, 10 minutes for second-round picks, and 5 minutes for all subsequent rounds.

2008: Chargers Forfeit Draft Pick

In 2008, due to drafting Paul Oliver in the 2007 supplemental draft, the San Diego Chargers forfeited a fourth-round pick in the NFL draft.

2008: Rookie Salary Cap Allotments in 2008

In 2008, the Kansas City Chiefs had the highest rookie salary cap allotment at about $8.22 million, while the Cleveland Browns had the lowest at $1.79 million.

2009: Matthew Stafford agrees to contract with Detroit Lions before 2009 NFL Draft

In 2009, quarterback Matthew Stafford agreed to a six-year, $78 million deal with the Detroit Lions a day before the draft officially started. The Lions then selected Stafford with the first overall pick.

2010: NFL moved to a three-day draft

In 2010, the NFL moved to a three-day draft format with the first round on Thursday, the second and third rounds on Friday, and the final four rounds on Saturday.

2010: The 2010 NFL draft occurred for the 2010 NFL season

The 2010 NFL draft was held for the 2010 NFL season. The location of the draft has continually changed over the years and gained popularity over the years.

2011: Baltimore Ravens' trade negotiations lead to lost pick in 2011

In the 2011 NFL draft, the Baltimore Ravens were negotiating a trade with the Chicago Bears, but their time expired. The Kansas City Chiefs picked ahead of Baltimore, who were unable to finalize the trade with Chicago.

2011: Predetermined rookie compensation and duration since 2011

Since 2011, all drafted rookies, including those drafted first overall, have predetermined compensation and duration, and can no longer negotiate beforehand.

2012: West Side Stadium Opposition

In 2012, the Cablevision-owned arena was opposing the West Side Stadium, which would have served as home of the New York Jets and the centerpiece of the New York City bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics, because the new stadium would have competed with the Garden for concerts and other events.

2014: NFL Draft in New York City

In 2014, the NFL Draft was held in New York City.

2014: Cycling picks in the 2014 Draft

In the 2014 NFL draft, teams with identical records cycled picks in each subsequent round. For instance, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, all with 4-12 records, selected in that order in the first round, but cycled in the following rounds.

2014: Scheduling conflict at Radio City Music Hall in 2014 leads to bidding for new host city

The 2014 NFL draft needed to be scheduled later than planned due to a scheduling conflict at Radio City Music Hall, prompting the NFL to open bidding for a new host city for its 2015 draft.

2015: Chicago hosts the 2015 NFL Draft and introduces 'Draft Town'

In 2015, Chicago hosted the NFL draft and introduced 'Draft Town', a large free-admission multi-day fan festival that drew 200,000 visitors.

2015: Chicago Hosts NFL Draft

In 2015, Chicago won the bidding to host the NFL Draft for the first time since 1964. This draft marked the transformation of the draft into an event featuring festivities and attendance by large public crowds.

2015: Establishment of Post-Season College Football Event

In 2015, an independently operated annual post-season college football event was established in Texas for small college players from FCS, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and the NAIA. and select players from around the world, designed to get these players in front of NFL teams and other professional leagues. The event originated as a post-season all star game in 2015.

2015: NFL Draft in Chicago

In 2015, the NFL Draft was held in Chicago.

2015: Shortened time limit for seventh-round selections in 2015

In 2015, the time allotted for seventh-round selections was shortened from five to four minutes.

2015: NFL draft held on last Thursday of April to the last Saturday of April or first Saturday of May

Since 2015, the NFL draft has been held annually from the last Thursday of April to the last Saturday of April, or the first Saturday of May.

2016: Chicago Hosts NFL Draft Again

In 2016, Chicago hosted the NFL Draft for the second consecutive year.

2016: NFL Draft in Chicago

In 2016, the NFL Draft was held in Chicago.

2016: Switch to Drill Showcase Format

In 2016, the post-season college football event in Texas switched to its current drill showcase and "controlled scrimmage" format. In addition to on-field drills, the event also features educational seminars to educates players on the business side of an pro career.

2016: NFL Alumni Event in Florida

Since 2016, an event in Florida has been held, yielding over 350 alumni playing in the NFL.

2017: Trading compensatory selections begins in 2017

Compensatory selections in the NFL draft could be traded starting with the 2017 NFL draft.

2017: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

In 2017, the NFL Draft was held in Philadelphia.

2018: Patrick Mahomes co-hosting NFL Draft coverage

In 2018, Patrick Mahomes, the NFL MVP, co-hosted the NFL Draft coverage alongside Robin Roberts and Rece Davis.

2018: NFL Draft in Dallas

In 2018, the NFL Draft was held in Dallas.

2018: The draft was first carried on broadcast television

In 2018, the NFL draft was first carried on broadcast television by Fox and NFL Network. ESPN also continued its coverage with simulcasts on ESPN2 and ABC.

Loading Video...

2019: ABC picks up broadcast rights; Swift announces new single

In 2019, ABC acquired the broadcast television rights for all three days of the NFL draft. On day 1, Taylor Swift announced her new single "ME!" featuring Panic! at the Disco's Brendon Urie, which was released at midnight ET along with its music video on YouTube.

2019: NFL Draft in Nashville

In 2019, the NFL Draft was held in Nashville.

November 2020: Enactment of Resolution JC-2A in November 2020

In November 2020, the NFL enacted Resolution JC-2A, which rewards teams for developing minority candidates for head coach and/or general manager positions by awarding draft picks when their minority candidates are hired away.

2020: Virtual NFL Draft and Simulcast Coverage

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 NFL draft transitioned to a virtual format. NFL Network simulcasted ESPN's coverage for all three days, incorporating personalities like Daniel Jeremiah, Kurt Warner, and Michael Irvin. ABC also continued its feed with the College GameDay crew for the first two days.

2020: Details of new formula for compensatory picks revealed in 2020

The 2020 CBA explicitly provided the details of a new formula for compensatory picks, still based primarily on salary.

2020: Virtual Draft Due to COVID-19

The 2020 NFL draft, originally scheduled to be held in Las Vegas, was held virtually due to the COVID–19 pandemic, with teams conducting it via telecommunication.

2021: NFL Draft in Cleveland

In 2021, the NFL Draft was held in Cleveland.

2021: NFL Network Returns to Producing Draft Coverage

In 2021, the NFL Network resumed producing its own coverage of the draft after a one-year hiatus. ESPN and ABC continued to offer separate feeds. Mike Greenberg took over as ESPN's host for the first two nights, and Rece Davis hosted ESPN's coverage of Day 3, which was also simulcast on ABC.

2022: Trading draft picks for the 2022 NFL draft

For the 2022 NFL draft, only picks through the 2024 draft could be traded prior to the draft. Once the 2022 draft started, picks from the 2025 draft became eligible to be traded.

2022: Inaugural HBCU Legacy Bowl

In 2022, the HBCU Legacy Bowl was established for NFL draft-eligible players from historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). The game is played at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana and it's usually the last all-star game in the draft cycle. It also hosts the NFL's HBCU Combine, which was previously held at the Senior Bowl.

2022: NFL Draft in Las Vegas

In 2022, the NFL Draft was held in Las Vegas.

2022: Personnel Changes in ESPN and ABC Draft Coverage

In 2022, the NFL draft was held in Las Vegas. Adam Schefter missed the draft to attend his son's graduation, Mel Kiper Jr. participated virtually due to his COVID-19 vaccination status, and Kirk Herbstreit dropped out of ABC's draft coverage because of blood clots.

2023: NFL Draft in Kansas City

In 2023, the NFL Draft was held in Kansas City.

2023: Eligibility Rules Eased

Up until the 2023 season, only Seniors or graduate students could participate in the all-star games.

2024: Juniors Allowed in All-Star Games

For the 2024 NFL draft, the league eased its rules to allow juniors to participate in three college football postseason all-star games: the Senior Bowl, East–West Shrine Bowl and the HBCU Legacy Bowl, while all other all-star games will not be allowed to invite underclassmen.