History of NFL draft in Timeline

The NFL Draft, or Annual Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event where NFL teams recruit players. Teams are ordered inversely to their previous season's record, with the worst team picking first. Teams can select a player or trade their pick for other assets. A round concludes when all teams have either picked or traded their spot. The draft has been held annually since its inception in 1936.

1925: Inaugural East-West Shrine Bowl

In 1925, the East-West Shrine Bowl, the oldest running college all-star game, was established. The game features college players planning to enter the NFL draft, providing them a platform to showcase their abilities and learn from NFL coaches.

December 1934: NFL Introduces Waiver Rule

At a league meeting in December 1934, the NFL introduced a waiver rule to prevent transactions like the one involving Art Rooney and the New York Giants. Any player released by a team during the season would be able to be claimed by other teams.

1934: Stan Kostka's Undefeated Season

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

May 18, 1935: Bert Bell Proposes NFL Draft

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

August 25, 1935: Stan Kostka signs with Brooklyn Dodgers

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

1935: Eagles Finish Last in NFL Season

In the 1935 NFL season, the Eagles finished in last place at 2–9, thus securing themselves the first pick in the draft.

February 8, 1936: First NFL Draft Begins

On February 8, 1936, the first NFL draft began at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia. The first player ever selected in the draft was Jay Berwanger.

1936: NFL Institutes the Draft

As a response to the bidding war for Stan Kostka, the NFL instituted the draft in 1936.

1936: Giants Draft Tuffy Leemans

In 1936, Wellington Mara's player dossiers helped the Giants draft Tuffy Leemans. Tim Mara reduced Ken Strong's salary offer due to the draft's impact on the NFL salary structure.

1936: First NFL Draft

In 1936, the first NFL draft, officially known as the Annual Player Selection Meeting, was held. This event serves as the most common source of player recruitment in the National Football League, giving each team a position in the drafting order in reverse order relative to its record in the previous year.

1936: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

The NFL Draft was held in Philadelphia in 1936.

1937: NFL Draft in New York City

The NFL Draft was held in New York City in 1937.

1938: Steelers Draft Byron "Whizzer" White

In 1938, Art Rooney chose Byron "Whizzer" White in the first round, guaranteeing him a $15,000 contract, which was double what any other player had ever made in the NFL.

1938: NFL Draft in Chicago

The NFL Draft was held in Chicago in 1938.

1939: Wellington Mara in charge of drafting for the Giants

In 1939 Wellington Mara was put in charge of drafting players for the Giants. He selected Walt Nielsen who was not on the list of players that the Giants or any other franchise had submitted.

1939: Kenny Washington Viewed as Great College Player

In 1939, Kenny Washington was viewed as one of the greatest college football players.

1939: NFL Draft in New York City

The NFL Draft was held in New York City in 1939.

1940: Kenny Washington Not Drafted

In the 1940 NFL draft, Kenny Washington was not drafted by any team due to information about him being African-American.

1940: NFL Draft in Milwaukee

The NFL Draft was held in Milwaukee in 1940.

1941: NFL Draft in Washington, D.C.

The NFL Draft was held in Washington, D.C. in 1941.

1942: "Bullet Bill" Dudley Drafted First Overall

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

1942: NFL Draft in Chicago

The NFL Draft was held in Chicago in 1942.

1943: NFL Draft in Chicago

The NFL Draft was held in Chicago in 1943.

1944: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

The NFL Draft was held in Philadelphia in 1944.

1945: NFL Draft in New York City

The NFL Draft was held in New York City in 1945.

1946: Eddie Kotal Becomes 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: No Competitive Parity

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

1947: Institution of Bonus Pick

In 1947, the NFL's competition with the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) resulted in a temporary institution of a bonus pick. Under this system, the first overall selection was awarded as a bonus pick by a random draw, while the last place team picked second, and so on.

1947: NFL Draft in New York City

The NFL Draft was held in New York City in 1947.

1948: NFL Draft in Pittsburgh

The NFL Draft was held in Pittsburgh in 1948.

1949: George Taliaferro and Wally Triplett Drafted

In 1949, George Taliaferro became the first African-American selected when he was chosen in the thirteenth round. Wally Triplett was chosen in the nineteenth and he would be the first African-American to be selected in the draft and make an NFL team.

1949: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

The NFL Draft was held in Philadelphia in 1949.

1951: NFL Draft in Chicago

The NFL Draft was held in Chicago in 1951.

1952: NFL Draft in New York City

The NFL Draft was held in New York City in 1952.

1955: NFL Draft in New York City

The NFL Draft was held in New York City in 1955.

1956: NFL Draft in Los Angeles

The NFL Draft was held in Los Angeles in 1956.

1958: Abolishment of Bonus Pick System

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

1960: NFL Draft Marked a Turning Point

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

1960: NFL Draft in Minneapolis

The NFL Draft was held in Minneapolis in 1960.

1961: NFL Draft in Dallas

The NFL Draft was held in Dallas in 1961.

1962: NFL Draft in Chicago

The NFL Draft was held in Chicago in 1962.

1963: NFL Draft in Dallas

The NFL Draft was held in Dallas in 1963.

1964: Last NFL Draft hosted in Chicago prior to 2015

Before 2015, the last time Chicago hosted the NFL draft was in 1964.

1964: NFL Draft in Chicago

The NFL Draft was held in Chicago in 1964.

1965: NFL Draft Venue

Beginning in 1965, the NFL held the draft at various venues in New York City.

1965: NFL Draft held in New York City

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

1965: NFL Draft held by telephone

The NFL Draft was held by telephone in 1965.

1966: NFL Draft in New York

The NFL Draft was held in New York in 1966.

1976: 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: Origins of NFL Scouting Combine

In 1977, the NFL Scouting Combine evolved from the National, BLESTO, and Quadra Scouting services. This combine allows NFL coaches, general managers, and scouts to assess college football players' physical and mental skills in a standardized setting.

1977: NFL Supplemental Draft Established

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

1978: Shouldergate controversy

The 1978 Shouldergate controversy resulted in the Pittsburgh Steelers forfeiting a third-round pick in 1979.

1979: Steelers forfeit pick due to Shouldergate controversy

The Pittsburgh Steelers forfeited a third-round pick in 1979 for the 1978 Shouldergate controversy.

1980: ESPN Broadcasts Draft Live

In 1980, Chet Simmons, president of the year-old ESPN, asked Pete Rozelle if the network could broadcast coverage of the draft live on ESPN. Rozelle agreed.

1980: First televised NFL Draft

In 1980, ESPN televised the NFL draft for the first time.

1980: Forfeited draft picks since 1980

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

1983: Patriots exclude coaches from personnel decisions

In 1983, New England Patriots owner Billy Sullivan excluded the coaching staff from personnel decisions, and head coach Ron Meyer would not have chosen Tony Eason in the first round if he had the authority.

1983: Bernie Kosar led Miami to its first national championship

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

1983: Steelers draft Gabriel Rivera

In the 1983 NFL draft, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Chuck Noll had the final say over picks and drafted Gabriel Rivera over Dan Marino.

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: Controversial supplemental draft

The 1985 supplemental draft was particularly controversial.

1987: ESPN Sunday Night NFL

From 1987 to 2005, ESPN had the rights to ESPN Sunday Night NFL.

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1987: Brian Bosworth avoids Colts and Bills

In 1987, Brian Bosworth did not declare for the NFL draft because he did not want to play for the Indianapolis Colts or the Buffalo Bills.

1988: Art Rooney's death

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

1988: NFL Moves Draft to Weekend

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

1990: Supplemental Draft Eligibility

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 Change

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 held at The Theater at Madison Square Garden

In 1995, the NFL Draft was held at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

1998: Steelers salary cap circumvention

In 1998, the Pittsburgh Steelers tried to circumvent the salary cap involving offensive lineman Will Wolford, leading to the forfeiture of a third-round pick in 2001.

2001: Steelers lose draft pick in 2001

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: NFL Network Launched

The NFL Network was launched in October 2003.

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2003: Minnesota Vikings delay in draft pick

In the 2003 NFL draft, the Minnesota Vikings were late with their selection, allowing the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers to draft before them. The Vikings selected Kevin Williams after Jacksonville drafted Byron Leftwich and Carolina drafted Jordan Gross.

2004: Last NFL Draft held at The Theater at Madison Square Garden

The 2004 NFL Draft was the last one held at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

2005: ESPN Sunday Night NFL until 2005

From 1987 to 2005, ESPN had the rights to ESPN Sunday Night NFL.

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2005: NFL Draft moved to Javits Convention Center

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

2006: NFL Network Begins Draft Coverage

In 2006, ESPN received competition when the NFL Network began to produce its own draft coverage.

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2006: NFL Draft held at Radio City Music Hall

In 2006, the NFL Draft was held at Radio City Music Hall.

2007: Paul Oliver drafted in supplemental draft

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

2007: NFL Draft time limits

Until 2007, NFL teams had 15 minutes to make their choice in the first round, 10 minutes in the second round, and 5 minutes for all subsequent rounds of the draft.

2008: Rookie salary cap allotments in NFL

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

2008: San Diego Chargers forfeited a fourth-round pick

In the 2008 NFL draft, the San Diego Chargers forfeited a fourth-round pick because they had drafted Paul Oliver in the fourth round of the supplemental draft in 2007.

2009: Detroit Lions draft Matthew Stafford

In the 2009 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions drafted Matthew Stafford with the first overall selection and agreed to a six-year, $78 million deal with him a day before the draft officially started.

2010: NFL Draft for the 2010 NFL Season

In 2010, the NFL draft was held for the 2010 NFL season. The location of the draft has continually changed over the years to accommodate more fans, as the event has gained popularity.

2010: NFL Moves to a Three-Day Draft

In 2010, the NFL moved to a three-day draft with the first day encompassing the first round beginning at 8:00 pm EDT Thursday, the second day encompassing the second and third rounds beginning at 7:00 pm EDT Friday, and the third day concluding the process with the final four rounds beginning at 11:00 am EDT Saturday.

2011: Baltimore Ravens delay in draft pick

In the 2011 NFL draft, the Baltimore Ravens were negotiating a trade, and their time expired, allowing the Kansas City Chiefs to pick ahead of them.

2011: Rookie compensation predetermined

Since 2011, all drafted rookies' compensation and duration are predetermined each year before the NFL draft occurs, preventing negotiations beforehand.

2012: New York City bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics

In 2012, New York City bid for the Summer Olympics. The new stadium would have competed with the Garden for concerts and other events.

2014: Last NFL Draft held at Radio City Music Hall

In 2014, the NFL Draft was held for the last time at Radio City Music Hall.

2014: NFL draft tiebreaker rules

In the 2014 NFL draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers all finished 4-12. In subsequent rounds, the draft order cycled, with Jacksonville moving to the back of the line in the second round.

2014: NFL Draft scheduling conflict

The 2014 NFL draft needed to be scheduled later than planned due to a scheduling conflict at Radio City Music Hall, leading the NFL to seek a new host for the 2015 draft.

2014: NFL Draft in New York City

The NFL Draft was held in New York City in 2014.

2015: NFL Draft hosted in Chicago

In 2015, Chicago hosted the NFL draft and reimagined it into a larger event with a free-admission fan festival called "Draft Town" that drew 200,000 visitors.

2015: Inaugural Post-Season All-Star Game in Texas

In 2015, an independently operated annual post-season college football event was first held in Texas for small college players. This event was designed to get these players in front of NFL teams and other professional leagues.

2015: Bidding Process for NFL Draft Locations

In 2015, future NFL draft locations started being determined through a yearly bidding process.

2015: NFL Draft time limits

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

2016: NFL Draft in Chicago

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

2016: Format change for Texas college player event.

In 2016, the post-season all star game event in Texas switched to its current drill showcase and "controlled scrimmage" format.

2016: Florida based NFL event

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

2017: Compensatory selections can be traded

Beginning with the 2017 NFL draft, compensatory selections can be traded.

2017: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

The NFL Draft was held in Philadelphia in 2017.

2018: Draft Carried on Broadcast Television

2018 was the first time ever that the draft was carried on broadcast television. Fox and NFL Network simulcast the first two nights of the draft, with both nights featuring personnel from both NFL Network and Fox. ESPN continued to produce its own coverage of the draft, with ESPN2 simulcasting days 1 and 2, and ABC simulcasting day 3.

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2018: Patrick Mahomes named NFL MVP

In 2018, Patrick Mahomes was named NFL MVP and would later co-host ABC's coverage of the NFL draft in 2019.

2018: NFL Draft in Dallas

The NFL Draft was held in Dallas in 2018.

2019: ABC picks up NFL Draft broadcast rights

In 2019, ABC acquired the broadcast television rights for all 3 days of the NFL draft. The coverage featured the College GameDay crew and Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts. Patrick Mahomes and Taylor Swift co-hosted with Rece Davis on day 1.

2019: Taylor Swift announces new single "ME!"

On day 1 of the 2019 NFL draft, Taylor Swift announced that her new single "ME!" featuring Panic! at the Disco's Brendon Urie would be released at midnight ET, with the music video debuting on YouTube at the same time.

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2019: NFL Draft in Nashville

The NFL Draft was held in Nashville in 2019.

November 2020: Resolution JC-2A passed by NFL

In November 2020, the NFL passed Resolution JC-2A, which rewards teams for developing minority candidates for head coach or general manager positions by awarding draft picks.

2020: Virtual NFL Draft due to COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 NFL draft was held virtually, with team coaches and GMs conducting it via phone and internet.

2020: NFL Draft moves to virtual format

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 NFL draft was moved to a virtual format. NFL Network simulcasted ESPN's coverage. Analysts joined remotely, and Todd McShay was unable to participate due to testing positive for COVID.

2020: Mike Greenberg replaces Trey Wingo

In 2020, Trey Wingo left ESPN, and Mike Greenberg, host of Get Up!, took over as ESPN's host for the first two nights of the draft in 2021.

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2020: New formula for compensatory picks

Prior to the 2020 free agency season, the NFL did not reveal its formula for compensatory picks. The 2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) provided the details of a new formula.

2020: NFL Draft held by various electronic communications

The NFL Draft was held by various electronic communications in 2020.

2021: NFL Network resumes Draft coverage

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

2021: NFL Draft in Cleveland

The NFL Draft was held in Cleveland in 2021.

2022: NFL Draft trading rules

For the 2022 NFL draft, teams are only allowed to trade picks through the 2024 draft prior to the draft. Once the 2022 draft starts, picks from the 2025 draft become eligible to be traded.

2022: NFL Draft heads to Las Vegas

In 2022, after a two-year wait, the NFL draft was held in Las Vegas. Adam Schefter missed the draft, Mel Kiper Jr. participated virtually, and Kirk Herbstreit dropped out of ABC's coverage due to blood clots.

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).

2023: Senior/Graduate Student All-Star Game Rule

Prior to the 2023 season, only senior or graduate students could participate in the all-star games.

2023: NFL Draft in Kansas City

The NFL Draft was held in Kansas City in 2023.

2024: Rule change allows juniors 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.

2024: NFL Draft trading rules

Prior to the 2022 NFL draft, only picks through the 2024 draft can be traded. Once the 2022 NFL draft starts, picks from the 2025 draft become eligible to be traded.