History of NFL draft in Timeline

The NFL Draft is an annual event where NFL teams select eligible college football players. Teams are ordered based on the previous season's record, with the worst team picking first. Teams can draft players or trade their draft positions for other assets. The draft has been held annually since 1936, serving as a crucial mechanism for player recruitment in the NFL.

1925: East-West Shrine Bowl Started

In 1925, the East-West Shrine Bowl, the oldest running college all-star game, was established to provide college players planning to join the NFL draft an opportunity to showcase their skills and learn from NFL coaches and players, while also raising money for Shriners Hospitals for Children.

December 1934: NFL Introduced Waiver Rule

In December 1934, the NFL introduced a waiver rule to prevent teams from trading players to circumvent postseason eligibility.

1934: Minnesota Gophers undefeated season

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

May 18, 1935: Bert Bell Proposes the Draft

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

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 finished last place

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

February 8, 1936: First NFL Draft Held

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

1936: Giants drafting of Tuffy Leemans

In 1936, Wellington Mara built up dossiers of college players, which resulted in the Giants' drafting of Tuffy Leemans.

1936: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

In 1936, the NFL draft was held in Philadelphia.

1936: NFL Instituted the Draft

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

1936: First NFL Draft

In 1936, the first NFL draft was held to serve as a source of player recruitment. Teams were positioned in reverse order of their previous year's record, and could select players or trade their position.

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 was double any other player's salary in the NFL.

1938: NFL Draft in Chicago

In 1938, the NFL draft was held in Chicago.

1939: Kenny Washington viewed as greatest college football players

In 1939, Kenny Washington was viewed as 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.

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 not drafted

In the 1940 NFL draft, Kenny Washington was not drafted by any team.

1941: NFL Draft in Washington, D.C.

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

1942: "Bullet Bill" Dudley First Overall Pick

In 1942, "Bullet Bill" Dudley was the first overall pick in the NFL draft.

1942: NFL Draft in Chicago

In 1942, the NFL draft was held in Chicago.

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 Hired as 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: Parity Did Not Quickly Arrive

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

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 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: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

In 1949, the NFL draft was held in Philadelphia.

1949: George Taliaferro Becomes First African-American Selected

In the 1949 NFL draft, George Taliaferro became the first African-American selected in the thirteenth round.

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 System Abolished

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

1960: NFL Draft in Minneapolis

In 1960, the NFL draft was held in Minneapolis.

1960: Draft Marked Turning Point

The 1960 NFL draft marked a turning point in the draft's history due to the pending arrival of the American Football League (AFL).

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: NFL Draft hosted in Chicago

In 1964, before 2015, the NFL Draft had previously been hosted in Chicago.

1964: NFL Draft in New York

In 1964, the NFL draft was held in New York.

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 by Telephone

In 1965, the NFL draft was held by telephone with no set location.

1966: NFL Draft in New York

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

1976: Paul Salata Coined "Mr. Irrelevant"

In 1976, 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, eventually leading to its current media-driven state.

1977: Supplemental Draft Introduced

Since 1977, the NFL has held a supplemental draft for players who did not enter the regular draft due to missed deadlines or eligibility issues.

1978: Shouldergate controversy in 1978

The Shouldergate controversy happened in 1978.

1979: Steelers forfeit third rounder in 1979

In 1979, the Pittsburgh Steelers forfeited a third-round pick in the form of a third-rounder for the now-infamous 1978 Shouldergate controversy.

1980: ESPN Broadcasts Draft Coverage Live

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

1980: First Televised NFL Draft on ESPN in 1980

In 1980, the NFL draft was first televised by ESPN, marking the beginning of its development into a major U.S. television event.

1980: First NFL draft selection forfeited in 1980

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

1983: University of Miami Wins Championship

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

1983: Patriots' Exclusion of Coaching Staff from Draft Decisions in 1983

In 1983, New England Patriots' owner Billy Sullivan excluded the coaching staff from any personnel-related decisions for the NFL draft, even prohibiting them from reading scouting reports. Ron Meyer, the head coach, stated he would not have chosen Tony Eason in the first round had he had the decision-making authority.

1983: Steelers draft Gabriel Rivera over Dan Marino in 1983 NFL Draft

In the 1983 NFL draft, Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach Chuck Noll had "the final say" over picks, leading to the team drafting Gabriel Rivera over Dan Marino.

1984: Supplemental Draft for USFL and CFL Players

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

1985: Bernie Kosar Draft Controversy

The 1985 supplemental draft was controversial due to Quarterback Bernie Kosar wanting to turn pro as a junior, earning his academic degree while leading the University of Miami to its first national championship in 1983.

1987: ESPN Sunday Night NFL

From 1987 to 2005, ESPN broadcasted Sunday Night NFL

1987: Brian Bosworth Supplemental Draft

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. The Seattle Seahawks later signed him to a 10-year, $11 million contract, the largest rookie contract in NFL history at the time.

1988: Death of Art Rooney

Art Rooney, Sr. died in 1988, constantly reminding his sons that the Steelers should have drafted Dan Marino.

1988: NFL Moved Draft to Weekend

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

1990: Supplemental Draft Eligibility Change

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 in New York City

In 1995, the NFL Draft was held at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

1998: Steelers tried to circumvent salary cap

In 1998, the Pittsburgh Steelers tried to circumvent the salary cap involving offensive lineman Will Wolford.

2001: Steelers forfeit third rounder in 2001.

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

October 2003: NFL Network Launched

In October 2003, the NFL Network launched.

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2003: Vikings delay leads to player 'stolen' in the 2003 draft

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

2004: NFL Draft held in New York City

In 2004, the NFL Draft was held at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

2005: ESPN Sunday Night NFL Ended

From 1987 to 2005, ESPN broadcasted Sunday Night NFL

2005: NFL Draft held in New York City

In 2005, the NFL Draft was held at Javits Convention Center in New York City.

2006: NFL Draft held in New York City

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

2006: NFL Network Begins Draft Coverage

In 2006, the NFL Network began producing its own draft coverage, creating competition for ESPN.

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2007: Paul Oliver Drafted

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

2007: Time limit changes for draft selections

Until 2007, the time limits for NFL draft selections were 15 minutes in the first round, 10 minutes in the second, and 5 minutes for all subsequent rounds.

2008: Rookie Salary Cap Allotments in 2008

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

2008: Chargers Forfeit Draft Pick

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

2009: Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions agreed to a contract before the 2009 draft

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

2010: The 2010 NFL Draft

In 2010, the NFL Draft was for the 2010 NFL season.

2010: NFL Moved to Three-Day Draft

In 2010, the NFL moved to a three-day draft format.

2011: Chiefs pick ahead of Ravens in 2011 draft due to expired time

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

2011: Rookie compensation and duration predetermined since 2011

Since 2011, all rookies that are drafted, even those drafted first overall, now have their compensation and duration predetermined each year before the draft occurs, and can no longer negotiate beforehand.

2012: New York City Olympic Bid

In 2012, New York City bid for the Summer Olympics.

2014: Scheduling conflict at Radio City Music Hall in 2014 prompts change

In 2014, a scheduling conflict at Radio City Music Hall prompted the NFL to open bidding for a new site to host its 2015 draft.

2014: NFL Draft held in New York City

In 2014, the NFL Draft was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

2014: Cycling of picks in the 2014 NFL Draft

In the 2014 NFL draft, teams with identical records within their tier "cycled" picks in each subsequent round. For example, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers all finished 4–12 and selected in that order in the first round. In the second round, Jacksonville cycled to the back of the line.

2015: Chicago Hosts 2015 NFL Draft, Introducing Large-Scale Public Attendance

In 2015, Chicago hosted the NFL draft and introduced a much larger event with large public attendance, including the "Draft Town" fan festival, which drew 200,000 visitors.

2015: Chicago Wins Bidding Process

In 2015, Chicago won the bidding process to host the NFL draft, marking the transformation of the draft into an event featuring festivities and attendance by large public crowds.

2015: Post-Season All Star Game

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

2015: Draft Locations Determined Through Bidding Process

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

2015: NFL Draft in Chicago

In 2015, the NFL draft was held in Chicago.

2015: Time for seventh-round selections shortened

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

2016: Chicago Hosts NFL Draft

In 2016, Chicago hosted the NFL draft for the second consecutive year, continuing its transformation into a large public event.

2016: Switch to drill showcase and "controlled scrimmage" format

In 2016, an independently operated annual post-season college football event switched to its current drill showcase and "controlled scrimmage" format.

2016: NFL Draft in Chicago

In 2016, the NFL draft was held in Chicago.

2016: NFL Alumni in Florida

Since 2016, over 350 alumni have been playing in the NFL in Florida.

2017: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

In 2017, the NFL draft was held in Philadelphia.

2017: Compensatory selections can be traded starting with 2017 NFL draft

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

2018: Patrick Mahomes named NFL MVP

In 2018, Patrick Mahomes was named NFL MVP. He would go on to co-host ABC's draft coverage in 2019.

2018: NFL Draft in Dallas

In 2018, the NFL draft was held in Dallas.

2018: Draft on Broadcast Television

In 2018, the draft was carried on broadcast television for the first time. Fox and NFL Network simulcast the first two nights, while ESPN and ABC also provided coverage.

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2019: ABC picks up broadcast television rights for all 3 days of the draft

In 2019, ABC picked up the broadcast television rights for all 3 days of the NFL draft, ending the Fox/NFL Network simulcast after only one year. ABC's coverage featured the College GameDay crew on days 1 and 2.

2019: NFL Draft in Nashville

In 2019, the NFL draft was held in Nashville.

November 2020: NFL passes Resolution JC-2A rewarding teams for developing minority candidates

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

2020: NFL Draft Moves to Virtual Format

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 NFL draft, originally planned for Las Vegas, was moved to a virtual format. NFL Network simulcasted ESPN's coverage of all 3 days.

2020: Virtual NFL Draft

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 NFL draft, originally scheduled to be held in Las Vegas, was conducted virtually with team coaches and GMs using phone and internet.

2020: Mike Greenberg takes over as ESPN host

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

2020: NFL Draft by Electronic Communications

In 2020, the NFL draft was held by various electronic communications with no set location.

2020: New Formula for Compensatory Selections in the 2020 CBA

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

2021: NFL Network Returns to Producing Draft Coverage

In 2021, NFL Network resumed producing its own coverage of the draft after a one-year hiatus. ESPN and ABC continued to carry separate feeds.

2021: NFL Draft in Cleveland

In 2021, the NFL draft was held in Cleveland.

2022: NFL Draft Heads to Las Vegas

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

2022: Trading eligibility for draft picks in 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: HBCU Legacy Bowl Started

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

2023: NFL Draft in Kansas City

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

2023: All-star game participation rule change

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

2024: League eases rules to allow juniors to participate 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.