List of first overall NFL draft picks explained
The National Football League draft is an annual sports draft in which NFL teams select newly eligible players for their rosters. To be eligible, a player must be out of high school for at least three years. Each NFL franchise seeks to add new players through the annual draft. The draft rules were last updated in 2009. The team with the worst record the previous year picks first, the next-worst team second, and so on. Teams also have the option to trade with another team to move up to a better draft position. Teams that did not make the playoffs are ordered by their regular-season record, with any remaining ties broken by strength of schedule. Playoff participants are sequenced after non-playoff teams, based on their round of elimination (wild card, division, conference, and Super Bowl).[1]
From through the first selection was awarded by a random draw. The team which received this "bonus" pick forfeited its selection in the final round of the draft. The winner of the "bonus pick" was eliminated from the draw in future years. By 1958 all twelve clubs in the league at the time had received a bonus choice and the system was abolished.[2] [3]
Before the merger agreements in 1966, the American Football League (AFL) directly competed with the NFL and held a separate draft. This led to a massive bidding war over top prospects between the two leagues, along with the subsequent drafting of the same player in each draft. As part of the merger agreement on June 8, 1966, the two leagues held a multiple round "common draft". Once the AFL officially merged with the NFL in 1970, the "common draft" simply became the NFL draft.[4] [5] [6] The draft is one of the most notable events in American sports, with live broadcasts of it produced by ESPN, Fox and ABC.[7]
Through the 2024 NFL draft, 89 players have been selected first overall, with the most recent being Caleb Williams. The Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Rams have each made the most first overall selections in history with seven. Of the first overall draft picks, 43 have been selected to a Pro Bowl and 14 have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
List of first overall picks
Key
Statistics
- The Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks are the only teams that have never had the first overall pick.
- Nine teams have made the playoffs in the same season in which they made the first overall selection in the draft. They were the 1968 Minnesota Vikings, 1978 Houston Oilers, 1982 New England Patriots, 1991 Dallas Cowboys, 2004 San Diego Chargers, 2008 Miami Dolphins, 2012 Indianapolis Colts, 2013 Kansas City Chiefs, and the 2022 Jacksonville Jaguars.
- No team has ever gone from the first overall pick to a Super Bowl win in the same season. The Minnesota Vikings lost Super Bowl IV the year after they had the first overall pick, the Dallas Cowboys lost Super Bowl X the year after they had the first overall pick, the New England Patriots lost Super Bowl XX the year after they had the first overall pick, and the Cincinnati Bengals lost Super Bowl LVI the year after they had the first overall pick.
First overall draft picks by team
The Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Rams have each held the first overall pick a total of seven times, the most of any NFL team. This includes the Colts' time in Baltimore and the Rams' time in Cleveland and St. Louis. The Boston Yanks are the only defunct franchise to have held a first overall pick.[8]
| Team | Total
number | Year(s) | Notes | Ref |
|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 7 | 1955, 1967, 1983, 1990, 1992
1998, 2012 | - 3 as the Baltimore Colts
- 4 as the Indianapolis Colts
| [9] |
| Los Angeles Rams | 7 | 1938, 1952, 1960, 1963, 1997
2010, 2016 | - 1 as the Cleveland Rams
- 2 as the St. Louis Rams
- 4 as the Los Angeles Rams
| [10] |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5 | 1976
|
| [11] |
| Cleveland Browns | 5 | 1954, 1999, 2000, 2017, 2018 | | [12] |
| Arizona Cardinals | 5 | 1939, 1940, 1945, 1958, 2019 | - 4 as the Chicago Cardinals
| [13] |
| Detroit Lions | 4 | 1943, 1950, 1980, 2009 | | [14] |
| Atlanta Falcons | 4 | 1966
| | [15] |
| Buffalo Bills | 4 | 1969, 1972, 1979, 1985 |
| [16] |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 4 | 1994, 1995, 2003, 2020 | | [17] |
| New England Patriots | 4 | 1971, 1982, 1984, 1993 | - Also had first selection in the 1964 AFL draft
(as the Boston Patriots)
| [18] |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3 | 1936, 1937, 1949 | | [19] |
| Chicago Bears | 3 | 1941, 1947, 2024 | | [20] |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 3 | 1942, 1956, 1970 | | [21] |
| San Francisco 49ers | 3 | 1953, 1964, 2005 | | [22] |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3 | 1974, 1989, 1991 | | [23] |
| Houston Texans | 3 | 2002
| | [24] |
| Boston Yanks | 2 | 1944
| | |
| Washington Commanders | 2 | 1948, 1962 | - 2 as the Washington Redskins
| [25] |
| New York Giants | 2 | 1951, 1965 | | [26] |
| Green Bay Packers | 2 | 1957, 1959 | | [27] |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2 | 1961
| | [28] |
| Tennessee Titans | 2 | 1973, 1978 |
| [29] |
| Carolina Panthers | 2 | 2011, 2023 | | [30] |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2 | 2021, 2022 | | [31] |
| New Orleans Saints | 1 | 1981 | | [32] |
| New York Jets | 1 | 1996 |
| [33] |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 1 | 2004 | - 1 as the San Diego Chargers
| [34] |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 1 | 2007 | - 1 as the Oakland Raiders
- Also had first selection in the 1962 AFL draft
| [35] |
| Miami Dolphins | 1 | 2008 |
| [36] |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1 | 2013 |
| [37] | |
Notes: (*) indicates the team selected first overall in their inaugural season.
First overall draft picks by school
USC has the most first overall picks with 6. Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Georgia are tied for second-most first overall picks with 5 each. Only two schools have had first overall picks in consecutive years: USC, with Ron Yary (1968) and O. J. Simpson (1969), and Oklahoma, with Baker Mayfield (2018) and Kyler Murray (2019).[38]
| School | Total
number | Year(s) |
|---|
| USC | 6 | 1968, 1969, 1977, 1996, 2003, 2024 |
| Notre Dame | 5 | 1944, 1946, 1950, 1957, 1972 |
| Oklahoma | 5 | 1976, 1980, 2010, 2018, 2019 |
| Georgia | 5 | 1943, 1945, 1953, 2009, 2022 |
| Auburn | 4 | 1965, 1986, 1988, 2011 |
| Stanford | 4 | 1954, 1971, 1983, 2012 |
| LSU | 3 | 1960, 2007, 2020 |
| Texas | 3 | 1966, 1978, 1982 |
| Ohio State | 3 | 1979, 1994, 1997 |
| Alabama | 2 | 1948, 2023 |
| Nebraska | 2 | 1937, 1984 |
| Miami (FL) | 2 | 1987, 1991 |
| Tennessee | 2 | 1940, 1998 |
| Penn State | 2 | 1995, 2000 |
| Virginia Tech | 2 | 1985, 2001 |
| Michigan | 2 | 1941, 2008 |
| South Carolina | 2 | 1981, 2014 |
| California | 2 | 1975, 2016 |
| Chicago | 1 | 1936 |
| Indiana | 1 | 1938 |
| TCU | 1 | 1939 |
| Virginia | 1 | 1942 |
| Oklahoma State | 1 | 1947 |
| Penn | 1 | 1949 |
| SMU | 1 | 1951 |
| Vanderbilt | 1 | 1952 |
| Oregon | 1 | 1955 |
| Colorado State | 1 | 1956 |
| Rice | 1 | 1958 |
| Iowa | 1 | 1959 |
| Tulane | 1 | 1961 |
| Syracuse | 1 | 1962 |
| Oregon State | 1 | 1963 |
| Texas Tech | 1 | 1964 |
| Michigan State | 1 | 1967 |
| Louisiana Tech | 1 | 1970 |
| Tampa | 1 | 1973 |
| Tennessee State | 1 | 1974 |
| UCLA | 1 | 1989 |
| Illinois | 1 | 1990 |
| Washington | 1 | 1992 |
| Washington State | 1 | 1993 |
| Kentucky | 1 | 1999 |
| Fresno State | 1 | 2002 |
| Ole Miss | 1 | 2004 |
| Utah | 1 | 2005 |
| North Carolina State | 1 | 2006 |
| Central Michigan | 1 | 2013 |
| Florida State | 1 | 2015 |
| Texas A&M | 1 | 2017 |
| Clemson | 1 | 2021 | |
First overall draft picks by position
First overall selections by position played! Position !! Number of selections !! Last year selected| Quarterbacks | | |
| Running backs | | |
| Defensive linemen | | |
| Offensive linemen | | |
| Wide receivers/tight ends | | |
| Linebackers | | |
| Defensive backs | | | |
See also
Further reading
- Web site: Heisman Winners . All Things Media LLC . Heisman Trophy . May 12, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140801004040/http://www.heisman.com/index.php/heismanWinners . August 1, 2014 .
- Web site: All Time Number 1 Draft Picks . NFL Enterprises LLC . NFL.com . May 12, 2013 . January 5, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100105053020/http://www.nfl.com/draft/history/alltimeno1 . live .
- Web site: Players drafted between 1936 and 2013, in the 1st round, with the 1st pick . . May 12, 2013 .
- Web site: Heisman Memorial Trophy Winners . . May 12, 2013 . October 5, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201005203701/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman.html . live .
- Web site: NFL Hall of Fame Players . . May 12, 2013 . May 7, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130507163808/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/hof/ . live .
- Web site: Super Bowl History . . NFL Enterprises LLC . January 6, 2009 . February 29, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160229074531/http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/history . live .
Notes and References
- News: Draft order to change for playoff teams . 2009-03-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100218100315/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4015265 . 2010-02-18 . live . . Clayton . John.
- Book: Official 2013 National Football League Record & Fact Book . 2013 . . New York . 978-1-603-20980-9 . Zimmer . John . Marini . Matt . October 11, 2013 . PDF . 525 . registration .
- Web site: Draft History: 1940's . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131001024342/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/draft/1940s.aspx . October 1, 2013 . live .
- Cross, B. Duane . January 22, 2001 . The AFL: A Football Legacy . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091217064300/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2001/01/22/afl_history_2/ . December 17, 2009 . June 9, 2010 . Sports Illustrated.
- Web site: NFL History by Decade: 1961–1970 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20070205052436/http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1961-1970 . 2007-02-05 . live . June 9, 2010.
- News: Time Changes for 2008 NFL Draft . 2008-04-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121026144408/http://www.nfl.com/draft/story?id=09000d5d807e6d6a&template=with-video&confirm=true . 2012-10-26 . dead . . June 9, 2010.
- Web site: April 27, 2018 . NFL draft: Baker Mayfield picked No1 as Shazier makes emotional appearance . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190427223952/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/apr/27/nfl-draft-baker-mayfield-ryan-shazier . April 27, 2019 . April 27, 2019 . The Guardian.
- Web site: Boston Yanks Draft History . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017035543/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/byk/draft.htm . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Indianapolis Colts Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051141/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=30&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=clt&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: St. Louis Rams Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051249/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=30&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=ram&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051232/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=tam&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Cleveland Browns Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051137/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=cle&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Arizona Cardinals Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051008/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=30&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=crd&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Detroit Lions Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051224/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=det&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Atlanta Falcons Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051132/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=atl&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Buffalo Bills Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051130/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=buf&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Cincinnati Bengals Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051234/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=cin&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: New England Patriots Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051251/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=nwe&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Philadelphia Eagles Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051146/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=phi&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Chicago Bears Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051011/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=chi&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Pittsburgh Steelers Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051227/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=pit&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: San Francisco 49ers Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051229/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=sfo&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Dallas Cowboys Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051328/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=dal&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Houston Texans Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051139/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=htx&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Washington Redskins Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051014/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=was&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: New York Giants Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051144/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=nyg&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Green Bay Packers Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051240/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=gnb&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Minnesota Vikings Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051254/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=min&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Tennessee Titans Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051246/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=oti&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Carolina Panthers Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051333/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=car&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Jacksonville Jaguars clinch No. 1 overall pick in 2021 NFL draft . 2020-12-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201229055609/https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30607288/jacksonville-jaguars-clinch-no-1-overall-pick-2021-nfl-draft . 2020-12-29 . live . . December 30, 2020.
- Web site: New Orleans Saints Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051326/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=nor&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: New York Jets Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051323/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=nyj&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: San Diego Chargers Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051128/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=sdg&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Oakland Raiders Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051330/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=rai&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Miami Dolphins Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051134/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=mia&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: Kansas City Chiefs Number One Draft Picks . . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017051237/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/draft-finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1936&year_max=2013&type=&round_min=1&round_max=1&slot_min=1&slot_max=1&league_id=&team_id=kan&pos=ALL&college_id=all&conference=any&show=all . October 17, 2013 . live .
- Web site: NFL draft 2019: Kyler Murray picked No1 by Arizona Cardinals – as it happened. The Guardian. April 27, 2019. April 25, 2019. April 26, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190426114622/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2019/apr/25/nfl-draft-2019-kyler-murray-picks-arizona-cardinals-quinnen-williams-nick-bosa. live.
