The NFL draft is an annual sports draft in which National Football League (NFL) teams select newly eligible players for their rosters. To be eligible for the NFL draft, a player must be at least three years removed from high school. While the regulations have to explicitly need collegiate attendance, players must either exhaust their college eligibility or seek a special exemption from the league. Each NFL franchise seeks to add new players through the draft as it is the league's most common source of player recruitment. Each team is assigned a position in the drafting order based on the reverse of its record from the previous year. The team with the worst record selects first, followed by the team with the second-worst record, and so forth. 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).
From through , the first selection in the NFL draft was awarded by a random draw known as the "bonus pick." The team that received the bonus pick forfeited its selection in the final round of the draft, and once a team won, it was excluded from future draws. By the 1958 draft, all twelve league teams had received a bonus pick, leading to the system's abolition. Following this, the NFL faced competition from the American Football League (AFL), which held a separate draft prior to the merger agreements in 1966. This rivalry resulted in both leagues often drafting the same players, sparking bidding wars for top prospects. The two leagues adopted a unified "common draft" system as part of the merger. After the AFL-NFL merger was finalized in 1970, the common draft became the modern NFL draft.
Through the 2026 NFL draft, 91 players have been selected first overall, with the first being Jay Berwanger and the most recent being Fernando Mendoza. The Indianapolis Colts and the Los Angeles Rams have each made the most first overall selections in history with seven, while the Baltimore Ravens, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Denver Broncos have never selected a player first overall. USC is the college with the most selections with 6, followed by Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Georgia with 5. Quarterbacks are most commonly selected position with 41, followed by running backs with 23. 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 K Kicker NT Nose tackle C Center LB Linebacker FB Fullback DB Defensive back P Punter HB Halfback DE Defensive end QB Quarterback WR/E Wide receiver/End DT Defensive tackle G Guard T Offensive tackle TE Tight end
* Selected to a Pro Bowl/All-Star Game ‡ Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame(all were also selected to a Pro Bowl) §Denotes an expansion team
+ First overall draft picks Year Name Position College Team Notes 1936 HBChicagoPhiladelphia Eagles Heisman Trophy (1935)1937 FBNebraskaPhiladelphia Eagles N/A1938 FBIndianaCleveland Rams N/A1939 *CTCU Chicago Cardinals NFL All-Star Game (1939, 1942)1940 HBTennesseeChicago Cardinals N/A1941 HBMichiganChicago Bears Heisman Trophy (1940)1942 ‡ HBVirginiaPittsburgh Steelers NFL All-Star Game (1950, 1951)Pro Football Hall of Fame (1966)NFL MVP (1946)1943 HBGeorgiaDetroit Lions Heisman Trophy (1942)NFL MVP (1944)1944 QBNotre DameBoston Yanks Heisman Trophy (1943)1945 ‡ HBGeorgiaChicago Cardinals Pro Bowl (1952, 1953)Pro Football Hall of Fame (1968)NFL Champion (1947)1946 QBNotre DameBoston Yanks N/A1947 HBOklahoma A&MChicago Bears N/A1948 * HB, WR Alabama Washington Redskins Pro Bowl (1950, 1952)1949 ‡C, LB Penn Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowl (1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1960)Pro Football Hall of Fame (1967)NFL Champion (1949, 1960)1950 * ENotre DameDetroit Lions Heisman Trophy (1949)Pro Bowl (1951)1951 * HB SMU New York Giants Pro Bowl (1953, 1954, 1955, 1956)1952 * QBVanderbilt Los Angeles Rams Pro Bowl (1958, 1963)1953 EGeorgiaSan Francisco 49ers N/A1954 QBStanfordCleveland Browns N/A1955 QBOregonBaltimore Colts NFL Champion (1958)1956 DB Colorado A&MPittsburgh Steelers N/A1957 ‡ HBNotre DameGreen Bay Packers Heisman Trophy (1956)Pro Bowl (1959, 1960)Pro Football Hall of Fame (1986)NFL Champion (1961, 1962, 1965)Super Bowl champion (I)NFL MVP (1961)1958 QBRiceChicago Cardinals N/A1959 QBIowaGreen Bay Packers N/A1960 HBLSULos Angeles Rams Heisman Trophy (1959)AFL Champion (1960, 1961, 1967)AFL All Star (1961, 1969)1961 * HBTulaneMinnesota Vikings§ Pro Bowl (1962, 1963, 1964)1962 HBSyracuseWashington Redskins Heisman Trophy (1961)1963 QBOregon StateLos Angeles Rams Heisman Trophy (1962)1964 * WRTexas TechSan Francisco 49ers Pro Bowl (1964, 1965, 1966)1965 * HBAuburnNew York Giants Pro Bowl (1965)1966 * LBTexasAtlanta Falcons§ Pro Bowl (1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972)1967 * DEMichigan StateBaltimore Colts Pro Bowl (1970, 1971)Super Bowl champion (V)1968 ‡ TUSCMinnesota Vikings Pro Bowl (1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977)Pro Football Hall of Fame (2001)1969 ‡ HBUSCBuffalo Bills Heisman Trophy (1968)Pro Bowl (1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976)Pro Football Hall of Fame (1985)NFL MVP (1973)1970 ‡ QBLouisiana Tech Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowl (1975, 1978, 1979)Pro Football Hall of Fame (1989)Super Bowl champion (IX, X, XIII, XIV)Super Bowl MVP (XIII, XIV)NFL MVP (1978)1971 QBStanfordNew England Patriots Heisman Trophy (1970)Super Bowl champion (XV, XVIII)Super Bowl MVP (XV)1972 DENotre DameBuffalo Bills N/A1973 DETampaHouston Oilers Super Bowl champion (XI, XV)1974 * DETennessee StateDallas Cowboys Pro Bowl (1981, 1982, 1983)Super Bowl champion (XII)1975 * QB CaliforniaAtlanta Falcons Pro Bowl (1980, 1981)1976 ‡ DE Oklahoma Tampa Bay Buccaneers§ Pro Bowl (1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)Pro Football Hall of Fame (1995)1977 HBUSCTampa Bay Buccaneers N/A1978 ‡ HB Texas Houston Oilers Heisman Trophy (1977)Pro Bowl (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983)Pro Football Hall of Fame (1991)NFL MVP (1979) Offensive Rookie of the Year (1978)1979 LB Ohio State Buffalo Bills N/A1980 * HBOklahomaDetroit Lions Heisman Trophy (1978)Pro Bowl (1980, 1981, 1982) Offensive Rookie of the Year (1980)1981 * HB South CarolinaNew Orleans Saints Heisman Trophy (1980)Pro Bowl (1981, 1982)Super Bowl champion (XXII) Offensive Rookie of the Year (1981)1982 DETexasNew England Patriots N/A1983 ‡ QBStanfordBaltimore Colts Pro Bowl (1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998)Pro Football Hall of Fame (2004)Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII)Super Bowl MVP (XXXIII)NFL MVP (1987)1984 * WR Nebraska New England Patriots Pro Bowl (1985, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997)1985 ‡ DE Virginia Tech Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998)Pro Football Hall of Fame (2009)1986 * HBAuburnTampa Bay Buccaneers Heisman Trophy (1985)Pro Bowl (1990)1987 * QB Miami (FL) Tampa Bay Buccaneers Heisman Trophy (1986)Pro Bowl (1996, 1998)1988 LBAuburnAtlanta Falcons N/A1989 ‡ QB UCLA Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996)Pro Football Hall of Fame (2006)Super Bowl champion (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX)Super Bowl MVP (XXVII)1990 QB Illinois Indianapolis Colts N/A1991 * DTMiami (FL) Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl (1993)Super Bowl champion (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX)1992 DE Washington Indianapolis Colts N/A1993 * QBWashington StateNew England Patriots Pro Bowl (1994, 1996, 1997, 2002)Super Bowl champion (XXXVI)1994 DTOhio StateCincinnati Bengals N/A1995 HBPenn StateCincinnati Bengals N/A1996 * WRUSCNew York Jets Pro Bowl (1998, 1999, 2001)Super Bowl champion (XXXVII)1997 ‡ TOhio StateSt. Louis Rams Pro Bowl (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005)Pro Football Hall of Fame (2016)Super Bowl champion (XXXIV)1998 ‡ QB Tennessee Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowl (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014)Pro Football Hall of Fame (2021)Super Bowl champion (XLI, 50)Super Bowl MVP (XLI)NFL MVP (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013)1999 QB Kentucky Cleveland Browns§ N/A2000 DE Penn State Cleveland Browns N/A2001 * QB Virginia Tech Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl (2002, 2004, 2005, 2010)2002 QB Fresno State Houston Texans§ Super Bowl champion (XLVI)2003 * QB USC Cincinnati Bengals Heisman Trophy (2002)Pro Bowl (2005, 2006, 2015)2004 * QB Ole Miss San Diego Chargers Pro Bowl (2008, 2011, 2012, 2015)Super Bowl champion (XLII, XLVI)Super Bowl MVP (XLII, XLVI)2005 * QB Utah San Francisco 49ers Pro Bowl (2013, 2016, 2017)2006 * DE North Carolina State Houston Texans Pro Bowl (2008, 2009, 2013, 2014)2007 QB LSU Oakland Raiders N/A2008 * T Michigan Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) 2009 * QB Georgia Detroit Lions Pro Bowl (2014, 2023, 2025)Super Bowl champion (LVI)NFL MVP (2025)2010 QB Oklahoma St. Louis Rams Heisman Trophy (2008)Offensive Rookie of the Year (2010)2011 * QB Auburn Carolina Panthers Heisman Trophy (2010)Pro Bowl (2011, 2013, 2015) Offensive Rookie of the Year (2011)NFL MVP (2015)2012 * QB Stanford Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowl (2012, 2013, 2014, 2018)2013 * TCentral MichiganKansas City Chiefs Pro Bowl (2018, 2020)Super Bowl champion (LIV)2014 * DESouth CarolinaHouston Texans Pro Bowl (2016, 2017, 2018)2015 * QB Florida State Tampa Bay Buccaneers Heisman Trophy (2013)Pro Bowl (2015)2016 * QB California Los Angeles Rams Pro Bowl (2017, 2018, 2022, 2024, 2025)2017 * DE Texas A&M Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl (2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)DPOY (2025)2018 * QB Oklahoma Cleveland Browns Heisman Trophy (2017)Pro Bowl (2023, 2024)2019 * QB Oklahoma Arizona Cardinals Heisman Trophy (2018)Offensive Rookie of the Year (2019)Pro Bowl (2020, 2021)2020 * QB LSU Cincinnati Bengals Heisman Trophy (2019)Pro Bowl (2022, 2024, 2025)2021 * QB Clemson Jacksonville Jaguars Pro Bowl (2022)2022 DE Georgia Jacksonville Jaguars N/A2023 QB Alabama Carolina Panthers Heisman Trophy (2021)2024 QB USC Chicago Bears Heisman Trophy (2022)2025 Cam Ward QB Miami (FL) Tennessee Titans N/A2026Fernando MendozaQBIndianaLas Vegas RaidersHeisman Trophy (2025)
First overall picks by NFL 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. The Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks are the only teams that have never had the first overall pick.
Team Picks Year(s) Notes Indianapolis Colts 7 1955, 1967, 1983, 1990, 1992, 1998, 2012 3 as the Baltimore Colts 4 as the Indianapolis Colts Los Angeles Rams 7 1938, 1952, 1960, 1963, 1997, 2010, 2016 1 as the Cleveland Rams 2 as the St. Louis Rams