NFL Draft
Trivia Guide

The first NFL Draft was held on February 8, 1936, in Philadelphia. Jay Berwanger — the first-ever Heisman Trophy winner — was selected #1 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles. He never played in the NFL, demanding a salary the Eagles wouldn't pay and becoming a businessman instead.

Philadelphia Eagles owner Bert Bell proposed the draft in 1935 to end the bidding wars that favored the league's wealthy franchises. Before the draft, college players were signed as free agents, and teams like the Bears, Giants, and Packers consistently outbid weaker franchises. Bell's draft gave the worst teams first pick — creating competitive balance that still defines the league today.

The NFL Draft has had 7 rounds since 1994. The draft peaked at 30 rounds in 1943, was reduced to 17 rounds in 1967 after the AFL-NFL merger agreement, and shortened over subsequent decades as rosters shrank and free agency emerged.

The common draft era began in 1967, after the AFL-NFL merger agreement of June 1966. Before 1967, the NFL and AFL held separate drafts and fought bidding wars over top prospects — the reason Joe Namath's signing with the AFL's Jets in 1965 was such a big deal. Bubba Smith, a DE from Michigan State, was the first common-era #1 overall pick, taken by the Baltimore Colts.

Mr. Irrelevant is the nickname for the last player selected in the NFL Draft each year. The tradition started in 1976 and includes an entire "Irrelevant Week" of celebrations in Newport Beach, California — complete with a parade, banquet, and the Lowsman Trophy (a parody of the Heisman, featuring a player fumbling the ball).

The most famous Mr. Irrelevant is Brock Purdy, taken #262 overall by San Francisco in 2022. He became the 49ers' starting QB in his rookie season and led them to the NFC Championship Game.

The 2026 NFL Draft takes place April 23-25, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It's the 91st annual NFL Draft and the first time the event has been held in Pittsburgh since 1948.

The Draft Theater and Main Stage are outside Acrisure Stadium on the North Shore. The free NFL Draft Experience fan festival is across the river at Point State Park. Admission is free via registration through the NFL OnePass app.

Draft order is based on the reverse of each team's record from the previous season — the worst team picks first. Teams that missed the playoffs are ordered by their regular-season record, with strength of schedule breaking ties. Playoff teams are ordered by round of elimination (wild card, divisional, conference, Super Bowl), with the Super Bowl champion always picking 32nd. Teams can trade picks to move up or down in the order.

Compensatory picks are additional selections awarded to teams that lost more qualifying free agents than they signed in the previous year. They are positioned at the end of rounds 3 through 7 and are not tradeable (in most years). The 2026 NFL Draft has 33 compensatory selections awarded to 15 teams, bringing the total draft to 257 picks.

Tom Brady was drafted 199th overall in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He was the 7th quarterback taken that year, falling behind Chad Pennington (#18), Giovanni Carmazzi (#65), Chris Redman (#75), Tee Martin (#163), Marc Bulger (#168), and Spergon Wynn (#183).

Brady won 7 Super Bowls, 3 NFL MVPs, and 5 Super Bowl MVPs across 23 seasons — universally considered the greatest draft steal in NFL history, and arguably the greatest in any major sport.

Joe Montana was drafted 82nd overall in the 3rd round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He was the 4th QB taken that year. Montana won 4 Super Bowls and 3 Super Bowl MVPs — both figures going a perfect 4-0 in Super Bowl appearances.

Jerry Rice was drafted 16th overall in the 1st round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Rice came out of tiny Mississippi Valley State, and the 49ers traded up to select him. He finished his career as the all-time leader in receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895), and receiving touchdowns (197).

Dan Marino was drafted 27th overall in the 1st round of the 1983 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. He was the 6th and final QB taken in the first round of the legendary 1983 class — falling past five other QBs due to unfounded off-field concerns.

Marino led the NFL in passing yardage five times and was the first QB ever to throw for 5,000 yards in a season (1984). He never won a Super Bowl, the signature gap on an otherwise Hall of Fame résumé.

Peyton Manning was drafted 1st overall in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. He won 5 NFL MVPs — still the most ever — and 2 Super Bowls (XLI with Indy, 50 with Denver). Manning still holds the single-season records for passing touchdowns (55) and passing yardage (5,477).

John Elway was selected 1st overall in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts — but refused to play for them, threatening to play baseball for the Yankees instead. The Colts traded him to the Denver Broncos within days. Elway played all 16 of his NFL seasons in Denver, winning Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII to close his career.

Lawrence Taylor was drafted 2nd overall in the 1981 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He is widely considered the greatest defensive player in NFL history and is one of only two defensive players to ever win NFL MVP (1986) — joining Alan Page (1971). LT finished with 142 career sacks and redefined the outside linebacker position.

Barry Sanders was drafted 3rd overall in the 1989 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He went after Troy Aikman (#1 to Dallas) and legendary bust Tony Mandarich (#2 to Green Bay). Sanders rushed for 15,269 yards in 10 seasons before unexpectedly retiring at age 31 — just 1,457 yards behind Walter Payton's then-record. Had Sanders kept playing, he would have rewritten the record book.

Ray Lewis was drafted 26th overall in the 1st round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens — the franchise's first-ever draft pick. Lewis is widely considered the greatest middle linebacker in NFL history, winning 2 Super Bowls (XXXV MVP, XLVII), 2 Defensive Player of the Year awards, and making 13 Pro Bowls across 17 seasons.

Patrick Mahomes was drafted 10th overall in the 1st round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, who traded up with the Buffalo Bills to select him. Mitchell Trubisky went #2 overall to Chicago, and Deshaun Watson went #12 to Houston — making the Mahomes pick one of the best in modern draft history. He has 3 Super Bowls, 3 Super Bowl MVPs, and 2 NFL MVPs.

Jay Berwanger, a halfback from the University of Chicago, was selected #1 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the inaugural 1936 NFL Draft. He was also the first-ever Heisman Trophy winner (1935). Berwanger never played in the NFL — he demanded $1,000 per game (enormous at the time), the Eagles wouldn't pay it, and he became a businessman instead.

The Indianapolis Colts franchise has had 7 #1 overall picks (3 as Baltimore Colts, 4 as Indianapolis), including Peyton Manning (1998), Andrew Luck (2012), and John Elway (1983, traded immediately to Denver). The Los Angeles Rams franchise is tied with 7 picks across their Cleveland, St. Louis, and Los Angeles eras.

USC leads all schools with 6 #1 overall picks: Ron Yary (1968), O.J. Simpson (1969), Ricky Bell (1977), Keyshawn Johnson (1996), Carson Palmer (2003), and Caleb Williams (2024). Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Georgia are each tied for second with 5 picks apiece.

Ki-Jana Carter of Penn State, selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1995. Carter tore his ACL in his first preseason game and never became a starter. No running back has gone #1 overall since — the position has been steadily devalued in the modern NFL as passing offenses took over.

40 quarterbacks have been selected #1 overall through the 2025 NFL Draft — by far the most of any position. Running backs are second with 23, defensive linemen third with 15. Recent #1 overall QBs: Cam Ward (2025), Caleb Williams (2024), Bryce Young (2023), Trevor Lawrence (2021), Joe Burrow (2020), Kyler Murray (2019), Baker Mayfield (2018).

Cam Ward, a quarterback from the University of Miami (FL), was selected #1 overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was the first QB from Miami to be taken #1 since Vinny Testaverde in 1987.

Bubba Smith, a defensive end from Michigan State, was the first African American #1 overall pick. He was selected by the Baltimore Colts in 1967 — the first year of the common draft era. O.J. Simpson was the second African American #1 pick, taken by Buffalo in 1969.

The 1983 Draft produced 6 first-round quarterbacks: John Elway (#1), Todd Blackledge (#7), Jim Kelly (#14), Tony Eason (#15), Ken O'Brien (#24), and Dan Marino (#27). Elway, Kelly, and Marino are all in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Beyond the QB class, the 1983 draft also produced Eric Dickerson (#2), Bruce Matthews (#9), Darrell Green (#28), and Roger Craig (#49). It's widely considered the greatest draft class in NFL history.

JaMarcus Russell (2007) and Ryan Leaf (1998) are the two names most often cited. Russell was taken #1 by Oakland, played 31 career games, threw 18 TDs and 23 INTs, and was out of the NFL by 2010. Leaf went #2 in 1998 (behind Peyton Manning), played 25 career games, threw 14 TDs and 36 INTs, and washed out by 2002.

Leaf is often cited as the more impactful bust because of how closely he was compared to Manning pre-draft. Russell's contract — 6 years, $61 million with $32 million guaranteed — made him the costlier miss.

Ryan Leaf was a QB from Washington State, selected #2 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1998 Draft, directly behind Peyton Manning. The pre-draft debate was genuinely "Manning or Leaf," with some analysts preferring Leaf's arm strength and size. His NFL career included just 25 games, 14 TDs, 36 INTs, and well-documented off-field issues. The "Manning or Leaf" debate has become shorthand for NFL draft uncertainty.

JaMarcus Russell was a QB from LSU, selected #1 overall by the Oakland Raiders in 2007. He signed a 6-year, $61 million contract with $32 million guaranteed — the richest rookie deal in NFL history at the time. Russell played just 31 career games, threw 18 TDs and 23 INTs, and went 7-18 as a starter. He was cut in 2010 and never played another NFL snap. His work ethic and weight issues became cautionary tales for future prospects.

Ki-Jana Carter was a Penn State running back selected #1 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1995. He tore his ACL on his third carry of his first preseason game — before ever playing in a regular-season NFL game. Carter played just 7 NFL seasons, totaling 1,144 rushing yards with 20 touchdowns. His career flameout is widely credited as a key reason no running back has been taken #1 overall since.

In the 2017 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears traded up with the 49ers to select QB Mitchell Trubisky at #2 overall. Patrick Mahomes went 10th to Kansas City, and Deshaun Watson went 12th to Houston — both considered better prospects by most draft analysts at the time.

Mahomes has since won 3 Super Bowls, 2 MVPs, and 3 Super Bowl MVPs. Trubisky lasted 4 seasons in Chicago before becoming a career backup. It's widely cited as the worst quarterback decision in modern NFL Draft history.

Randy Moss fell in the 1998 draft due to character concerns tied to off-field incidents in college. Twenty teams passed on him before the Minnesota Vikings took him at #21.

The Dallas Cowboys at #8 are most often cited as the biggest miss — Jerry Jones famously passed on Moss and took DE Greg Ellis instead. Moss finished his career with 156 receiving touchdowns, second all-time behind only Jerry Rice.

Tom Brady at #199 overall in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL Draft is universally considered the greatest draft steal in NFL history — and arguably the greatest in any major North American sport. He won 7 Super Bowls, 3 NFL MVPs, and 5 Super Bowl MVPs across 23 seasons. The 198 players picked ahead of him combined for a fraction of his career impact.

Shannon Sharpe was drafted 192nd overall in the 7th round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He came out of tiny Savannah State. Sharpe became one of the best tight ends ever — 8 Pro Bowls, 3 Super Bowl rings (2 with Denver, 1 with Baltimore), and induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

Russell Wilson was drafted 75th overall in the 3rd round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Most teams passed on him because of his 5'11" height, which was considered too short for the position. Wilson won Super Bowl XLVIII in his second season and became the first QB in NFL history to win 11+ games in each of his first seven seasons.

Travis Kelce was drafted 63rd overall in the 3rd round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs — just two picks before the end of Round 2. He has since won 3 Super Bowls (LIV, LVII, LVIII) with Patrick Mahomes and is a first-ballot Hall of Fame lock, widely considered the best pass-catching tight end of all time.

Brett Favre was drafted 33rd overall in the 2nd round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons — the first pick of Round 2. He played one season in Atlanta, throwing just 4 career passes, before the Falcons traded him to the Green Bay Packers for a 1st-round pick. Favre went on to win 3 NFL MVPs and Super Bowl XXXI in Green Bay — one of the most lopsided trades in NFL history.

Richard Dent was drafted 203rd overall in the 8th round of the 1983 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. He became the defensive anchor of the legendary 1985 Bears, winning Super Bowl XX MVP. Dent finished his career with 137.5 sacks (7th all-time at retirement) and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

Kurt Warner is the most famous — Super Bowl XXXIV champion and 2-time NFL MVP who went from stocking shelves at Hy-Vee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Other top undrafted legends include Antonio Gates (116 career TDs, most ever by a TE), James Harrison (2008 DPOY), Adam Vinatieri (NFL's all-time leading scorer), Jeff Saturday (6x Pro Bowl center), and Tony Romo (Cowboys' all-time passing leader).

Kurt Warner went undrafted out of Northern Iowa in 1994. He famously worked at a Hy-Vee grocery store stocking shelves before playing in the Arena Football League and NFL Europe. Signed by the St. Louis Rams, he took over as starter in 1999 when Trent Green went down with an injury — and led the "Greatest Show on Turf" offense to a Super Bowl XXXIV win, earning MVP honors for the regular season and Super Bowl. Warner won 2 NFL MVPs and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

Tony Romo went undrafted in the 2003 NFL Draft out of Eastern Illinois and was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as a UDFA. He sat on the bench for three years behind Drew Bledsoe before becoming the starter in 2006. Romo made 4 Pro Bowls and holds essentially every significant Cowboys franchise passing record, though he never won a playoff game beyond the divisional round.

Antonio Gates played college basketball at Kent State and never played a down of college football. The San Diego Chargers signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2003 after an impressive workout. Gates finished his career with 116 receiving touchdowns — the most ever by an NFL tight end — plus 955 receptions for 11,841 yards across 16 seasons.

James Harrison went undrafted out of Kent State in 2002. The Pittsburgh Steelers cut him four times before he finally stuck on the roster. He won Super Bowls XL and XLIII with Pittsburgh and was named the 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. His 100-yard interception return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII remains the longest play in Super Bowl history.

Adam Vinatieri went undrafted in 1996 out of South Dakota State. He kicked briefly in NFL Europe before signing with the New England Patriots. Vinatieri won 4 Super Bowls (3 with New England, 1 with Indianapolis) and retired as the NFL's all-time leading scorer with 2,673 career points. He's famous for game-winning field goals in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII, plus the "Snow Bowl" kick in the 2001 divisional playoffs.

Aaron Rodgers is the most famous modern faller. Projected as a possible #1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, he sat in the green room at Madison Square Garden for nearly five hours watching 23 teams pass on him before Green Bay finally took him at #24. He went on to win 4 NFL MVPs and Super Bowl XLV — one of the greatest mid-first-round picks ever.

Rodgers came into the 2005 draft widely expected to go #1 overall to his hometown San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers took Alex Smith instead. Rodgers then watched 22 more teams pass on him over nearly 5 hours on live TV, with ESPN cameras capturing his slow deterioration as picks came and went.

The Packers finally selected him at #24 to sit behind Brett Favre — a situation that would pay off three years later when Rodgers took over as starter and won an MVP in his first year as a full-time starter.

Tom Brady at #199 in 2000 is the most famous, but several Hall of Fame QBs were taken deeper or later:

Johnny Unitas — 102nd pick (9th round) of 1955 by Pittsburgh; cut before playing a down; signed by Baltimore in 1956; won 3 NFL championships and 3 NFL MVPs.

Bart Starr — 200th pick (17th round) of 1956 by Green Bay; won 5 NFL championships and the first two Super Bowls, earning MVP in both.

Roger Staubach — 129th pick (10th round) of 1964 by Dallas; served in the Navy first; won 2 Super Bowls and Super Bowl VI MVP.

The modern NFL Draft runs 3 days:

• Round 1 airs Thursday night with teams getting 10 minutes per pick.
• Rounds 2-3 air Friday night (7 minutes per pick in Round 2, 5 in Round 3).
• Rounds 4-7 air Saturday (5 minutes per pick in Rounds 4-6, 4 minutes in Round 7).

The full draft includes 257 selections in 2026 — 224 standard picks plus 33 compensatory — taking roughly 12-15 hours of TV time spread across the three days.

ESPN first televised the NFL Draft live in 1980. The event has grown steadily since then — Round 1 moved to primetime (Thursday night) in 2010. The 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit drew over 775,000 on-site attendees and more than 50 million TV viewers worldwide, making it one of the NFL's biggest offseason events.

The NFL Draft was held in New York for most of its history — particularly at Radio City Music Hall and the Jacob Javits Center. Since 2015, the league has rotated the host city to spread the economic impact:

Chicago (2015-16) → Philadelphia (2017) → AT&T Stadium, Dallas (2018) → Nashville (2019) → virtual for COVID (2020) → Cleveland (2021) → Las Vegas (2022) → Kansas City (2023) → Detroit (2024) → Green Bay (2025) → Pittsburgh (2026).