The
NFL draft, officially known as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting",[10][11][12] is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment.[13] The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings; the teams with the worst win–loss records receive the earliest picks. Teams that qualified for the
NFL playoffs select after non-qualifiers, and their order depends on how far they advanced, using their regular season record as a tie-breaker. The final two selections in the first round are reserved for the
Super Bowl runner-up and champion. Draft picks are
tradable and players or other picks can be acquired with them.[14]
Before the merger agreements in 1966, the 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.[15][16][17] The
first AFL draft was held prior to the start of the
1960 season. The first round of the 1960 AFL draft was territorial selections. Each team received a "territorial pick" which allowed them to select a single player within a pre-agreed upon designated region (the team's "territory"). Teams then agreed on the top eight players at each position, who were subsequently assigned to teams by random draw, with each of the eight teams receiving one of those players. This process was repeated until all 53 roster spots were filled.[18] Beginning in the
1961 draft, the AFL, using the same system as the NFL, began to assign picks based on the previous season's standings.[19]
^The New England Patriots were previously known as the Boston Patriots (1960–1970).[33][34]
^The first round of the 1960 AFL draft was territorial selections. Teams were allowed to select a single player from a designated region (their "territory").[18][20]
^New England traded their 1964 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 4 and 20 overall) and a player to the
Denver Broncos in exchange for their 1964 first-round selection (No. 1 overall).[35][36][37]
^New England traded defensive back
John Charles and their 1972 first-round selection (No. 10 overall) to the
Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the right to sign free agent quarterback
Joe Kapp.[38][39]
^New England received a 1972 first-round selection (No. 17 overall) from the
Los Angeles Rams as compensation for free agent defensive lineman
Phil Olsen.[40][39]
^New England traded defensive end
Fred Dryer to the
New York Giants in exchange for their 1972 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 17 and 140 overall) and 1973 second-round selection (No. 30 overall).[41][39][42]
^
abcNew England traded quarterback
Jim Plunkett to the
San Francisco 49ers in exchange for their two 1976 first-round selections (Nos. 12 and 21 overall), 1977 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 16 and 44 overall), and quarterback
Tom Owen.[46][47][48]
^New England traded offensive tackle
Leon Gray to the
Houston Oilers in exchange for their 1980 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 25 and 160 overall).[48][49]
^New England traded their 1982 second-round selection (No. 29 overall) and tight end
Russ Francis to the
San Francisco 49ers in exchange for their 1982 first-, fourth-, and two second-round selections (Nos. 27, 42, 55, and 111 overall).[50][51]
^
abNew England traded cornerback
Mike Haynes to the
Los Angeles Raiders in exchange for their 1984 first-round selection (No. 28 overall) and 1985 second-round selection (No. 52 overall).[52][53][54]
^New England traded two 1984 first-round selections, a tenth-round selection (Nos. 16, 28, received from
Los Angeles Raiders,[M] and 265 overall), and a 1985 fifth-round selection (No. 129 overall) to the
Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for their 1984 first-round selection (No. 1 overall).[55]
^New England traded their 1985 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 16 and 75 overall) to the
San Francisco 49ers in exchange for their 1985 first-, second-, and third-round selections (Nos. 28, 56, and 84 overall).[56]
^
abNew England traded their 1990 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 3 and 29 overall) to the
Seattle Seahawks in exchange for their 1990 third- and two first-round selections (Nos. 8, 10, and 64 overall) and 1991 fourth-round selection (No. 101 overall).[57]
^New England traded their 1991 first-round selection (No. 1 overall) to the
Dallas Cowboys in exchange for their 1991 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 11 and 41 overall), cornerback
Ron Francis, linebacker
David Howard, and linebacker
Eugene Lockhart.[55]
^
abNew England traded their 1991 second- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 28 and 101 overall) to the
Houston Oilers in exchange for their 1991 first-round selection (No. 17 overall).[58]
^New England traded a 1991 first-, received from the
Houston Oilers,[R] and fourth-round selection (Nos. 17 and 110 overall) to the
Dallas Cowboys in exchange for their 1991 first-round selection (No. 14 overall).[59]
^
abNew England traded their 1992 first-round selection (No. 8 overall) to the
Atlanta Falcons in exchange for their 1992 first-, second, and fourth-round selections (Nos. 19, 46, and 104 overall).[48]
^New England traded their 1992 first- and fourth-, received from the
Atlanta Falcons,[T] and second-round selections (Nos. 19, 37, and 104 overall) to the
Dallas Cowboys in exchange for their 1992 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 13 and 71 overall).[48]
^New England received a 1998 first- and third-round selection (Nos. 18 and 81 overall) from the
New York Jets as compensation for restricted free agent running back
Curtis Martin.[60]
^New England traded their 1999 first-, third-, and sixth-round selections (Nos. 20, 82, and 191 overall) to the
Seattle Seahawks in exchange for their 1999 first-round selection (No. 17 overall).[61]
^New England received a 1997 third- and fourth-round selection (Nos. 61 and 97 overall), 1998 second-round selection (No. 52 overall), and 1999 first-round selection (No. 28 overall) from the
New York Jets as compensation for head coach
Bill Parcells.[62]
^New England traded a 2000 first-round selection (No. 16 overall) and 2001 fourth- and seventh-round selections (Nos. 101 and 206 overall) to the
New York Jets in exchange for their 2001 fifth-round selection (No. 149 overall), 2002 seventh-round selection (No. 234 overall), and for the rights to sign head coach
Bill Belichick.[63][64]
^New England traded their 2002 first-, third, and seventh-round selections (Nos. 32, 96, and 234 overall) to the
Washington Redskins in exchange for their 2002 first-round selection (No. 21 overall).[65]
^
abNew England traded their 2003 first-round selection (No. 19 overall) to the
Baltimore Ravens in exchange for their 2003 second-round selection (No. 41 overall) and 2004 first-round selection (No. 21 overall).[66]
^New England traded quarterback
Drew Bledsoe to the
Buffalo Bills in exchange for their 2002 first-round selection (No. 14 overall).[67]
^New England traded their 2003 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 14 and 193 overall) to the
Chicago Bears in exchange for their 2003 first-round selection (No. 13 overall).[67]
^
abNew England traded a 2007 first-round selection to the
San Francisco 49ers in exchange for their 2007 fourth-round selection (No. 110 overall) and 2008 first-round selection (No. 7 overall).[68]
^New England traded wide receiver
Deion Branch to the
Seattle Seahawks in exchange for their 2007 first-round selection (No. 24 overall).[68]
^
abNew England traded their 2009 first-round selection (No. 23 overall) to the
Baltimore Ravens in exchange for their 2009 first- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 26 and 162 overall).[69]
^New England traded a 2009 first- and fifth-round selection (Nos. 26 and 162 overall, received from the
Baltimore Ravens)[AF] to the
Green Bay Packers in exchange for their 2009 second- and two third-round selections (Nos. 41, 73, and 83 overall).[69]
^
abNew England traded 2010 first-round selection (No. 22 overall) to the
Denver Broncos in exchange for their 2010 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 24 and 113 overall).[70]
^New England traded a 2010 first- (received from the
Denver Broncos)[AH] and fourth-round selection (Nos. 24 and 119 overall) to the
Dallas Cowboys in exchange for their 2010 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 27 and 90 overall).[70]
^
abNew England traded their 2011 first-round selection (No. 28 overall) to the
New Orleans Saints in exchange for their 2011 second-round selection (No. 56 overall) and 2012 first-round selection (No. 27 overall).[71]
^New England traded defensive lineman
Richard Seymour to the
Oakland Raiders in exchange for their 2011 first-round selection (No. 17 overall).[71]
^New England traded their 2013 first-round selection (No. 29 overall) to the
Minnesota Vikings in exchange for their 2013 second-, third-, fourth-, and seventh-round selections (Nos. 29, 52, 83, 102, and 229 overall).[72]
^New England was stripped of their 2016 first-round selection (No. 29 overall) and 2017 fourth-round selection (No. 118 overall) as punishment for the
Deflategate scandal.[73][74]
^New England traded their 2017 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 32 and 103 overall) to the
New Orleans Saints in exchange for their 2017 fourth-round selection (No. 118 overall) and wide receiver
Brandin Cooks.[75]
^New England traded wide receiver
Brandin Cooks and a 2018 fourth-round selection (No. 136 overall) to the
Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 2018 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 23 and 198 overall).[76]
^New England traded their 2021 first-round selection (No. 23 overall) to the
Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for their 2022 second- and third-round selections (Nos. 37 and 71 overall).[77]
^New England traded their 2022 first-round selection (No. 21 overall) to the
Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 2022 first-, third-, and fourth-round selections (Nos. 29, 94, and 121 overall).[78]
^New England traded a 2023 first-round selection (No. 14 overall) to the
Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for their 2023 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 17 and 120 overall).[79]