The
NFL draft, officially known as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting",[16][17][18] is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment.[19] 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.[20]
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.[21][22][23] 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.[24] 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.[25]
^The Tennessee Titans were previously known as the Houston Oilers (1960–1996) and Tennessee Oilers (1997–1998).[46][47]
^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").[24][27]
^Tennessee traded their 1965 first-round selection (No. 1 overall) to the
New York Jets in exchange for the rights to quarterback
Jerry Rhome.[48]
^Tennessee loaned quarterback
Jacky Lee to the
Denver Broncos (for the 1964 and 1965 seasons) in exchange for their 1965 first-round selection (No. 2 overall), defensive tackle
Bud McFadin, and an unspecified sum of money.[49][50][51]
^Tennessee allowed the
Dallas Cowboys to sign tackle
Ralph Neely in exchange for their 1967 first-, second-, and two fifth-round selections (Nos. 23, 49, 119, and 127 overall).[52][53]
^Tennessee traded defensive tackle
Mike Tilleman to the
Atlanta Falcons in exchange for their 1973 first-round selection (No. 14 overall).[56]
^Tennessee traded their 1974 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 1 and 53 overall) to the
Dallas Cowboys in exchange for defensive end
Tody Smith and wide receiver
Billy Parks.[57]
^Tennessee traded their 1976 first-round selection (No. 21 overall) and 1977 third-round selection (No. 65 overall) to the
San Francisco 49ers in exchange for running back
Vic Washington.[60][61]
^Tennessee traded their 1978 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 17 and 44 overall), 1979 third- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 78 and 133 overall), and tight end
Jimmie Giles to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for their 1978 first-round selection (No. 1 overall).[62]
^Tennessee traded their 1979 first-round selection (No. 23 overall) to the
Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 1979 second-round selection (No. 31 overall) and 1980 second-round selection (No. 38 overall).[63][64]
^Tennessee traded their 1980 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 25 and 160 overall) to the
New England Patriots in exchange for tackle
Leon Gray.[65][66]
^Tennessee traded their 1981 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 21 and 48 overall) and 1982 second-round selection (No. 35 overall) to the
Oakland Raiders in exchange for tight end
Dave Casper.[67]
^
abTennessee traded their 1983 first-round selection (No. 2 overall) to the
Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 1983 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 3 and 88 overall) and 1984 fourth-round selection (No. 102 overall).[68][69][70]
^Tennessee traded a 1983 first-round selection (No. 3 overall, received from the
Los Angeles Rams)[O] to the
Seattle Seahawks in exchange for their 1983 first-, second-, and third-round selections (Nos. 9, 42, and 69 overall).[71]
^Tennessee traded their 1985 first-round selection (No. 2 overall) to the
Minnesota Vikings in exchange for their 1985 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 3 and 30 overall).[72]
^
abcdTennessee traded the rights to quarterback
Jim Everett[T] to the
Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 1987 first- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 20 and 133 overall), 1988 first-round selection (No. 9 overall), guard
Kent Hill, and defensive end
William Fuller.[67][77]
^
abQuarterback
Jim Everett and the team could not reach an agreement on a contract.[74] Everett was subsequently traded to the
Los Angeles Rams.[S]
^Tennessee traded their 1987 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 8 and 36 overall) to the
Buffalo Bills in exchange for their 1987 first-round selection (No. 3 overall).[75][76]
^Tennessee traded a 1988 first-, received from the
Los Angeles Rams,[S] third-, and fourth-round selection (Nos. 9, 74, and 102 overall) to the
Los Angeles Raiders in exchange for their 1988 second- and third-round selections (Nos. 48 and 60 overall) and defensive end
Sean Jones.[67]
^Tennessee traded their 1991 first-round selection (No. 17 overall) to the
New England Patriots in exchange for their 1991 second- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 28 and 101 overall).[62]
^Tennessee traded their 1993 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 19 and 75 overall) to the
Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for their 1993 first-round selection (No. 13 overall).[80][81]
^
abTennessee traded their 1996 first-round selection (No. 9 overall) to the
Oakland Raiders in exchange for their 1996 first-, second-, and fourth-round selections (Nos. 17, 48, and 109 overall).[82]
^Tennessee traded a 1996 first-round selection (No. 17 overall, received from the
Los Angeles Raiders)[Z] and defensive tackle
Glenn Montgomery to the
Seattle Seahawks in exchange for their 1996 first-round selection (No. 14 overall).[71]
^Tennessee traded their 1997 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 13 and 110 overall) to the
Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 1997 first-, third-, fourth-, and sixth-round selections (Nos. 18, 81, 116, and 181 overall).[83]
^Tennessee traded their 2001 first-round selection (No. 29 overall) to the
St. Louis Rams in exchange for defensive end
Kevin Carter.[84]
^Tennessee traded their 2002 first-round selection (No. 14 overall) to the
New York Giants in exchange for their 2002 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 15 and 110 overall).[85]
^Tennessee traded their 2004 first- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 27 and 159 overall) to the
Houston Texans in exchange for their 2004 second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 40, 71, 103, and 138 overall).[86]
^
abcTennessee traded their 2016 first-, fourth-, and sixth-round selections (Nos. 1, 113, and 177 overall) to the
Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 2016 first-, third-, and two second-round selections (Nos. 15, 43, 45, and 76 overall) and 2017 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 5 and 100 overall).[87]
^Tennessee traded a 2016 first-, received from the
Los Angeles Rams,[AF] and third-round selection (Nos. 15 and 76 overall) and 2017 second-round selection (No 52 overall) to the
Cleveland Browns in exchange for their 2016 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 8 and 176 overall).[87]
^Tennessee traded their 2018 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 25 and 125 overall) to the
Baltimore Ravens in exchange for their 2018 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 22 and 215 overall).[88]
^Tennessee traded their 2022 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 26 and 101 overall) to the
New York Jets in exchange for their 2022 second-, third-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 35, 69, and 163 overall).[89]
^Tennessee traded wide receiver
A. J. Brown to the
Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for their 2022 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 18 and 101 overall).[89]