NFL Draft First Picks

Events in Sport

Harmon 1st Draft Pick

1940-12-10 1941 NFL Draft: Tom Harmon from University of Michigan first pick by Chicago Bears

American Football Player and Broadcaster Tom Harmon

1941-12-22 1942 NFL Draft: Bill Dudley from University of Virginia first pick by Pittsburgh Steelers
1943-04-08 1943 NFL Draft: Frank Sinkwich from University of Georgia first pick by Detroit Lions
1944-04-19 1944 NFL Draft: Angelo Bertelli from University of Notre Dame first pick by Boston Yanks
1945-04-08 1945 NFL Draft: Charley Trippi from University of Georgia first pick by Chicago Cardinals
1946-01-14 1946 NFL Draft: Frank Dancewicz from University of Notre Dame first pick by Boston Yanks
1946-12-16 1947 NFL Draft: Bob Fenimore from University of Oklahoma A&M first pick by Chicago Bears
1947-12-19 1948 NFL Draft: Harry Gilmer from University of Alabama first pick by Washington Redskins
1948-12-21 1949 NFL Draft: University of Pennsylvania linebacker/center Chuck Bednarik is selected first by Philadelphia Eagles
1950-01-20 1950 NFL Draft: Leon Hart from University of Notre Dame first pick by Detroit Lions
1951-01-18 1951 NFL Draft: Kyle Rote from SMU first pick by New York Giants
1952-01-17 1952 NFL Draft: Bill Wade QB University of Vanderbilt #1 pick by Los Angeles Rams
1953-01-22 1953 NFL Draft: Harry Babcock from University of Georgia first pick by San Francisco 49ers
1954-01-28 1954 NFL Draft: Bobby Garrett from University of Stanford first pick by Cleveland Browns
1955-01-27 1955 NFL Draft: George Shaw from University of Oregon first pick by Baltimore Colts
1955-11-28 1956 NFL Draft: Gary Glick from University of Colorado A&M first pick by Pittsburgh Steelers
1956-11-27 1957 NFL Draft: Paul Hornung from University of Notre Dame first pick by Green Bay Packers
1957-12-02 NFL Draft: Rice quarterback King Hill #1 pick by Chicago Cardinals
1958-12-02 1959 NFL Draft: Randy Duncan QB University of Iowa #1 pick by Green Bay Packers

Billy Cannon

1959-11-30 1960 NFL Draft: Billy Cannon from LSU first pick by Los Angeles Rams

1960-12-27 1961 NFL Draft: Tommy Mason from University of Tulane first pick by Minnesota Vikings

Ernie Davis

1961-12-04 1962 NFL Draft: Ernie Davis, University of Syracuse RB #1 pick by Washington Redskins

1962-12-03 1963 NFL Draft: Terry Baker from Oregon State first pick by Los Angeles Rams
1963-12-02 1964 NFL Draft: Dave Parks from Texas Tech first pick by San Francisco 49ers
1964-11-28 1965 NFL Draft: Tucker Frederickson from Auburn University first pick by New York Giants
1965-11-27 1966 NFL Draft: University of Texas linebacker Tommy Nobis #1 pick by Atlanta Falcons
1967-03-14 1967 NFL Draft: Michigan State defensive end Bubba Smith first pick by Baltimore Colts
1968-01-30 1968 NFL Draft: Ron Yary from USC first pick by Minnesota Vikings

O.J. Simpson First Pick

1969-01-28 1969 NFL Draft: O.J. Simpson from USC first pick by Buffalo Bills

NFL Running Back and Convicted Criminal O.J. Simpson

1970-01-27 NFL Draft: Louisiana Tech quarterback Terry Bradshaw #1 pick by Pittsburgh Steelers
1971-01-28 1971 NFL Draft: Jim Plunkett from Stanford University first pick by New England Patriots
1972-02-01 1972 NFL Draft: Walt Patulski from University of Notre Dame first pick by Buffalo Bills
1973-01-30 1973 NFL Draft: John Matuszak from University of Tampa first pick by Houston Oilers
1974-01-29 1974 NFL Draft: Ed Jones from Tennessee State first pick by Dallas Cowboys
1975-01-28 1975 NFL Draft: Steve Bartkowski from University of California first pick by Atlanta Falcons
1976-04-08 1976 NFL Draft: Lee Roy Selmon from University of Oklahoma first pick by Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1977-05-03 1977 NFL Draft: Ricky Bell from USC first pick by Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1978-05-02 1978 NFL Draft: Earl Campbell from University of Texas first pick by Houston Oilers
1979-05-03 1979 NFL Draft: Tom Cousineau from Ohio State first pick by Buffalo Bills
1980-04-29 NFL Draft: Oklahoma running back Billy Sims first pick by Detroit Lions
1981-04-29 NFL Draft: South Carolina running back George Rogers first pick by New Orleans Saints
1982-04-27 NFL Draft: University of Texas defensive end Kenneth Sims first pick by New England Patriots

NFL Draft

1983-04-26 NFL Draft: Stanford quarterback John Elway first pick by Baltimore Colts

1984-05-01 NFL Draft: Nebraska wide receiver Irving Fryar first pick by New England Patriots
1985-04-30 NFL Draft: Virginia Tech defensive end Bruce Smith first pick by Buffalo Bills

Sports History

1986-04-29 NFL Draft: Auburn running back Bo Jackson first pick by Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL Running Back and Baseball Outfielder Bo Jackson

1987-04-28 NFL Draft: University of Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde first pick by Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1988-04-24 NFL Draft: Auburn tight end Aundray Bruce first pick by Atlanta Falcons
1989-04-23 NFL Draft: #1 pick UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman by Dallas Cowboys
1990-04-22 NFL Draft: University of Illinois quarterback Jeff George first pick by Indianapolis Colts
1991-04-21 NFL Draft: University of Miami defensive tackle Russell Maryland first pick by Dallas Cowboys
1992-04-26 NFL Draft: University of Washington defensive end Steve Emtman from first pick by Indianapolis Colts
1993-04-25 NFL Draft: Washington State quarterback Drew Bledsoe first pick by New England Patriots
1994-04-24 NFL Draft: Ohio State defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson first pick by Cincinnati Bengals
1995-04-22 NFL Draft: Penn State running back Ki-Jana Carter first pick by Cincinnati Bengals
1996-04-20 1996 NFL Draft: Keyshawn Johnson from USC first pick by New York Jets
1997-04-19 NFL Draft: Ohio State offensive tackle Orlando Pace first pick by St. Louis Rams

Sports History

1998-04-18 NFL Draft: Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning first pick by Indianapolis Colts

1999-04-17 NFL Draft: University of Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch first pick by Cleveland Browns
2000-04-15 NFL Draft: Penn State defensive end Courtney Brown first pick by Cleveland Browns
2001-04-21 NFL Draft: Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick first pick by Atlanta Falcons
2002-04-20 NFL Draft: Fresno State quarterback David Carr #1 pick by Houston Texans
2003-04-26 NFL Draft: USC quarterback Carson Palmer first pick by Cincinnati Bengals

Sports History

2004-04-24 NFL Draft: Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning first pick by San Diego Chargers

2005-04-23 NFL Draft: University of Utah quarterback Alex Smith first pick by San Francisco 49ers
2006-04-29 NFL Draft: North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams first pick from Houston Texans
2007-04-28 NFL Draft: LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell first pick by Oakland Raiders
2008-04-26 NFL Draft: University of Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long first pick by Miami Dolphins

NFL Draft

2009-04-25 NFL Draft: Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford first pick by Detroit Lions

2010-04-22 NFL Draft: Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford first pick by St. Louis Rams
2011-04-28 NFL Draft: Auburn quarterback Cam Newton first pick by Carolina Panthers
2012-04-26 NFL Draft: Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck first pick by Indianapolis Colts
2013-04-25 NFL Draft: Central Michigan offensive tackle Eric Fisher first pick by Kansas City Chiefs
2014-05-08 NFL Draft: South Carolina outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney first pick by Houston Texans
2015-04-30 NFL Draft: Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston first pick by Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2016-04-28 NFL Draft: Cal quarterback Jared Goff first pick by Los Angeles Rams
2017-04-27 NFL Draft: Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett first pick by Cleveland Browns
2018-04-26 NFL Draft: Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield first pick by Cleveland Browns; 4 QBs taken in top 10 selections for first time in history
2019-04-25 NFL Draft: Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray #1 pick by Arizona Cardinals

Sports History

2020-04-23 NFL Draft: LSU quarterback Joe Burrow first pick by Cincinnati Bengals

2022-04-30 Brock Purdy is selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, becoming Mr. Irrelevant
2023-04-27 NFL Draft: Alabama quarterback Bryce Young first pick by the Carolina Panthers