The
NFL draft, officially known as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting",[13][14][15] is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment.[16] 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.[17]
In 1936, the league introduced the NFL draft after team owners voted on it in 1935.[18][19] The intention of the draft is to make the NFL more competitive, as some teams had an advantage in signing players.[17][19] From
1947 through
1958 the NFL designated the first overall selection as a "bonus" or "lottery pick". The pick was awarded by a random draw and the winner who received the "bonus pick" forfeited its selection in the final round of the draft and became ineligible for future draws. The system was abolished prior to the
1959 NFL draft, as all twelve teams in the league at the time had received a bonus choice.[20][21]
^
abChicago traded quarterback
Bobby Layne to the
New York Bulldogs (who became the New York Yanks) in exchange for their 1950 first-round selection (No. 3 overall), 1951 first-round selection (No. 10 overall), and cash.[46][47][48][49]
^Chicago traded quarterback
Ed Brown to the
Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for their 1963 first-round selection (No. 11 overall) and 1964 second-round selection (No. 23 overall).[54]
^Chicago traded their 1964 second- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 28 and 51 overall) to the
Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for their 1965 first-round selection (No. 3 overall).[55][56]
^Chicago did not submit their first-round selection within the allotted 15 minute time frame. This allowed the
New York Giants (previously pick No. 14 overall) the opportunity to select ahead of Chicago (previously pick No. 13 overall).[59]
^
abChicago traded a 1973 first- (received from the
Kansas City Chiefs)[N] and third-round selection (Nos. 17 and 58 overall) to the
Detroit Lions in exchange for their 1973 first-round selection (No. 17 overall) and tight end
Craig Cotton.[65][66]
^Chicago received a 1974 first-round selection (No. 20 overall) from the
Los Angeles Rams as compensation for free agent wide receiver
Dick Gordon.[68][69]
^Chicago traded their 1976 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 10 and 68 overall) to the
Detroit Lions in exchange for their first-round selection (No. 8 overall).[70]
^Chicago traded their 1977 fourth-round selection (No. 110 overall) and 1978 first-round selection (No. 20 overall) to the
Cleveland Browns in exchange for quarterback
Mike Phipps.[71][72][73]
^Chicago traded defensive tackle
Wally Chambers to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for their 1979 first-round selection (No. 4 overall) and tight end Bob Moore.[56]
^Chicago traded their 1982 second-round selection (No. 32 overall) to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for their 1983 first-round selection (No. 18 overall).[74]
^
abChicago received a 1988 first-round selection (No. 27 overall) and 1989 first-round selection (No. 12 overall) from the
Washington Redskins as compensation for free agent linebacker
Wilber Marshall.[75][76]
^Chicago traded their 1989 first-round selection (No. 25 overall) to the
Miami Dolphins in exchange for their 1989 second- and third-round selections (Nos. 36 and 65 overall).[77][78]
^Chicago traded wide receiver
Willie Gault to the
Oakland Raiders in exchange for their 1989 first-round selection (No. 11 overall) and 1990 third-round selection (No. 63 overall).[79][75][80]
^Chicago traded their 1996 first-, third, and sixth-round selections (Nos. 18, 83, and 201 overall) to the
St. Louis Rams in exchange for their 1996 first-round selection (No. 13 overall).[81]
^Chicago traded their 1997 first-round selection (No. 11 overall) to the
Seattle Seahawks in exchange for quarterback
Rick Mirer.[82]
^Chicago traded their 1999 first-round selection (No. 7 overall) to the
Washington Redskins in exchange for their 1999 first-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 12, 71, 106, and 144 overall) and 2000 third-round selection (No. 87 overall).[83]
^
abcChicago traded their 2003 first-round selection (No. 4 overall) to the
New York Jets in exchange for their 2003 fourth- and two first-round selections (Nos. 13, 22, and 116 overall).[84]
^Chicago traded a 2003 first-round selection (No. 13 overall, received from
New York Jets)[AB] to the
New England Patriots in exchange for their 2003 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 14 and 193 overall).[84]
^Chicago traded their 2006 first-round selection (No. 26 overall) to the
Buffalo Bills in exchange for their 2006 second- and third-round selections (Nos. 42 and 73 overall).[85]
^
abChicago traded their 2009 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 18 and 84 overall), 2010 first-round selection (No. 11 overall), and quarterback
Kyle Orton to the
Denver Broncos in exchange for their 2009 fifth-round selection (No. 140 overall) and quarterback
Jay Cutler.[86]
^Chicago traded their 2016 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 11 and 106 overall) to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for their 2016 first-round selection (No. 9 overall).[87]
^Chicago traded their 2017 first-, third-, and fourth-round selections (Nos. 3, 67, and 111 overall) and 2018 third-round selection (No. 78 overall) to the
San Francisco 49ers in exchange for their 2017 first-round selection (No. 2 overall).[88]
^
abChicago traded their 2019 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 24 and 196 overall) and 2020 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 19 and 81 overall) to the
Oakland Raiders in exchange for their 2020 second- and seventh-round selections (Nos. 43 and 226 overall) and linebacker
Khalil Mack.[89]
^
abChicago traded their 2021 first- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 20 and 164 overall) and 2022 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 7 and 112 overall) to the
New York Giants in exchange for their 2021 first-round selection (No. 11 overall).[90]
^
abcChicago traded their 2023 first-round selection (No. 1 overall) to the
Carolina Panthers in exchange for their 2023 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 9 and 61 overall), 2024 first-round selection (No. 1 overall), 2025 second-round selection (No. yet to be determined), and wide receiver
D. J. Moore.[91][92]
^Chicago traded a 2023 first-round selection (No. 9 overall, received from
Carolina Panthers)[AJ] to the
Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for their 2023 first-round selection (No. 10 overall) and 2024 fourth-round selection (No. 122 overall).[91][93]
The
NFL draft, officially known as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting",[13][14][15] is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment.[16] 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.[17]
In 1936, the league introduced the NFL draft after team owners voted on it in 1935.[18][19] The intention of the draft is to make the NFL more competitive, as some teams had an advantage in signing players.[17][19] From
1947 through
1958 the NFL designated the first overall selection as a "bonus" or "lottery pick". The pick was awarded by a random draw and the winner who received the "bonus pick" forfeited its selection in the final round of the draft and became ineligible for future draws. The system was abolished prior to the
1959 NFL draft, as all twelve teams in the league at the time had received a bonus choice.[20][21]
^
abChicago traded quarterback
Bobby Layne to the
New York Bulldogs (who became the New York Yanks) in exchange for their 1950 first-round selection (No. 3 overall), 1951 first-round selection (No. 10 overall), and cash.[46][47][48][49]
^Chicago traded quarterback
Ed Brown to the
Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for their 1963 first-round selection (No. 11 overall) and 1964 second-round selection (No. 23 overall).[54]
^Chicago traded their 1964 second- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 28 and 51 overall) to the
Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for their 1965 first-round selection (No. 3 overall).[55][56]
^Chicago did not submit their first-round selection within the allotted 15 minute time frame. This allowed the
New York Giants (previously pick No. 14 overall) the opportunity to select ahead of Chicago (previously pick No. 13 overall).[59]
^
abChicago traded a 1973 first- (received from the
Kansas City Chiefs)[N] and third-round selection (Nos. 17 and 58 overall) to the
Detroit Lions in exchange for their 1973 first-round selection (No. 17 overall) and tight end
Craig Cotton.[65][66]
^Chicago received a 1974 first-round selection (No. 20 overall) from the
Los Angeles Rams as compensation for free agent wide receiver
Dick Gordon.[68][69]
^Chicago traded their 1976 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 10 and 68 overall) to the
Detroit Lions in exchange for their first-round selection (No. 8 overall).[70]
^Chicago traded their 1977 fourth-round selection (No. 110 overall) and 1978 first-round selection (No. 20 overall) to the
Cleveland Browns in exchange for quarterback
Mike Phipps.[71][72][73]
^Chicago traded defensive tackle
Wally Chambers to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for their 1979 first-round selection (No. 4 overall) and tight end Bob Moore.[56]
^Chicago traded their 1982 second-round selection (No. 32 overall) to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for their 1983 first-round selection (No. 18 overall).[74]
^
abChicago received a 1988 first-round selection (No. 27 overall) and 1989 first-round selection (No. 12 overall) from the
Washington Redskins as compensation for free agent linebacker
Wilber Marshall.[75][76]
^Chicago traded their 1989 first-round selection (No. 25 overall) to the
Miami Dolphins in exchange for their 1989 second- and third-round selections (Nos. 36 and 65 overall).[77][78]
^Chicago traded wide receiver
Willie Gault to the
Oakland Raiders in exchange for their 1989 first-round selection (No. 11 overall) and 1990 third-round selection (No. 63 overall).[79][75][80]
^Chicago traded their 1996 first-, third, and sixth-round selections (Nos. 18, 83, and 201 overall) to the
St. Louis Rams in exchange for their 1996 first-round selection (No. 13 overall).[81]
^Chicago traded their 1997 first-round selection (No. 11 overall) to the
Seattle Seahawks in exchange for quarterback
Rick Mirer.[82]
^Chicago traded their 1999 first-round selection (No. 7 overall) to the
Washington Redskins in exchange for their 1999 first-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 12, 71, 106, and 144 overall) and 2000 third-round selection (No. 87 overall).[83]
^
abcChicago traded their 2003 first-round selection (No. 4 overall) to the
New York Jets in exchange for their 2003 fourth- and two first-round selections (Nos. 13, 22, and 116 overall).[84]
^Chicago traded a 2003 first-round selection (No. 13 overall, received from
New York Jets)[AB] to the
New England Patriots in exchange for their 2003 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 14 and 193 overall).[84]
^Chicago traded their 2006 first-round selection (No. 26 overall) to the
Buffalo Bills in exchange for their 2006 second- and third-round selections (Nos. 42 and 73 overall).[85]
^
abChicago traded their 2009 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 18 and 84 overall), 2010 first-round selection (No. 11 overall), and quarterback
Kyle Orton to the
Denver Broncos in exchange for their 2009 fifth-round selection (No. 140 overall) and quarterback
Jay Cutler.[86]
^Chicago traded their 2016 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 11 and 106 overall) to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for their 2016 first-round selection (No. 9 overall).[87]
^Chicago traded their 2017 first-, third-, and fourth-round selections (Nos. 3, 67, and 111 overall) and 2018 third-round selection (No. 78 overall) to the
San Francisco 49ers in exchange for their 2017 first-round selection (No. 2 overall).[88]
^
abChicago traded their 2019 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 24 and 196 overall) and 2020 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 19 and 81 overall) to the
Oakland Raiders in exchange for their 2020 second- and seventh-round selections (Nos. 43 and 226 overall) and linebacker
Khalil Mack.[89]
^
abChicago traded their 2021 first- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 20 and 164 overall) and 2022 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 7 and 112 overall) to the
New York Giants in exchange for their 2021 first-round selection (No. 11 overall).[90]
^
abcChicago traded their 2023 first-round selection (No. 1 overall) to the
Carolina Panthers in exchange for their 2023 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 9 and 61 overall), 2024 first-round selection (No. 1 overall), 2025 second-round selection (No. yet to be determined), and wide receiver
D. J. Moore.[91][92]
^Chicago traded a 2023 first-round selection (No. 9 overall, received from
Carolina Panthers)[AJ] to the
Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for their 2023 first-round selection (No. 10 overall) and 2024 fourth-round selection (No. 122 overall).[91][93]