The
NFL draft, officially known as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting",[17][18][19] is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment.[20] 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.[21]
In 1936, the league introduced the NFL draft after team owners voted on it in 1935.[22][23] The intention of the draft is to make the NFL more competitive, as some teams had an advantage in signing players.[21][23] 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.[24][25]
^Could not play due to being enlisted with the Navy but signed a contract in 1945 to play for the AAFC's
Cleveland Browns once discharged[42][30]
^
abDetroit traded the player rights for halfback
Glenn Davis to the
Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 1948 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 6 and 17 overall). Davis did not play in the NFL until 1950 due to military service obligations.[44][45]
^Detroit traded the rights for
John Rauch to the
New York Yanks in exchange for the rights to
Doak Walker.[47] Detroit would later have to give up an additional second-round pick in the 1950 draft due to a conflicting claim for Walker with the
Cleveland Browns.[48]
^Detroit traded their 1952 first- and sixteenth-round selections (Nos. 9 and 189 overall), as well as Charley Schroll, Ed Wood, and cash to the
Cleveland Browns for Jim Martin, Ed Pasky, Tom Lucia, Lowell Tew, and Dave Rakestraw.[52]
^Elected to return to Rice in hopes of becoming an atomic scientist[53]
^Detroit traded defensive tackle
Roger Brown to the
Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 1968 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 24 and 74 overall) as well as their 1969 second-round selections (No. 47 overall).[59][60][61]
^Detroit traded their 1973 first-round selection (No. 19 overall) and tight end
Craig Cotton to the
Chicago Bears in exchange for their 1973 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 17 and 58 overall).[64][65]
^Detroit traded their 1974 first-round selection (No. 13 overall) and center
Dave Thompson to the
New Orleans Saints in exchange for their 1974 first-round selection (No. 8 overall) and 1975 sixth-round selection (No. 138 overall).[65]
^
abDetroit received a 1976 first-round selection (No. 8 overall) from the
Los Angeles Rams as compensation for free agent wide receiver
Ron Jessie.[66]
^Detroit traded a 1976 first-round selection (No. 8 overall, received from
Los Angeles Rams)[N] to the
Chicago Bears in exchange for their 1976 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 10 and 68 overall).[65]
^Detroit traded their 1977 first-round selection (No. 12 overall) to the
Buffalo Bills in exchange for wide receiver
J. D. Hill.[67]
^Detroit traded their 1988 first-round selection (No. 2 overall) to the
Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 1988 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 3 and 29 overall).[68]
^Detroit traded their 1993 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 8 and 89 overall) to the
New Orleans Saints in exchange for linebacker
Pat Swilling.[69]
^During the
1995 NFL draft, Detroit traded their 1995 second-round selection (No. 51 overall) to the
San Diego Chargers in exchange for their 1996 first-round selection (No. 21 overall). Prior to the
1996 NFL draft, Detroit traded San Diego's first-round selection (No. 21 overall) and their own 1996 third-round selection (No. 91 overall) to the
Seattle Seahawks in exchange for their 1996 first-round selection (No. 17 overall).[70]
^Detroit traded their 1999 second-, third-, and fourth-round selection (Nos. 39, 70, and 142 overall) to the
Miami Dolphins in exchange for their 1999 first-round selection (No. 27 overall).[71]
^Detroit traded their 2004 first-round selection (No. 6 overall) to the
Cleveland Browns in exchange for their 2004 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 7 and 37 overall).[72]
^Detroit traded their 2004 second- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 36 and 105 overall)
Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 2004 first-round selection (No. 30 overall).[72]
^Detroit traded their 2008 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 15 and 76 overall) to the
Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 2008 first-, third-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 17, 66, and 136 overall).[73][74]
^Detroit traded their 2009 seventh-round selection (No. 210 overall) and wide receiver
Roy Williams to the
Dallas Cowboys in exchange for their 2009 first-, third-, and sixth-round selections (Nos. 20, 82, and 192 overall).[75]
^Detroit traded their 2010 second-, fourth-, and seventh-round selections (Nos. 34, 100, and 214 overall) to the
Minnesota Vikings in exchange for their 2010 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 30 and 128 overall).[76]
^Detroit traded their 2015 first-round selection (No. 23 overall) to the
Denver Broncos in exchange for their 2015 first- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 28 and 143 overall), their 2016 fifth-round selection (No. 169 overall), and guard
Manny Ramirez.[77]
^
abDetroit traded quarterback
Matthew Stafford to the
Los Angeles Rams for a 2022 first-round selection (No. 32 overall), a 2023 first-round selection (No. 6 overall), a 2021 third-round selection (No. 101 overall), and quarterback
Jared Goff.[78]
^Detroit traded a 2022 first- (received from
Los Angeles Rams in Matthew Stafford trade),[AA] second-, and third-round selections (Nos. 32, 34, and 66 overall) to the
Minnesota Vikings in exchange for their 2022 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 12 and 46 overall).[79]
^Detroit traded a 2023 first- (received from
Los Angeles Rams in Matthew Stafford trade)[AA] and third-round selection (Nos. 6 and 81 overall) to the
Arizona Cardinals in exchange for their 2023 first-, second-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 12, 34, and 168 overall).[80]
^Detroit traded their 2024 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 29 and 73 overall) to the
Dallas Cowboys in exchange for their 2024 first-round selection (No. 24 overall) and 2025 seventh-round selection (no. yet to be determined).[81]
The
NFL draft, officially known as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting",[17][18][19] is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment.[20] 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.[21]
In 1936, the league introduced the NFL draft after team owners voted on it in 1935.[22][23] The intention of the draft is to make the NFL more competitive, as some teams had an advantage in signing players.[21][23] 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.[24][25]
^Could not play due to being enlisted with the Navy but signed a contract in 1945 to play for the AAFC's
Cleveland Browns once discharged[42][30]
^
abDetroit traded the player rights for halfback
Glenn Davis to the
Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 1948 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 6 and 17 overall). Davis did not play in the NFL until 1950 due to military service obligations.[44][45]
^Detroit traded the rights for
John Rauch to the
New York Yanks in exchange for the rights to
Doak Walker.[47] Detroit would later have to give up an additional second-round pick in the 1950 draft due to a conflicting claim for Walker with the
Cleveland Browns.[48]
^Detroit traded their 1952 first- and sixteenth-round selections (Nos. 9 and 189 overall), as well as Charley Schroll, Ed Wood, and cash to the
Cleveland Browns for Jim Martin, Ed Pasky, Tom Lucia, Lowell Tew, and Dave Rakestraw.[52]
^Elected to return to Rice in hopes of becoming an atomic scientist[53]
^Detroit traded defensive tackle
Roger Brown to the
Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 1968 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 24 and 74 overall) as well as their 1969 second-round selections (No. 47 overall).[59][60][61]
^Detroit traded their 1973 first-round selection (No. 19 overall) and tight end
Craig Cotton to the
Chicago Bears in exchange for their 1973 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 17 and 58 overall).[64][65]
^Detroit traded their 1974 first-round selection (No. 13 overall) and center
Dave Thompson to the
New Orleans Saints in exchange for their 1974 first-round selection (No. 8 overall) and 1975 sixth-round selection (No. 138 overall).[65]
^
abDetroit received a 1976 first-round selection (No. 8 overall) from the
Los Angeles Rams as compensation for free agent wide receiver
Ron Jessie.[66]
^Detroit traded a 1976 first-round selection (No. 8 overall, received from
Los Angeles Rams)[N] to the
Chicago Bears in exchange for their 1976 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 10 and 68 overall).[65]
^Detroit traded their 1977 first-round selection (No. 12 overall) to the
Buffalo Bills in exchange for wide receiver
J. D. Hill.[67]
^Detroit traded their 1988 first-round selection (No. 2 overall) to the
Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 1988 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 3 and 29 overall).[68]
^Detroit traded their 1993 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 8 and 89 overall) to the
New Orleans Saints in exchange for linebacker
Pat Swilling.[69]
^During the
1995 NFL draft, Detroit traded their 1995 second-round selection (No. 51 overall) to the
San Diego Chargers in exchange for their 1996 first-round selection (No. 21 overall). Prior to the
1996 NFL draft, Detroit traded San Diego's first-round selection (No. 21 overall) and their own 1996 third-round selection (No. 91 overall) to the
Seattle Seahawks in exchange for their 1996 first-round selection (No. 17 overall).[70]
^Detroit traded their 1999 second-, third-, and fourth-round selection (Nos. 39, 70, and 142 overall) to the
Miami Dolphins in exchange for their 1999 first-round selection (No. 27 overall).[71]
^Detroit traded their 2004 first-round selection (No. 6 overall) to the
Cleveland Browns in exchange for their 2004 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 7 and 37 overall).[72]
^Detroit traded their 2004 second- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 36 and 105 overall)
Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 2004 first-round selection (No. 30 overall).[72]
^Detroit traded their 2008 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 15 and 76 overall) to the
Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 2008 first-, third-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 17, 66, and 136 overall).[73][74]
^Detroit traded their 2009 seventh-round selection (No. 210 overall) and wide receiver
Roy Williams to the
Dallas Cowboys in exchange for their 2009 first-, third-, and sixth-round selections (Nos. 20, 82, and 192 overall).[75]
^Detroit traded their 2010 second-, fourth-, and seventh-round selections (Nos. 34, 100, and 214 overall) to the
Minnesota Vikings in exchange for their 2010 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 30 and 128 overall).[76]
^Detroit traded their 2015 first-round selection (No. 23 overall) to the
Denver Broncos in exchange for their 2015 first- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 28 and 143 overall), their 2016 fifth-round selection (No. 169 overall), and guard
Manny Ramirez.[77]
^
abDetroit traded quarterback
Matthew Stafford to the
Los Angeles Rams for a 2022 first-round selection (No. 32 overall), a 2023 first-round selection (No. 6 overall), a 2021 third-round selection (No. 101 overall), and quarterback
Jared Goff.[78]
^Detroit traded a 2022 first- (received from
Los Angeles Rams in Matthew Stafford trade),[AA] second-, and third-round selections (Nos. 32, 34, and 66 overall) to the
Minnesota Vikings in exchange for their 2022 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 12 and 46 overall).[79]
^Detroit traded a 2023 first- (received from
Los Angeles Rams in Matthew Stafford trade)[AA] and third-round selection (Nos. 6 and 81 overall) to the
Arizona Cardinals in exchange for their 2023 first-, second-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 12, 34, and 168 overall).[80]
^Detroit traded their 2024 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 29 and 73 overall) to the
Dallas Cowboys in exchange for their 2024 first-round selection (No. 24 overall) and 2025 seventh-round selection (no. yet to be determined).[81]