The Draft is one of the most distinctive processes in the sports leagues of the United States and, along with the salary cap, it is one of the factors that allows for balanced and entertaining competitions, eliminating the option of establishing dynasties solely through financial power as is the case in the most important soccer leagues in the world.
PUBLICIDAD
In the case of the NFL, the Draft is used to select the best players coming from college football, with few exceptions. In the NBA, on the other hand, professional international players also play a prominent role (Nicola Jokic was playing for Mega Basket of Serbia when he was selected by the Denver Nuggets in the 2015 Draft).
PUBLICIDAD
Another difference between the NFL and the NBA is the age requirement: the professional American football league requires a minimum of three years since high school graduation to enroll in the process, while in basketball it drops to one year.
Why is the NFL Draft so important?
It allows teams to strengthen themselves with young talent and whom they can sign for four years and with a relatively low salary compared to the NFL's top stars. All thanks to the latest collective bargaining agreement.
For example, the estimate is that Caleb Williams, projected as the first pick by the Chicago Bears in the 2024 Draft, will have a salary of 7 million dollars in his first season. However, the salary cap starts to decrease as the draft picks progress, so the last pick, number 257, will sign for a maximum of 800 thousand dollars.
Many of these players who come out of the Draft change the history of the teams that choose them. Peyton Manning was the first pick in 1998 and in 13 years with the Indianapolis Colts, he took them to the Super Bowl twice, winning one title. A more recent example is that of Joe Burrow, the first pick of the 2020 Draft, who just a year later led the Cincinnati Bengals to win the American Conference.
When is the NFL Draft held?
It is a three-day process: the first round on Thursday; the second and third rounds the following day, and on Saturday it ends with the last four rounds.
From 1965 to 2014, the Draft was held in New York. However, due to the significance and communicational impact that this event has achieved, the NFL began to rotate it among cities that have a team in the league. The 2024 Draft will take place in Detroit for the first time from April 25th to 27th.
How is the draft selection order determined?
It's very simple. In reverse order from the end of the previous season. That's how the seven rounds go. That's why, for the 2024 Draft, the Carolina Panthers had the first pick and the reigning champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, had the 32nd pick. The detail this year is that the "Panthers" had traded their first pick to the Chicago Bears in a negotiation in 2023.
How do NFL teams choose players in the Draft?
Each club has a scouting department that analyzes all college football players and transmits that information to the general manager, who is the one who ultimately makes the decision on the picks, most of the time in coordination with the head coach and always taking into account each team's needs.
That information includes videos, statistics, and also a comprehensive profile of their personality.
What happens to players who are not selected in the Draft?
In 2024, there are over 1900 players available, but only 257 will be selected. All the rest, at the moment the Draft ends, become "free agents" and can sign with any team they want and under any conditions.
During the preseason, teams can have up to 90 players on the roster for training and many of these "undrafted" players surprise and manage to be part of the 53-man roster that faces the NFL regular season.