How Many Picks Are In the First Round of the NFL Draft?
Contents
The NFL draft is one of the most important events for football fans. It’s also one of the most exciting, as it’s the first chance to see which young players will be joining their favorite team. But how many picks are there in the first round of the NFL draft?
Introduction
The National Football League (NFL) Draft is an annual event in which the 32 NFL teams select eligible college football players. The draft order is determined by each team’s record in the previous season, with the worst team picking first and the best team picking last.
The Number of Picks in the First Round of the NFL Draft has Changed Over the Years
The number of picks in the first round of the NFL Draft has changed over the years. In the past, there have been as many as 32 picks in the first round, but the number has been reduced to 28 in recent years. This change has been made in order to shorten the length of the draft.
The Number of Picks in the First Round of the NFL Draft was Reduced in the Early 1990s
The number of picks in the first round of the NFL draft was reduced from 30 to 28 in the early 1990s. This change was made in order to give teams more time to make their selections, as the number of rounds in the draft had been increased from 12 to 14.
In recent years, the number of first-round picks has fluctuated between 28 and 32, depending on whether or not there are any compensatory picks awarded. Compensatory picks are awarded to teams that have lost more unrestricted free agents than they have signed in the previous offseason.
The 2020 NFL draft will have 32 first-round picks, as four teams were awarded compensatory picks. These four teams are the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, and San Francisco 49ers.
The Number of Picks in the First Round of the NFL Draft was Increased in the Late 1990s
Since the first NFL Draft in 1936, the number of picks in the first round has varied from year to year, but it has mostly remained between 10 and 30. The number of picks was increased to 31 in 1991, then to 32 in 1993. In 1999, the number of picks was increased again, this time to 33. And in 2007, it was increased for the final time to 34.
The reasons for these changes are largely due to expansions or contractions of NFL teams. After the 1960 season, the NFL added two expansion teams, the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings. As a result, the 1961 Draft had 33 first-round selections. Following another expansion team in 1976, the Seattle Seahawks, 1977 saw 34 first-rounders drafted.
The most recent change came in 2002 when the Houston Texans joined the league as an expansion team. That year, there were 32 first-round selections as well as 32 second-round selections (for a total of 64 draft picks). In 2003, with an odd number of teams again (31), there were 31 first-round selections and 31 second-round selections (for a total of 62 draft picks). Since 2004, there have been 32 first-round selections each year.
The Number of Picks in the First Round of the NFL Draft has Remained Relatively Constant Since the Early 2000s
The NFL draft consists of seven rounds, with each team getting one pick per round. The order of the picks is determined by the previous year’s standings, with the worst team getting the first pick and the Super Bowl winner getting the last pick.
In recent years, there have been 32 picks in the first round of the NFL draft. However, the number of picks in the first round has fluctuated over the years. In 1999, there were 31 picks in the first round. The following year, there were 32 picks. In 2001, there were 31 picks again.
In 2002, the number of picks increased to 33. This remained constant for 10 years, until it decreased to 32 in 2012. It has remained at 32 ever since.
Conclusion
In the first round of the NFL draft, each team is given one pick.
There are a total of 32 picks in the first round of the NFL draft.
