How Much Does A 1st Round NFL Draft Pick Make?

The answer to this question may surprise you. While the exact amount may vary from year to year, the average first-round draft pick in the NFL can expect to sign a contract worth around $10 million.

Introduction

The National Football League (NFL) draft is an annual event in which the 32 NFL teams select eligible college football players. It is considered one of the most important days in the NFL offseason. The first round of the draft is often the most anticipated, as it features some of the best college football players competing for a spot on an NFL team.

A first-round draft pick is typically considered a major coup for any NFL team. Not only do they get to add a major talent to their roster, but they also get to do so at a relatively low cost. A first-round draft pick’s salary is dictated by the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement with its players. The current CBA was signed in 2011 and runs through the 2020 season.

Under the terms of the CBA, a first-round draft pick will earn a four-year contract with a team option for a fifth year. The total value of the contract will vary depending on where the player is selected in the draft. For example, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft will earn a base salary of $5.6 million in their rookie season, with that number rising to $9 million in their fourth year (if their fifth-year option is exercised). By comparison, the No. 32 overall pick will earn a base salary of $2 million in their rookie season, with that number rising to $3 million in their fourth year (if their fifth-year option is exercised).

In addition to their base salary, first-round draft picks are also eligible for signing bonuses and other performance-based incentives. For example, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft will receive a signing bonus of $22 million. By comparison, the No. 32 overall pick will receive a signing bonus of just under $2 million.

While it is impossible to predict exactly how much money a first-round draft pick will make over the course of their career, it is safe to say that they will be among the highest-paid players on their respective teams.

NFL Draft Process

An NFL draft is an annual event in which the National Football League (NFL) teams select eligible college football players. It is a seven-round process in which each of the 32 NFL teams gets to pick one player per round.

Draft Eligibility

To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must have been out of high school for at least three years and must have used up their eligibility in college. Players are not eligible for the draft if they are still in college.

There are a few other exceptions that can make a player eligible for the NFL Draft. If a player attends a junior college, he can declare for the draft after one year of playing at that school. If a player declares for the draft and is not selected, he can go back to school and play his final year of eligibility.

There is also a special “hardship” rule that allows players to declare for the draft early if they have financial need or other extenuating circumstances.

The NFL Combine

Heading into the Combine, players are grouped by position and each position goes through a series of tests and drills.

The 40-yard dash is probably the most anticipated event at the Combine. It’s a straight-line sprint and everyone wants to see who the fastest player is in a given year. The 40 is used as a bit of a barometer for a player’s speed and explosiveness.

The vertical jump and broad jump test a player’s lower-body explosiveness and power. These are two tests that really separate the guys with elite athletic ability from everyone else.

The 3-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle are both change-of-direction drills that test a player’s agility, quickness and body control. These are important for guys who will be playing in space, whether it’s at linebacker or in the secondary.

The bench press measures how many 225 pounds a player can lift for reps. While this is not necessarily an indicator of how good of shape a player is in, it does give coaches and scouts an idea of his upper-body strength.

Pro Days

Pro Days are basically college football’s version of the NFL Combine. Most schools hold their Pro Day in March, and they invite all 32 NFL teams to come and scout their eligible players. Pro Days are important because they’re another chance for prospects to improve their stock before the draft.

At a Pro Day, scouts will time prospects in the 40-yard dash and measure their vertical jump and broad jump. They’ll also conduct position-specific drills. For example, quarterbacks will throw to receivers, while running backs will run routes and catch passes out of the backfield.

Linemen will go through blocking drills, etc. Scouts will also interview prospects at Pro Days. This is important because it gives them a chance to get to know the prospects off the field, which is something they can’t really do at the Combine.

NFL Draft Order

As the NFL season comes to an end, so does the college football season. That means it’s time for the NFL Draft. The draft is where each NFL team selects college football players that they hope will become stars in the NFL. The NFL Draft is also a time for NFL teams to improve their rosters for the upcoming season. The draft order is the order in which the NFL teams will pick in the draft. The order is determined by the team’s record from the previous season. The team with the worst record will pick first, and the team with the best record will pick last.

The Draft Lottery

The NFL Draft Lottery is a weighted system that is used to determine the order of selection for the first round of the NFL Draft. The lottery is held once every year, typically in May, and the results are announced at the NFL Draft in April. The lottery is used to determine the order of selection for the first 14 picks in the NFL Draft.

The Draft Order

The NFL Draft is an annual event in which the 32 teams in the National Football League (NFL) select new players for their rosters. The draft order is determined by each team’s record during the previous season, with the worst team picking first and the best team picking last.

NFL Draft Salaries

Over the past few years, NFL draft salaries have increased dramatically. In 2018, the average salary for a first round NFL draft pick was $10.9 million. This is a significant increase from the average salary of $3.6 million in 2009. Let’s take a look at how much NFL draft picks make.

Rookie Salary Cap

In the NFL, there is a rookie salary cap that is set each year by the league. The current rookie salary cap is $4.49 million. This means that the maximum amount that a first round NFL draft pick can make is $4.49 million. This does not include any bonuses that a player may receive.

Signing Bonuses

In recent years, the NFL Draft has become more and more about money. First round draft picks are now signing contracts worth tens of millions of dollars, with a large chunk of that money coming in the form of a signing bonus.

So how much does a first round NFL Draft pick make in 2019? The answer, on average, is just over $10 million. That figure includes the standard 4-year contract worth $9.2 million, along with a signing bonus that averages $4.6 million.

But of course, there is a lot of variation from one player to the next. The exact numbers will depend on where a player is drafted, as well as their agent and negotiating skills. For example, this year’s #1 overall pick Kyler Murray is set to make nearly $36 million over his 4-year contract, including a massive $23 million signing bonus.

At the other end of the spectrum, players drafted in the later rounds will sign contracts worth much less money. But even they can still expect to receive a hefty signing bonus, typically worth several hundred thousand dollars.

So if you’re lucky enough to be drafted into the NFL this year, don’t spend that signing bonus all at once!

Conclusion

1st round draft picks in the NFL make an average of $5.55 million per year. This includes a signing bonus of approximately $1.47 million and a base salary of $4.08 million. Rookie salaries have increased dramatically over the past few years due largely to the new collective bargaining agreement that was signed in 2011.