The birth for an annual draft selection or NFL draft was a result of Stan Kostka's stardom in the early 1930s. A running back for the University of Minnesota, Kostka had a remarkable collegiate career, helping the Gophers to an undefeated 1934 season. Every NFL team wanted to sign him, and Kostka waited for the best offer, taking advantage of the fact that there was no draft. He even ran for Mayor of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, while a free agent. Eventually, Kostka's nine-month NFL delay paid off, and in August 1935, he signed a $5,000 deal with the Brooklyn Dodgers to become the highest-paid player in the league. In reaction to the Stan Kostka bidding war, the NFL introduced the draft in 1936. Since then, several details have changed, such as team placement and the number of rounds, but the basic process has not changed. In theory, the weakest team should be able to select the best player available; hence, the draft was originally intended to create more competitive parity between the teams.
The team that wins the Super Bowl always drafts last, while the team that loses always drafts second-to-last. To be eligible for the draft, all draftees must have graduated from high school at least three years ago. Teams can exchange picks for future draft selections.
Colleges with the Most #1 NFL Draft Picks
The University of Southern California has produced the most #1 NFL draft picks with six, while Georgia, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma have all seen five of their alumni get picked No.1 overall. USC became the lone record holder of this in 2024 when Caleb Williams became the sixth player in college history to go No. 1 overall in 2024.
The colleges with the most number of first overall draft picks are as follows:
| School | Year | Player |
| University of Southern California (USC) | 2024 2003 1996 1977 1969 1968 | Caleb Williams, Carson Palmer, Keyshawn Johnson, Ricky Bell, O.J. Simpson, Ron Yary |
| Georgia | 2022 | Travon Waker |
| 2009 | Matthew Stafford | |
| 1953 | Harry Babcock | |
| 1945 | Charley Trippi | |
| 1943 | Frank Sinkwich | |
| Notre Dame | 1972 | Walt Patulski |
| 1957 | Paul Hornung | |
| 1950 | Leon Hart | |
| 1946 | Frank Dancewicz | |
| 1944 | Angelo Bertelli | |
| Oklahoma | 2019 | Kyler Murray |
| 2018 | Baker Mayfield | |
| 2010 | Sam Bradford | |
| 1980 | Billy Sims | |
| 1976 | Lee Roy Selmon | |
| Auburn | 2011 | Cam Newton |
| 1988 | Aundray Bruce | |
| 1986 | Bo Jackson | |
| 1965 | Tucker Frederickson | |
| Stanford | 2012 | Andrew Luck |
| 1983 | John Elway | |
| 1971 | Jim Plunkett | |
| 1954 | Bobby Garrett | |
| LSU | 2020 | Joe Burrow |
| 2007 | JaMarcus Russell | |
| 1960 | Billy Cannon | |
| Ohio State | 1997 | Orlando Pace |
| 1994 | Dan Wilkinson | |
| 1979 | Tom Cousineau | |
| Texas | 1982 | Kenneth Sims |
| 1978 | Earl Campbell | |
| 1966 | Tommy Nobis | |
| Alabama | 2023 | Bryce Young |
| 1948 | Harry Gilmer | |
| California | 2016 | Jared Goff |
| 1975 | Steve Bartkowski | |
| Miami (Fla.) | 1991 | Russell Maryland |
| 1987 | Vinny Testaverde | |
| Michigan | 2008 | Jake Long |
| 1941 | Tom Harmon | |
| Nebraska | 1984 | Irving Fryar |
| 1937 | Sam Francis | |
| Penn State | 2000 | Courtney Brown |
| 1995 | Ki-Jana Carter | |
| South Carolina | 2014 | Jadeveon Clowney |
| 1981 | George Rogers | |
| Tennessee | 1998 | Peyton Manning |
| 1940 | George Cafego | |
| Virginia Tech | 2001 | Michael Vick |
| 1985 | Bruce Smith | |
| Central Michigan | 2013 | Eric Fisher |
| Chicago | 1936 | Jay Berwanger |
| Clemson | 2021 | Trevor Lawrence |
| Colorado A&M | 1956 | Gary Glick |
| Florida State | 2015 | Jameis Winston |
| Fresno State | 2002 | David Carr |
| Illinois | 1990 | Jeff George |
| Iowa | 1959 | Randy Duncan |
| Indiana | 1938 | Corbett Davis |
| Kentucky | 1999 | Tim Couch |
| Louisiana Tech | 1970 | Terry Bradshaw |
| Michigan State | 1967 | Bubba Smith |
| Mississippi | 2004 | Eli Manning |
| North Carolina State | 2006 | Mario Williams |
| Oklahoma State | 1947 | Bob Fenimore |
| Oregon | 1955 | George Shaw |
| Oregon State | 1963 | Terry Baker |
| Pennsylvania | 1949 | Chuck Bednarik |
| Rice | 1958 | King Hill |
| Southern Methodist | 1951 | Kyle Rote |
| Syracuse | 1962 | Ernie Davis |
| Tampa | 1973 | John Matuszak |
| TCU | 1939 | Ki Aldrich |
| Tennessee State | 1974 | Ed 'Too Tall' Jones |
| Texas A&M | 2017 | Myles Garrett |
| Texas Tech | 1964 | Dave Parks |
| Tulane | 1961 | Tommy Mason |
| UCLA | 1989 | Troy Aikman |
| Utah | 2005 | Alex Smith |
| Vanderbilt | 1952 | Bill Wade |
| Virginia | 1942 | Bill Dudley |
| Washington | 1992 | Steve Emtman |
| Washington State | 1993 | Drew Bledsoe |
FAQ's On NFL Draft History
A. Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos have never had the 1st overall pick.
A. Running backs have gone first overall 23 times.
A. Yes, there have been 3 instances when the wide receiver has gone 1st overall: the 1964 NFL draft, the 1984 NFL draft, and the 1996 NFL draft, as per Pro Football Network.
