The NFL Draft is an exciting time of the year as the best players from collegiate football eagerly await to enter professional football careers. NFL teams recruit qualified college football players at the annual NFL Draft. The final Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in April are when the NFL Draft is held. The 2023 NFL Draft class has some very exciting prospects who will add great value to any NFL team that drafts them.
The first round takes place on Thursday, followed by the second and third rounds on Friday while the fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday. A player must either be a redshirt sophomore, junior, or senior to be eligible for the NFL Draft. A player cannot return to play collegiate football after declaring for the draft.
The fundamental idea behind the NFL Draft is to allow for fair competition, thus the teams that did poorly the previous season get to pick first, even though the format has changed throughout time.
The team with the worst regular season record receives the first pick, and the team with the greatest regular season record that missed the playoffs receives the 20th pick. Teams that were ousted in the first round, or the Wild Card round of the playoffs, are handed picks 21–24. Teams eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, or the Divisional round, are handed picks 25 through 28.
The teams that were eliminated in the Conference round of the playoffs receive the 29th and 30th choices. Finally, the team that lost the Super Bowl receives the 31st pick, while the team that won receives the 32nd pick.
There is no restriction on teams trading for additional picks. Compensation picks are given to some teams. This is determined based on the compensation, playing time, and postseason accolades of the free players that each team lost in the offseason before. The first compensatory pick normally does not go to a team until at least the third round.
Let us take a look at how the NFL Draft order looks for the 2023 NFL Draft.
NFL Draft Round 1 Order
| Pick | Team |
| 1 | Carolina Panthers (from Chicago Bears) |
| 2 | Houston Texans |
| 3 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 4 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 5 | Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos) |
| 6 | Detroit Lions (from L.A. Rams) |
| 7 | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 8 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 9 | Chicago Bears (from Carolina Panthers) |
| 10 | Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans Saints) |
| 11 | Tennessee Titans |
| 12 | Houston Texans (from Cleveland Browns) |
| 13 | New York Jets |
| 14 | New England Patriots |
| 15 | Green Bay Packers |
| 16 | Washington Commanders |
| 17 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 18 | Detroit Lions |
| 19 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 20 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 21 | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 22 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 23 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 24 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 25 | New York Giants |
| 26 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 27 | Buffalo Bills |
| 28 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 29 | New Orleans Saints (from San Francisco through Miami and Denver) |
| 30 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 31 | Kansas City Chiefs |
NFL Draft Round 2 Order
| Pick | Team |
| 32 | Pittsburgh Steelers (from Chicago Bears) |
| 33 | Houston Texans |
| 34 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 35 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 36 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 37 | Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos) |
| 38 | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 39 | Carolina Panthers |
| 40 | New Orleans Saints |
| 41 | Tennessee Titans |
| 42 | New York Jets (from Cleveland) |
| 43 | New York Jets |
| 44 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 45 | Green Bay Packers |
| 46 | New England Patriots |
| 47 | Washington Commanders |
| 48 | Detroit Lions |
| 49 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 50 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 51 | Miami Dolphins |
| 52 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 53 | Chicago Bears (from Baltimore) |
| 54 | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 55 | Detroit Lions (from Minnesota) |
| 56 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 57 | New York Giants |
| 58 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 59 | Buffalo Bills |
| 60 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 61 | Chicago Bears (from San Francisco through Carolina) |
| 62 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 63 | Kansas City Chiefs |
NFL Draft Round 3 Order
| Pick | Team |
| 64 | Chicago Bears |
| 65 | Houston Texans |
| 66 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 67 | Denver Broncos (from Indianapolis Colts) |
| 68 | Denver Broncos |
| 69 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 70 | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 71 | New Orleans Saints |
| 72 | Tennessee Titans |
| 73 | Houston Texans (from Cleveland Browns) |
| 74 | Cleveland Browns (from N.Y. Jets) |
| 75 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 76 | New England Patriots (from Carolina Panthers) |
| 77 | Los Angeles Rams (from New England through Miami) |
| 78 | Green Bay Packers |
| 79 | Indianapolis Colts (from Washington Commanders) |
| 80 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 81 | Detroit Lions |
| 82 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 83 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 84 | Miami Dolphins |
| 85 | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 86 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 87 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 88 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 89 | New York Giants |
| 90 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 91 | Buffalo Bills |
| 92 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 93 | Carolina Panthers (from San Francisco 49ers) |
| 94 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 95 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 96 | Arizona Cardinals (Compensatory Selection) |
| 97 | Washington Commanders (Compensatory Selection) |
| 98 | Cleveland Browns (Special Compensatory Selection) |
| 99 | San Francisco 49ers (Special Compensatory Selection) |
| 100 | Las Vegas Raiders from Kansas City Chiefs through New York Giants (Special Compensatory Selection) |
| 101 | San Francisco 49ers (Special Compensatory Selection) |
| 102 | San Francisco 49ers (Special Compensatory Selection) |
NFL Draft Round 4 Order
| Pick | Team |
| 103 | Chicago Bears |
| 104 | Houston Texans |
| 105 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 106 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 107 | New England Patriots (from L.A. Rams) |
| 108 | Denver Broncos |
| 109 | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 110 | Atlanta Falcons (from Tennessee) |
| 111 | Cleveland Browns |
| 112 | New York Jets |
| 113 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 114 | Carolina Panthers |
| 115 | New Orleans Saints |
| 116 | Green Bay Packers |
| 117 | New England Patriots |
| 118 | Washington Commanders |
| 119 | Minnesota Vikings (from Detroit) |
| 120 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 121 | Jacksonville Jaguars (from Tampa Bay) |
| 122 | Kansas City Chiefs (from Miami) |
| 123 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 124 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 125 | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 126 | Cleveland Browns (from Minnesota) |
| 127 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 128 | New York Giants |
| 129 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 130 | Buffalo Bills |
| 131 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 132 | Carolina Panthers (from San Francisco) |
| 133 | Chicago Bears (from Philadelphia) |
| 134 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 135 | New England Patriots (Compensatory Selection) |
NFL Draft Round 5 Order
| Pick | Team |
| 136 | Chicago Bears |
| 137 | Buffalo Bills (from Arizona) |
| 138 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 139 | Denver Broncos |
| 140 | Cleveland Browns (from L.A. Rams) |
| 141 | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 142 | Cleveland Browns |
| 143 | New York Jets |
| 144 | Las Vegas Raiders (from Atlanta) |
| 145 | Carolina Panthers |
| 146 | New Orleans Saints |
| 147 | Tennessee Titans |
| 148 | Chicago Bears (from New England through Baltimore) |
| 149 | Green Bay Packers |
| 150 | Washington Commanders |
| 151 | Seattle Seahawks (from Pittsburgh) |
| 152 | Detroit Lions |
| 153 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 154 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 155 | San Francisco 49ers (from Miami) |
| 156 | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 157 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 158 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 159 | Atlanta Falcons (from Jacksonville) |
| 160 | New York Giants |
| 161 | Houston Texans (from Dallas) |
| 162 | Indianapolis Colts (from Buffalo) |
| 163 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 164 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 165 | New Orleans Saints (from Philadelphia) |
| 166 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 167 | Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory Selection) |
| 168 | Arizona Cardinals (Compensatory Selection) |
| 169 | Dallas Cowboys (Compensatory Selection) |
| 170 | Green Bay Packers (Compensatory Selection) |
| 171 | Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory Selection) |
| 172 | New York Giants (Compensatory Selection) |
| 173 | San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Selection) |
| 174 | Las Vegas Raiders (Compensatory Selection) |
| 175 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Compensatory Selection) |
| 176 | Indianapolis Colts from Dallas Cowboys (Compensatory Selection) |
| 177 | Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory Selection) |
NFL Round 6 Draft Order
| Pick | Team |
| 178 | Kansas City Chiefs (from Chicago through Miami) |
| 179 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Houston) |
| 180 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 181 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Indianapolis) |
| 182 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 183 | Detroit Lions (from Denver) |
| 184 | New England Patriots (from Las Vegas) |
| 185 | Jacksonville Jaguars (from N.Y. Jets) |
| 186 | Tennessee Titans (from Atlanta) |
| 187 | New England Patriots (from Carolina) |
| 188 | Houston Texans (from New Orleans) |
| 189 | Los Angeles Rams (from Tennessee) |
| 190 | Cleveland Browns |
| 191 | Los Angeles Rams (from Green Bay) |
| 192 | New England Patriots |
| 193 | Washington Commanders |
| 194 | Detroit Lions |
| 195 | Denver Broncos (from Pittsburgh) |
| 196 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 197 | Miami Dolphins |
| 198 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 199 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 200 | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 201 | Houston Texans (from Minnesota) |
| 202 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 203 | Houston Texans (from N.Y. Giants) |
| 204 | Las Vegas Raiders (from Dallas) |
| 205 | Buffalo Bills |
| 206 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 207 | New York Jets (from San Francisco through Houston) |
| 208 | Jacksonville Jaguars (from Philadelphia) |
| 209 | New York Giants (from Kansas City) |
| 210 | New England Patriots (Compensatory Selection) |
| 211 | Minnesota Vikings (Compensatory Selection) |
| 212 | Dallas Cowboys (Compensatory Selection) |
| 213 | Arizona Cardinals (Compensatory Selection) |
| 214 | Las Vegas Raiders (Compensatory Selection) |
| 215 | Washington Commanders (Compensatory Selection) |
| 216 | San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Selection) |
| 217 | Kansas City Chiefs (Compensatory Selection) |
NFL Round 7 Draft Order
| Pick | Team |
| 218 | Chicago Bears |
| 219 | Philadelphia Eagles (from Houston through Minnesota) |
| 220 | Las Vegas Raiders (from Arizona) |
| 221 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 222 | San Francisco 49ers (from Denver) |
| 223 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 224 | Atlanta Falcons (from Las Vegas) |
| 225 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 226 | Jacksonville Jaguars (from Carolina) |
| 227 | New Orleans Saints |
| 228 | Tennessee Titans |
| 229 | Cleveland Browns |
| 230 | Houston Texans (from N.Y. Jets through Tampa Bay) |
| 231 | Las Vegas Raiders (from New England) |
| 232 | Green Bay Packers |
| 233 | Washington Commanders |
| 234 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 235 | Green Bay Packers (from Detroit through L.A. Rams) |
| 236 | Indianapolis Colts (from Tampa Bay) |
| 237 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 238 | Miami Dolphins |
| 239 | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 240 | New York Giants (from Baltimore) |
| 241 | Pittsburgh Steelers (from Minnesota through Denver) |
| 242 | Green Bay Packers (from Jacksonville) |
| 243 | New York Giants |
| 244 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 245 | New England Patriots (from Buffalo through Atlanta) |
| 246 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 247 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 248 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 249 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 250 | Kansas City Chiefs (Compensatory Selection) |
| 251 | Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory Selection) |
| 252 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Compensatory Selection) |
| 253 | San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Selection) |
| 254 | New York Giants (Compensatory Selection) |
| 255 | San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Selection) |
| 256 | Green Bay Packers (Compensatory Selection) |
| 257 | New Orleans Saints (Compensatory Selection) |
| 258 | Chicago Bears (Compensatory Selection) |
| 259 | Houston Texans (Compensatory Selection) |
