The first overall pick in the NFL Draft has been very important since its start in 1936. In college football, it is frequently used to select the most promising players. Teams have used the first pick to fill a variety of positional needs over the years, with quarterbacks emerging as the most frequently selected position. The significance of the position is demonstrated by the fact that quarterbacks will be selected with more than 30 of the 87 first-round picks as of 2025.
Another popular option is defensive linemen, particularly edge rushers and tackles. This reflects the importance of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Although their selections have decreased recently due to shifting league priorities, offensive tackles and running backs have also seen significant representation. This breakdown by position provides a detailed look at how team strategies and league dynamics have evolved, showcasing the trends and values that shape NFL draft decisions at the highest level.
List of Players First Drafted By Position in NFL History
The NFL draft began in 1936, and as of 2025, 88 drafts have taken place. The Philadelphia Eagles' Jay Berwanger was the first pick in the 1936 draft. He also won the Heisman Trophy in 1935. Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears was selected first in the 2024 NFL draft. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner played for the USC Trojans Football team at the collegiate level.
| Year | Name | Position | College | Team |
| 1936 | Jay Berwanger | HB | Chicago | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1937 | Sam Francis | FB | Nebraska | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1938 | Corbett Davis | FB | Indiana | Cleveland Rams |
| 1939 | Ki Aldrich | C | TCU | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1940 | George Cafego | HB | Tennessee | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1941 | Tom Harmon | HB | Michigan | Chicago Bears |
| 1942 | Bill Dudley | HB | Virginia | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1943 | Frank Sinkwich | HB | Georgia | Detroit Lions |
| 1944 | Angelo Bertelli | QB | Notre Dame | Boston Yanks |
| 1945 | Charley Trippi | HB | Georgia | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1946 | Frank Dancewicz | QB | Notre Dame | Boston Yanks |
| 1947 | Bob Fenimore | HB | Oklahoma A&M | Chicago Bears |
| 1948 | Harry Gilmer | HB, WR | Alabama | Washington Redskins |
| 1949 | Chuck Bednari | C, LB | Penn | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1950 | Leon Hart | E | Notre Dame | Detroit Lions |
| 1951 | Kyle Rote | HB | SMU | New York Giants |
| 1952 | Bill Wade | QB | Vanderbilt | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1953 | Harry Babcock | E | Georgia | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1954 | Bobby Garrett | QB | Stanford | Cleveland Browns |
| 1955 | George Shaw | QB | Oregon | Baltimore Colts |
| 1956 | Gary Glick | DB | Colorado A&M | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1957 | Paul Hornung | HB | Notre Dame | Green Bay Packers |
| 1958 | King Hill | QB | Rice | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1959 | Randy Duncan | QB | Iowa | Green Bay Packers |
| 1960 | Billy Cannon | HB | LSU | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1961 | Tommy Mason | HB | Tulane | Minnesota Vikings |
| 1962 | Ernie Davis | HB | Syracuse | Washington Redskins |
| 1963 | Terry Baker | QB | Oregon State | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1964 | Dave Parks | WR | Texas Tech | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1965 | Tucker Frederickson | HB | Auburn | New York Giants |
| 1966 | Tommy Nobis | LB | Texas | Atlanta Falcons |
| 1967 | Bubba Smith | DE | Michigan State | Baltimore Colts |
| 1968 | Ron Yary | T | USC | Minnesota Vikings |
| 1969 | O. J. Simpson | HB | USC | Buffalo Bills |
| 1970 | Terry Bradshaw | QB | Louisiana Tech | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1971 | Jim Plunkett | QB | Stanford | New England Patriots |
| 1972 | Walt Patulski | DE | Notre Dame | Buffalo Bills |
| 1973 | John Matuszak | DE | Tampa | Houston Oilers |
| 1974 | Ed Jones | DE | Tennessee State | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1975 | Steve Bartkowski | QB | California | Atlanta Falcons |
| 1976 | Lee Roy Selmon | DE | Oklahoma | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 1977 | Ricky Bell | HB | USC | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 1978 | Earl Campbell | HB | Texas | Houston Oilers |
| 1979 | Tom Cousineau | LB | Ohio State | Buffalo Bills |
| 1980 | Billy Sims | HB | Oklahoma | Detroit Lions |
| 1981 | George Rogers | HB | South Carolina | New Orleans Saints |
| 1982 | Kenneth Sims | DE | Texas | New England Patriots |
| 1983 | John Elway | QB | Stanford | Baltimore Colts |
| 1984 | Irving Fryar | WR | Nebraska | New England Patriots |
| 1985 | Bruce Smith | DE | Virginia Tech | Buffalo Bills |
| 1986 | Bo Jackson | HB | Auburn | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 1987 | Vinny Testaverde | QB | Miami (FL) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 1988 | Aundray Bruce | LB | Auburn | Atlanta Falcons |
| 1989 | Troy Aikman | QB | UCLA | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1990 | Jeff George | QB | Illinois | Indianapolis Colts |
| 1991 | Russell Maryland | DT | Miami (FL) | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1992 | Steve Emtman | DE | Washington | Indianapolis Colts |
| 1993 | Drew Bledsoe | QB | Washington State | New England Patriots |
| 1994 | Dan Wilkinson | DT | Ohio State | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 1995 | Ki-Jana Carter | HB | Penn State | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 1996 | Keyshawn Johnson | WR | USC | New York Jets |
| 1997 | Orlando Pace | T | Ohio State | St. Louis Rams |
| 1998 | Peyton Manning | QB | Tennessee | Indianapolis Colts |
| 1999 | Tim Couch | QB | Kentucky | Cleveland Browns |
| 2000 | Courtney Brown | DE | Penn State | Cleveland Browns |
| 2001 | Michael Vick | QB | Virginia Tech | Atlanta Falcons |
| 2002 | David Carr | QB | Fresno State | Houston Texans |
| 2003 | Carson Palmer | QB | USC | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2004 | Eli Manning | QB | Ole Miss | San Diego Chargers |
| 2005 | Alex Smith | QB | Utah | San Francisco 49ers |
| 2006 | Mario Williams | DE | North Carolina State | Houston Texans |
| 2007 | JaMarcus Russell | QB | LSU | Oakland Raiders |
| 2008 | Jake Long | T | Michigan | Miami Dolphins |
| 2009 | Matthew Stafford* | QB | Georgia | Detroit Lions |
| 2010 | Sam Bradford | QB | Oklahoma | St. Louis Rams |
| 2011 | Cam Newton | QB | Auburn | Carolina Panthers |
| 2012 | Andrew Luck | QB | Stanford | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2013 | Eric Fisher | T | Central Michigan | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2014 | Jadeveon Clowney | DE | South Carolina | Houston Texans |
| 2015 | Jameis Winston | QB | Florida State | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 2016 | Jared Goff | QB | California | Los Angeles Rams |
| 2017 | Myles Garrett | DE | Texas A&M | Cleveland Browns |
| 2018 | Baker Mayfield | QB | Oklahoma | Cleveland Browns |
| 2019 | Kyler Murray | QB | Oklahoma | Arizona Cardinals |
| 2020 | Joe Burrow | QB | LSU | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2021 | Trevor Lawrence | QB | Clemson | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 2022 | Travon Walker | DE | Georgia | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 2023 | Bryce Young | QB | Alabama | Carolina Panthers |
| 2024 | Caleb Williams | QB | USC | Chicago Bears |
FAQs on the NFL Draft
A. The Indianapolis Colts and the Los Angeles Rams have the most first overall picks in NFL history.
A. Quarterback is the most commonly drafted position in the NFL, as per reports.
A. The Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, and Denver Broncos are the NFL teams that have never had a first overall draft pick, via BetMGM.
A. No, there were no tight ends drafted first overall as of April 2025.
