<P> This is a list of first overall National Football League draft picks . The National Football League draft is an annual sports draft in which NFL teams select newly eligible players for their rosters . To be eligible, a player must be out of high school at least three years . Each NFL franchise seeks to add new players through the annual NFL draft . The draft rules were last updated in 2009 . The team with the worst record the previous year picks first, the next - worst team second, and so on . Teams also have the option to trade with another team to move up to a better draft position . Teams that did not make the playoffs are ordered by their regular - season record, with any remaining ties broken by strength of schedule . Playoff participants are sequenced after non-playoff teams, based on their round of elimination (wild card, division, conference, and Super Bowl). </P> <P> From 1947 through 1958 the first selection was awarded by a random draw . The team which received this "bonus" pick forfeited its selection in the final round of the draft . The winner of the "bonus pick" was eliminated from the draw in future years . By 1958 all twelve clubs in the league at the time had received a bonus choice and the system was abolished . </P>

Who has the first overall pick in the nfl draft