<P> The 2014 NFL draft was the 79th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players to the league . The draft, officially the "Player Selection Meeting", was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on May 8th through May 10th, 2014 . One of the most anticipated drafts in recent years kicked off on May 8, 2014 at 8 pm EDT . The draft was moved from its traditional time frame in late April due to a scheduling conflict at Radio City Music Hall . </P> <P> There was early discussion and rumors leading up to the draft on the future of staying at the current location in New York City, where it has been held since 1965 . Given the increased interest the draft has garnered over the past decade, there was belief that the event may have outgrown Radio City Music Hall, which has been the venue for the past nine drafts . The possibility of extending the draft to four days was also being discussed throughout the months leading up to the draft . The NFL decided in that summer that the 2015 NFL Draft will take place at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, Illinois . </P> <P> The Houston Texans opened the draft by selecting defensive end Jadeveon Clowney from the University of South Carolina . The last time a defensive player was taken with the first overall selection was in 2006, when the Texans selected Mario Williams . The Texans also closed the draft with the selection of safety Lonnie Ballentine of the University of Memphis as Mr. Irrelevant, which is the title given to the final player selected . </P> <P> The 2014 NFL draft made history when the St. Louis Rams selected Michael Sam in the seventh round . Sam, who became the first openly gay player to ever be drafted in the NFL, was selected 249th out of 256 picks in the 2014 NFL Draft . After this, Sam's jersey was the second best selling rookie jersey on the NFL's website . Sam came out publicly in the months leading up to the draft . </P>

Who had the first pick in the 2014 nfl draft