NFL Draft first overall picks: Complete list by year

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National Football League

Published Apr. 24, 2025 1:26 p.m. ET

The 2025 NFL Draft marks the 90th time teams will gather to shape their futures by selecting top college talent. Ever wonder who’s had the honor of being the No. 1 overall pick each year, going all the way back to 1936? Keep reading for a complete list of all first overall picks in NFL draft history:

NFL Draft First Overall Picks

2024: Caleb Williams (USC) – Chicago Bears
2023: Bryce Young (Alabama) – Carolina Panthers
2022: Travon Walker (Georgia) – Jacksonville Jaguars
2021: Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) – Jacksonville Jaguars

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2020: Joe Burrow (LSU) – Cincinnati Bengals
2019: Kyler Murray (Oklahoma) – Arizona Cardinals
2018: Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma) – Cleveland Browns
2017: Myles Garrett (Texas A&M) – Cleveland Browns
2016: Jared Goff (California) – Los Angeles Rams
2015: Jameis Winston (Florida State) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2014: Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina) – Houston Texans
2013: Eric Fisher (Central Michigan) – Kansas City Chiefs
2012: Andrew Luck (Stanford) – Indianapolis Colts
2011: Cam Newton (Auburn) – Carolina Panthers
2010: Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) – St. Louis Rams
2009: Matthew Stafford (Georgia) – Detroit Lions
2008: Jake Long (Michigan) – Miami Dolphins
2007: JaMarcus Russell (LSU) – Oakland Raiders
2006: Mario Williams (North Carolina State) – Houston Texans
2005: Alex Smith (Utah) – San Francisco 49ers
2004: Eli Manning (Mississippi) – San Diego Chargers
2003: Carson Palmer (USC) – Cincinnati Bengals
2002: David Carr (Fresno State) – Houston Texans
2001: Michael Vick (Virginia Tech) – Atlanta Falcons
2000: Courtney Brown (Penn State) – Cleveland Browns
1999: Tim Couch (Kentucky) – Cleveland Browns
1998: Peyton Manning (Tennessee) – Indianapolis Colts
1997: Orlando Pace (Ohio State) – St. Louis Rams
1996: Keyshawn Johnson (USC) – New York Jets
1995: Ki-Jana Carter (Penn State) – Cincinnati Bengals
1994: Dan Wilkinson (Ohio State) – Cincinnati Bengals
1993: Drew Bledsoe (Washington State) – New England Patriots
1992: Steve Emtman (Washington) – Indianapolis Colts
1991: Russell Maryland (Miami (FL)) – Dallas Cowboys
1990: Jeff George (Illinois) – Indianapolis Colts
1989: Troy Aikman (UCLA) – Dallas Cowboys
1988: Aundray Bruce (Auburn) – Atlanta Falcons
1987: Vinny Testaverde (Miami (FL)) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1986: Bo Jackson (Auburn) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1985: Bruce Smith (Virginia Tech) – Buffalo Bills
1984: Irving Fryar (Nebraska) – New England Patriots
1983: John Elway (Stanford) – Baltimore Colts
1982: Kenneth Sims (Texas) – New England Patriots
1981: George Rogers (South Carolina) – New Orleans Saints
1980: Billy Sims (Oklahoma) – Detroit Lions
1979: Tom Cousineau (Ohio State) – Buffalo Bills
1978: Earl Campbell (Texas) – Houston Oilers
1977: Ricky Bell (USC) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1976: Lee Roy Selmon (Oklahoma) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1975: Steve Bartkowski (California) – Atlanta Falcons
1974: Ed Jones (Tennessee State) – Dallas Cowboys
1973: John Matuszak (Tampa) – Houston Oilers
1972: Walt Patulski (Notre Dame) – Buffalo Bills
1971: Jim Plunkett (Stanford) – New England Patriots
1970: Terry Bradshaw (Louisiana Tech) – Pittsburgh Steelers
1969: O.J. Simpson (USC) – Buffalo Bills
1968: Ron Yary (USC) – Minnesota Vikings
1967: Bubba Smith (Michigan State) – Baltimore Colts
1966: Tommy Nobis (Texas) – Atlanta Falcons
1965: Tucker Frederickson (Auburn) – New York Giants
1964: Dave Parks (Texas Tech) – San Francisco 49ers
1963: Terry Baker (Oregon State) – Los Angeles Rams
1962: Ernie Davis (Syracuse) – Washington Redskins
1961: Tommy Mason (Tulane) – Minnesota Vikings
1960: Billy Cannon (LSU) – Los Angeles Rams
1959: Randy Duncan (Iowa) – Green Bay Packers
1958: King Hill (Rice) – Chicago Cardinals
1957: Paul Hornung (Notre Dame) – Green Bay Packers
1956: Gary Glick (Colorado A&M) – Pittsburgh Steelers
1955: George Shaw (Oregon) – Baltimore Colts
1954: Bobby Garrett (Stanford) – Cleveland Browns
1953: Harry Babcock (Georgia) – San Francisco 49ers
1952: Bill Wade (Vanderbilt) – Los Angeles Rams
1951: Kyle Rote (SMU) – New York Giants
1950: Leon Hart (Notre Dame) – Detroit Lions
1949: Chuck Bednarik (Penn) – Philadelphia Eagles
1948: Harry Gilmer (Alabama) – Washington Redskins
1947: Bob Fenimore (Oklahoma A&M) – Chicago Bears
1946: Frank Dancewicz (Notre Dame) – Boston Yanks
1945: Charley Trippi (Georgia) – Chicago Cardinals
1944: Angelo Bertelli (Notre Dame) – Boston Yanks
1943: Frank Sinkwich (Georgia) – Detroit Lions
1942: Bill Dudley (Virginia) – Pittsburgh Steelers
1941: Tom Harmon (Michigan) – Chicago Bears
1940: George Cafego (Tennessee) – Chicago Cardinals
1939: Ki Aldrich (TCU) – Chicago Cardinals
1938: Corbett Davis (Indiana) – Cleveland Rams
1937: Sam Francis (Nebraska) – Philadelphia Eagles
1936: Jay Berwanger (University of Chicago) – Philadelphia Eagles

When is the NFL Draft?

The 2025 NFL Draft will take place from Thursday, April 24 through Saturday, April 26. The first round of the draft starts on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. Rounds two and three start on Friday at 7 p.m. ET. Rounds four through seven start on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET.