Drafting Explanation

[The Delf]

OK, I may put a bullseye on me with this, but. Can anyone explain how the drafting process works ? This "Newhawk" would like to participate in the offseason talk. Thanks ! :mrgreen:

 

[bigtrain21]

Just to keep it simple, it starts with players that are eligible for the NFL draft. So there is the list of players that NFL teams have to choose from.

Basically there are 7 rounds and every team gets a pick in each round. The worst team gets the 1st pick in every round. Sometimes those picks are traded. For example in 2012 when the Redskins traded with the Rams for the #2 pick in the draft and picked Robert Griffin III they traded all sorts of picks including this years 2014 1st rounder to the Rams. Since the Redskins were terrible this year they had the rights to the #2 in this years draft but had to give it to the Rams. So the Rams have two picks in the first round, their pick and the #2 pick in the entire draft. There are all sorts of trades so some teams end up with over 10 picks and others have less picks because they traded them.

Houston was the worst team this year so they get the choice to pick any player that is draft eligible. The Rams go next and so on.

After the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th rounds teams that are awarded compensatory picks get to make their selections after the 32 regular picks from those rounds. They get compensatory picks from losing players from their team the previous year and then not replacing them with an equal replacement.

There can be trades on draft day and there usually are quite a few. Some team might give their 31st pick and then their 3rd rounder to a team with say the 18th pick because the player they really want is not likely to be around when they choose. Both teams have to agree to a trade.

That's a basic description. Feel free to ask any questions.

 

[EverydayImRusselin]

What exactly would you like to know? I'll give a basic rundown here for you to start.

Every team starts with 7 picks and there are 7 rounds of drafting. The order of the picks starts by record, going from bad to good. Non-playoff teams are seeded by their record, playoff teams are seeded by how far in the playoffs they make it. So last year Houston had the worst record so they pick 1st. The Seahawks won the Superbowl so they pick last. Each round teams with the same record will alternate position though. So for instance Jacksonville has the 3rd pick in the 1st round (order determined by record, and then by SOS, so teams with the same record, the team that played the easiest schedule is considered "worse" and get's the higher pick) but they have the same record (4-12) as 5 other teams. So in the 2nd rd they will be picking 7th and everyone else moves up 1 position. You can look here to see the order if you'd like http://www.nfl.com/draft/2014/tracker/by-name#dt-tabs:dt-by-round/dt-by-round-input:1

Now teams can trade away their picks for players or other picks as well so you start with 7 but you can end up with more or less picks. The league also awards compensatory picks. This means when you lose players that sign a contract with another team, you are given a draft pick to help replace them. There is a formula for it, but generally the more expensive the player was, the better pick you get.

There's my brief overview.

 

[The Delf]

Ah OK, that puts it in an understandable and surprisingly easy way together.

To get this right, there are 7 rounds of picking for each team. Each "draft-token" can be traded for other "draft-token" (or even players ?).
Each round of picking goes from worst to best team of the last season and afterwards are compensational drafting options granted for teams, that lost more than 7 players.
Right ?!

Thank you for this #12 ! Means, I have to pull me through a lot of college Football. :mrgreen: :thirishdrinkers:

 

[EverydayImRusselin]

Ah OK, that puts it in an understandable and surprisingly easy way together.

To get this right, there are 7 rounds of picking for each team. Each "draft-token" can be traded for other "draft-token" (or even players ?).
Each round of picking goes from worst to best team of the last season and afterwards are compensational drafting options granted for teams, that lost more than 7 players.
Right ?!

Thank you for this #12 ! Means, I have to pull me through a lot of college Football. :mrgreen: :thirishdrinkers:

Comp picks are semi-complicated. It has to do with the net gain/loss of free agents. So if you lose a bunch of pricey guys and don't sign any FA from other teams, you will get picks in return. If you sign a bunch of FA like we did last year with Avril/Bennett, you won't get any picks.