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Adraft is a process used in some countries (especially inNorth America) and sports (especially inclosed leagues) to allocate certain players to teams. In a draft, teams take turns selecting from a pool of eligible players. When a team selects a player, the team receives exclusive rights to sign that player to a contract, and no other team in the league may sign the player. The process is similar toround-robin item allocation.
The best-known type of draft is the entry draft, which is used to allocate players who have recently become eligible to play in a league. Depending on the sport, the players may come fromcollege, high school or junior teams, or teams in other countries. An entry draft is intended to prevent expensive bidding wars for young talent and to ensure that no team can sign contracts with all of the best young players and make the league uncompetitive. To encourageparity, teams that do poorly in the previous season usually get to choose first in the postseason draft, sometimes with a "lottery" factor in an attempt to discourage teams fromtanking.
Other types of drafts include theexpansion draft, in which a new team selects players from other teams in the league, and the dispersal draft, in which a league's surviving teams select players from the roster of a newly defunct franchise. Major professional sports leagues also have special contingency plans for rebuilding a team via adisaster draft, should an accident or other disaster kill or disable many players.[1]
Drafts are usually permitted underantitrust orrestraint of trade laws because they are included incollective bargaining agreements between leagues and labor unions representing players. These agreements generally stipulate that after a certain number of seasons, a player whose contract has expired becomes afree agent and can sign with any team. They also require minimum and sometimes maximum salaries for newly drafted players. Leagues may also allow teams totrade draft picks among each other in exchange for other draft picks or in exchange for players.
In 1935,National Football League presidentJoseph Carr instituted theNFL draft as a way to restrain teams' payrolls and reduce the dominance of the league's perennial contenders.[2] It was adopted by the precursor of theNational Basketball Association in 1947; by theNational Hockey League in 1963; and byMajor League Baseball in 1965, although draft systems had been used in baseball since the 19th century.[3]
Major Indoor Lacrosse League (National Lacrosse League) adopted a collegiate draft in 1988,Major League Soccer in 2000,Major League Lacrosse in 2001, andMajor League Rugby in 2020.[4]
Sports drafts are uncommon outsidethe U.S. and Canada. Most professional football clubs and those in other sports obtain young players throughtransfers from smaller clubs or by developing youth players through their own academies. Theyouth system is operated directly by the teams themselves, who develop their players from childhood. Parity in these leagues is instead maintained throughpromotion and relegation, which automatically expels the weakest teams from a league in exchange for the strongest teams in the next lower league.
InAustralian rules football's premier competition, theAustralian Football League (AFL), adraft was introduced in1986 when the competition was then known as theVictorian Football League (VFL). This was in response to the increasing transfer fees and player salaries at the time, which in combination with declining attendances, threatened to derail the league. It was also a result of the failure ofcountry zoning, introduced in the late 1960s, which had led to a systematic inequality whereby the clubs with the best zones, likeCarlton andHawthorn, could dominate over clubs with poorer zones likeMelbourne.
In the AFL draft, clubs receive picks based on the position in which they finish on the ladder. Therefore, the teams that finish at the bottom of the AFL ladder will get the first draft picks. Also, any team that finishes in a low ladder position for consecutive seasons will receive priority picks.
The AFL's national draft is held in November, with a pre-season draft and a rookie draft held in December.
The1991 NSWRL season featured the introduction ofrugby league football's first draft system. The draft allowed teams to recruit players on a roster system based on where the club finished the previous year. It ran in reverse order with thewooden spooners getting first choice and the premiers last. The draft lasted just the one season before being defeated in the courts by players and coaches opposed to its limitations.[5]
Like theIPL theSA20 also has an auction where teams bid on players and subject a salary cap and restrictions on roster size. After the main auction takes place there is then a rookie draft where each team has two minutes to pick one rookie player that is 18–22 years of age. The team that finished last place in the last season is the first to pick and the team that finished first in the last season is the last to pick.
When theRussian Superleague became theKontinental Hockey League, the collective bargaining agreement between the KHL and its players introduced a draft, starting from the very first season of the league. It also allowed teams to use a first-round draft pick to select protected players from a team's farm system. TheKHL Junior Draft was discontinued in 2016.
A draft system is used forThe Hundred, a professional franchise100-ball cricket tournament in England and Wales run by theEngland and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which started in 2021. The inaugural Hundred draft took place in October 2019.
TheCanadian Football League (CFL) holds its annual player drafts before the start of the season, either in the last days of April or the start of May. The league's drafts consists of two that occur on the same day: a larger main draft for Canadian players preceded by a smaller draft for "global" players.
The main draft was formerly held as part of the annual league meetings inHamilton, but is now typically held by conference call with the first two rounds being broadcast live onTSN. Since2016, the main draft has consisted of eight rounds, with teams drafting in inverse order of their records in the previous season, with theGrey Cup runner-up selecting second-to-last and the Grey Cup champion selecting last. As with theNFL Draft, trading of picks is very common, meaning that a team will not necessarily have eight picks in a given draft. The draft main is restricted to Canadian citizens, plus non-citizens who were raised in Canada since childhood (seethe relevant section of the main CFL article). Eligible players can be drafted both fromU Sports football programs in Canada andU.S. college football programs.
Since 2019, players who are neither American nor Canadian, designated as "global players", are eligible for and subject to a smaller separate draft that occurs earlier in the morning before the main draft for Canadian players. This draft is structured like the main draft, but is not broadcast on television.
American players, which can compose up to half of a CFL team's roster, are not subject to a draft and enter the league by way of thenegotiation list, a process that allows aCFL team to unilaterally stake claim to any international player on a first-come, first-served basis without the player's consent and bar them from negotiating with any other CFL team; this includes almost all of the league'squarterbacks.
In the inaugural2018 Global T20 Canada a player draft was held for franchises to choose the players from the available pool.
Draft order in the NFL is determined in a reverse-record order (the previous season's worst team picking first, theSuper Bowl winner picking last). There are 7 rounds of the draft (a maximum of 224 picks), so each team can have 7 selections, plus whatever compensatory selections a team receives as a result offree agency (up to 32 compensatory selections are given each year), and any picks awarded for developing minority candidates for NFL head coaching or general manager positions (starting with the 2021 draft in accordance with NFL Resolution JC-2A). Teams are allowed to trade draft picks (including compensation picks since 2017) among each other in exchange for other draft picks or in exchange for players.
Because the NFL requires that players be three years removed from high school, and of the lack of an effective junior development system outside the college and university programs, players are chosen almost exclusively fromNational Collegiate Athletic Associationcollege football programs.
The NFL draft has become one of the key events on the American football calendar, airing live on television each April. In recent years it had been held at New York'sRadio City Music Hall, but in2015 and2016 it was held at Chicago'sAuditorium Theatre,[6] and in2017 it was held on theRocky Steps at thePhiladelphia Museum of Art. The2018 draft was the first ever to be held at an NFL stadium, namely theDallas Cowboys'AT&T Stadium.
TheNBA draft, held historically in an NBA city, but in recent drafts in either a theater in the New York area or at theBarclays Center each summer, is only two rounds long (60 picks). Instead of automatically granting the top pick to the worst team from the year before, the NBA holds adraft lottery to determine who chooses first. The top four picks are allocated by chance among the 14 teams that did not make theplayoffs the year before. This discourages a team from losing on purpose to get a better draft pick, but also causes other controversies such as allegations andconspiracy theories suggesting that the draft lottery is rigged.
NBA teams choose players from theNCAA and from teams overseas. It was formerly common for players to be chosen directly from high school, but in 2006, the NBA required that players wait a year after high school before playing in the NBA. Almost all top U.S. players thus play at least one year in college.
The NHL operates a seven-round off-season draft (224 picks). Like the NBA, the NHL uses alottery system to determine which team gets the top pick. All 16 teams, up from 15 between 2017 and 2021, that failed to qualify for the playoffs take part in the weighted lottery with the winner moving up to select first overall. Any North American player aged 18–20, and any overseas player aged 18–21 is eligible to be selected. Players are generally chosen fromjunior hockey teams, high schools, the NCAA and overseas clubs.
The NHL rotates the draft's location among cities with teams in the league. Like baseball, players drafted in the entry draft usually have to wait a few years in development, either in junior hockey or the minor leagues, before cracking an NHL roster; usually, only one or two draft picks, generally, those that are widely predicted to be blue-chip superstars, jump directly from the draft to the NHL (e.g.Sidney Crosby orJaromír Jágr).
The league has incrementally expanded the draft lottery process over the course of the early 2010s to discourage "tanking"—the act of deliberately losing to get a better draft pick. Historically, the league only subjected the first overall pick to the draft lottery among the five worst teams in the league, meaning that if a draft had more than one marquee prospect (a generally rare occurrence), it would still be a viable strategy to tank, as a second overall pick was still guaranteed. This was made evident in the2015 NHL Entry Draft, where marquee prospectsConnor McDavid andJack Eichel were both seen as NHL-ready and likely to be stars; much speculation surrounded the strugglingBuffalo Sabres, who allegedly tanked to secure the rights to at least the second overall pick (a charge that, although the Sabres' fans openly encouraged it, the team officially denied). From the2016 to2020 drafts, the topthree overall picks were subject to lottery among all fourteen teams that did not make the playoffs, meaning the last-place team will only be assured of the fourth overall pick, at which point virtually any marquee prospect will have already been selected. Since the2021 draft, only two draws are held for the first two selections. Starting with the2022 lottery, the team winning one of the two lotteries is only allowed to move up a maximum of ten spots in the draft order and teams will only be allowed to win the lottery twice in a five-year period.[7]
The three major junior leagues that make up theCanadian Hockey League also hold drafts of teenage players in their territories.
Major League Baseball holds two drafts each year. In June, the first-year player draft, MLB's entry draft, takes place. Only players from Canada, the U.S. or a U.S. territory may be drafted; players from elsewhere are free agents and can be signed by any team. Draftees are high-school graduates who have opted not to go to college,college baseball players at four-year institutions who have played three years or turned 21, orjunior college baseball players. As of 2021, the draft lasts 20 rounds (down from 40 in 2019 with the exception of a 5-round 2020 draft), but earlier drafts have lasted up to 100 rounds. The MLB draft generally receives less attention than the drafts in other American sports, since drafted players usually spend several years in theminor leagues before they crack the Major League team's roster. Also, unlike the MLS, NFL, NBA and the NHL Drafts, the MLB draft takes place during the season instead of in the offseason.
In December, MLB holds the much shorterRule 5 draft. If an organization keeps a player in the minor leagues for a certain number of years, other teams can draft him in the Rule 5 draft. The drafting team must keep the player on its major league roster; it cannot put the player in its ownminor leagues system.
MLL implemented its first collegiate draft in 2001. The draft was held every year until MLLmerged with thePremier Lacrosse League in December 2020, with the merged league operating under the PLL banner.
Major League Soccer has two types of draft that occur each year, plus a third that is held intermittently when the leagueadds one or more teams. The two annual drafts are the three-round longMLS SuperDraft (a maximum of 81 picks since 2021, down from four rounds and 104 picks in 2020), which was held for the first time in 2001, andMLS Supplemental Draft, with the MLS Expansion Draft held in the offseason immediately before the league expands.
The MLS SuperDraft happens every January. During the draft the teams from the league will pick up to three players each from colleges across the United States. Only players from the American college sports system (e.g., theNCAA and theNAIA) are eligible to be drafted. CanadianU Sports men's soccer players are not included.
The draft is divided into three rounds in which each club has one selection.
In addition to drafted players, MLS teams also acquire new players from theiryouth academies. These players are called homegrown players. Homegrown players are academy players who are given a first-team contract. They are required to have spent at least one year in a club's academy, and to have lived in the club's territory (for example, in the case ofOrlando City, northern Florida).
The draft gives to the teams opportunity to acquire players from other regions of the country, from outside their territory.
The teams can also acquire new players by signing players from other leagues (usually foreigner leagues), generally young promising players from Latin America and veterans from Europe. MLS has twotransfer windows—the primary pre-season transfer window lasts three months from mid February until mid May, and the secondary mid season transfer window runs one month from early July to early August.
Major League Rugby implemented its first collegiate draft in2020. Players are eligible for draft after 3 years in college at 21 years old.Free agents can try to join teams at 18 years old.[4][8][9][10]
Major League Wrestling held its first draft in 2021.
NLL held its first collegiate draft in 1988 asMajor Indoor Lacrosse League.
TheNational Women's Soccer League used drafts from itsinaugural 2013 season until the2024 season. The first was adraft of college players, followed by asupplemental draft. The final draft of 2013 was a preseason waiver draft in which teams could select players who had been waived by their first squads, but only one player was selected at that time.
The league held a college draft, referred to after 2021 simply as theNWSL Draft after the inclusion of non-collegiate selections,[11] prior to each league season. The waiver draft, now called the "re-entry wire", has also become a permanent part of the league. The league also created other draft mechanisms to address other types of eligibility, such as the unsubsidized individual distribution ranking order introduced for college draft-ineligibleNWSL federation players in 2016,[12] and the under-18 entry list for domestic minors introduced in 2023.[13] With league expansion and contraction since its establishment, the league has also irregularly held bothexpansion drafts to help stock the rosters of new teams,[14] and adispersal draft in which teams could select players from adefunct team.[15]
On August 22, 2024, the NWSL announced the elimination of its draft and discovery systems as part of its renegotiatedcollective bargaining agreement with theNational Women's Soccer League Players Association. NWSL teams could pursue and sign any prospective collegiate and international players as free agents, transfers between NWSL teams would require player consent, and all contracts would become guaranteed, bringing the league closer in line with global standards within the sport.[16][17]
ThePremier Lacrosse League held its first collegiate draft in 2019, shortly before the start of its inaugural season.
TheUnited Football League held its first rookie draft in 2024, and its two predecessor leagues (theUSFL andXFL) held rookie drafts in 2023. Players eligible for the UFL draft are those who were eligible for that year's NFL draft but went unselected.
TheWNBA draft is held every spring. It has had several locations during its history; the most recent draft in 2022 took place in New York City, following two drafts held virtually due toCOVID-19 concerns. The draft is currently three rounds long with each of the 12 teams in the league (trades aside) making three picks each. Draft order for teams that made the playoffs the previous year are based on team records. The team with the highest previous record will pick last. Since eight teams qualify forplayoffs, the bottom eight picks are determined by this method. For the remaining top four picks, a selection process similar to the NBA Draft Lottery is conducted for the four teams that did not qualify for the playoffs.
The WWE Draft is used to refreshWWE'sRaw andSmackDown rosters, as well as shuffle talent between the two.
Cricket'sIndian Premier League instead holds a yearlyauction before the start of each season in which teams bid on players, subject to asalary cap and restrictions on roster size.
Indian Super League is responsible for holding drafts prior to the commencement of each season. Teams can buy foreign players with international experience while they still can purchase Indian players with little or no experience.
ThePakistan Super League uses a draft system for player recruitment before the start of every season to fairly distribute the league's new players. Teams are allotted slots in every round of the draft and slots can be exchanged with other teams.
ThePhilippine Basketball Association (PBA) draft is an annual event in the PBA calendar in which teams can acquire new players outside the league which are not free agents. Onlynatural-bornFilipinos andforeign nationals with Filipino ancestry, whether or not they acquired Philippine citizenship, are eligible to be drafted. The draft began in 1985; prior to that teams directly hiredrookies.
Until 2014, there was a draft lottery between the two worst team of the preceding season. This was scrapped after the events of the2014 draft lottery.
ThePBA Developmental League also has their own draft.
Adraft bust is a highly touted or highly selected draftee who does not meet expectations. This can be for a variety of reasons such as being unable to adjust to the professional level or if their career was derailed by injuries or personal issues. A player is also regarded as a bust if more successful players are drafted after them.
One of the most frequently cited examples of a draft bust in the NFL isRyan Leaf, who was selected second overall in the1998 NFL draft by theSan Diego Chargers, after theIndianapolis Colts had selected future Hall of FamerPeyton Manning. The Chargers had chosen Leaf over future Hall of FamersCharles Woodson,Randy Moss, andAlan Faneca, as well as six futurePro Bowlers.
Despite being described as being equal in talent to Manning prior to the draft, Leaf only managed to play two seasons with the Chargers and start 18 games (winning only four) for them before being released in 2000. Leaf played only three further games for theDallas Cowboys, and was out of the league by 2002.[18][19][20]
Tony Mandarich andJaMarcus Russell, two other frequently cited draft busts, are examples of players whose status as busts are amplified by their placements in the draft:
Like Leaf, Russell was released by the Raiders after three seasons and was out of the league by 2010. Mandarich later managed to become a serviceable offensive lineman for theIndianapolis Colts after being released by the Packers in 1992, but ultimately never lived up to his draft position.
Other frequently cited examples include:
In the NBA, one of the most well-known example of a draft bust isLaRue Martin, who was selected first overall in the1972 NBA draft by thePortland Trail Blazers: the Trail Blazers passed onHall of FamersBob McAdoo,Paul Westphal, andJulius Erving[45] to select Martin. Despite being seen as an excellent prospect, Martin had a career average of only 5.3 points per game, and was out of the NBA by 1977.
Another well-known example isSam Bowie: while proving to be a serviceable though injury-prone player, Bowie was haunted by being drafted second overall by the Trail Blazers in the famously talent-rich1984 NBA draft. Hall of FamerHakeem Olajuwon was the first pick, while the Trail Blazers passed on Hall of FamersMichael Jordan,Charles Barkley, andJohn Stockton to select Bowie.[46]
Other notable examples include:
Notable players widely considered draft busts includeSteve Chilcott (1966),Brien Taylor (1991), andBrady Aiken (2014), all of whom were 1st overall draft picks who never reached the majors.
A well-known example is pitcherDavid Clyde, the first overall pick in the1973 draft by theTexas Rangers. Despite being only 18 years old at the time of his selection, the Rangers called-up Clyde directly to the majors instead of developing him in the minors. After 2 mediocre seasons with the Rangers, Clyde was sent down to the minors and would not return to the majors until 1978 after he was traded to theCleveland Indians. After 2 seasons with the Indians, Clyde retired at only 26 years old due to shoulder injuries. Clyde's career made him the "poster-boy" for bringing up young players prematurely. The Rangers passed on future Hall of FamersRobin Yount,Dave Winfield, andEddie Murray to take Clyde.
Matt Bush (2004), another 1st overall pick, dealt with legal troubles culminating in incarceration and waited nearly 12 years to make the major leagues, eventually doing so as a middle relief pitcher in 2016.
PitcherMark Appel, the first overall pick in2013, stepped away from baseball after 2018 due to repeated struggles on the mound. He returned to the game in 2021, but did not make his major league debut until the2022 season for thePhiladelphia Phillies, appearing in only six games and has not pitched in the majors since.[66]
A notable draft bust wasAlexandre Daigle (1993 Draft), who is notable for saying "I'm glad I went number one, cause no one remembers number two" upon being drafted by theOttawa Senators. The number two selection that year happened to be eventualHockey Hall of Fame inducteeChris Pronger, and the Senators also missed out on Hall of FamerPaul Kariya who went 4th overall.[67][68]
Other players cited as major draft busts include:
Examples of draft busts includeScott Gumbleton andMitch Thorp.[87][88][89] Gumbleton and Thorp were selected with the second and sixth picks respectively in the2006 AFL draft; their clubs,Essendon andHawthorn, passed on futureAll-Australian playersTravis Boak,Joel Selwood,Ben Reid,James Frawley,Jack Riewoldt,Shane Edwards,Todd Goldstein,Bachar Houli andRobbie Gray to draft them.
Thorp managed only two games in three years with Hawthorn before being delisted, while Gumbleton managed only 35 games in six years with Essendon before being traded toFremantle, after which he retired without playing another game.
Conversely, a player who was drafted at a low spot or in later rounds and is expected to have little success yet goes on to have a stellar and productive career is known as adraft steal.
Mike Piazza, who went on to become one of the best catchers of the 1990s, a 12-timeMLBAll-Star selection and aHall of Famer, was chosen in the 62nd round (1390th overall)[90] of the1988 MLB draft and was selected only as a favor toTommy Lasorda (whose team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, drafted Piazza): to further put the pick in historic perspective, the MLB draft is now much shorter, having most recently been reduced from 40 rounds to 20 in 2021.
José Bautista was selected in the 20th round, 599th overall by thePittsburgh Pirates in2000. Although his major league career started off slowly in 2004, Bautista, after being traded to theToronto Blue Jays in 2008, experienced a breakthrough season in 2010. He led the majors inhome runs in 2010 and 2011 and would make the American League All-Star Team six consecutive seasons from 2010-2015.
One of the most notable examples isTom Brady, who was drafted late in the sixth round (at 199th overall pick) of the2000 NFL draft by the then-mediocreNew England Patriots only as a fourth-string backupquarterback, but went on to have a two-decade career winning sevenSuper Bowls (six with the Patriots and one with theTampa Bay Buccaneers), fiveSuper Bowl MVPs, and threeNFL MVPs, setting the all-time records for wins, passing yards, completions, and touchdowns in the process. Similarly, two-timeSuper Bowl championRoger Staubach was a tenth-round pick in both the AFL and NFL drafts, largely due to having a four-year commitment to serve in theU.S. Navy.
Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks that were draft steals includeJohnny Unitas, who was drafted in the ninth round of the1955 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who cut him at the end of the team's training camp, whileBart Starr, a two-time Super Bowl MVP and five-time championship winner, was the 200th overall pickin 1956 due to concerns about back injury problems.[91]Joe Montana andDan Fouts were third-round selections, with Montana slipping due to an average combine performance.
Wide receiverTerrell Owens was selected in the third round (89th overall) by theSan Francisco 49ers in1996. Owens went on to play 17 seasons in the NFL and became a six-timePro Bowler and a five-timeAll-Pro and led the NFL in touchdown receptions three times. Owens was inducted into theHall of Fame in 2018 and is widely considered one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history.
Also in the 1996 draft,linebackerZach Thomas, who was considered "too small", "too short", and "unathletic" to play the linebacker position at the pro level, was selected in the fifth round with the 154th overall pick by theMiami Dolphins. He would go on to be one of the best and most consistent linebackers of his era, anchoring a Top 10 ranked Miami defense in eight out of his 12 years in Miami, while being selected to seven Pro Bowls, five first teamAll-Pro selections, and theNFL 2000s All-Decade Team. Thomas was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
The2017 NFL draft has seen two draft steals emerge. Wide receiverCooper Kupp, who was selected in the third round (69th overall) by theLos Angeles Rams, has the most receptions, touchdown catches, and receiving yards of any wide receiver or player drafted in 2017 (as of the conclusion of the 2022 NFL season), including the six wide receivers that were drafted ahead of him.[92] Furthermore, in 2021, Kupp won the receiving triple crown, AP Offensive Player of the Year Award, andSuper Bowl LVI MVP in what is regarded as one of the greatest seasons by a wide receiver in NFL history.Tight endGeorge Kittle was selected in the fifth round (146th overall) by theSan Francisco 49ers. As of the end of the2024 NFL season, Kittle has been selected to sixPro Bowl teams and fiveAll-Pro teams and was a key piece in the 49ers reaching Super BowlsLIV andLVIII.
Wide receiverTyreek Hill, was selected in the fifth round (165th overall) of the2016 NFL draft by theKansas City Chiefs, has been named to eight Pro Bowls, six with Chiefs two with the Dolphins, was included in theNFL 2010s All-Decade Team, was a 4 timeAll-Pro receiver from 2018 to 2023 and also anAll-Pro first-team punt returner in his rookie year in 2016, led the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl win in 50 yearsSuper Bowl LIV and was the key member to the Chief's dynasty until he was traded in 2022 to theMiami Dolphins.
Antonio Brown was drafted 195th overall by thePittsburgh Steelers in 2010 but was anAll-Pro receiver from 2013 to 2018, before being traded to theOakland Raiders in 2019 (later getting released by them and theNew England Patriots over accusations of sexual assault). Brown would eventually help theTampa Bay Buccaneers winSuper Bowl LV.
CenterJason Kelce was drafted in the sixth round, 191st overall by thePhiladelphia Eagles in the2011 NFL draft. Kelce went on to play thirteen seasons with the Eagles, being selected to sevenPro Bowl teams and sixAll-Pro teams, and is widely considered one of the greatest centers in NFL history. Kelce also helped the Eagles reach twoSuper Bowls and wonSuper Bowl LII. Similarly, Jason's brotherTravis was a third-round selection by theKansas City Chiefs, but went on to become a seven-time All-Pro while setting multiple receiving records for the tight end position and helping the Chiefs win Super BowlsLIV,LVII, andLVIII.
Wide receiverAmon-Ra St. Brown was drafted in the fourth round at 112th overall of the2021 NFL draft by theDetroit Lions. St. Brown played a key part in the rebuilding of the Lions organization, led by head coachDan Campbell, that turned them from a struggling team into aSuper Bowl contender.[93]
QuarterbackBrock Purdy was selectedlast overall in the2022 NFL draft by theSan Francisco 49ers. Initially a third-string backup, he eventually was moved to starter after injuries toTrey Lance andJimmy Garoppolo. Purdy has since led the 49ers to an NFC Championship Game in2022 and an appearance inSuper Bowl LVIII in2023, leading the NFL inpasser rating, garnering a Pro Bowl spot, and being an MVP finalist in the latter season.
Manu Ginóbili, a key contributor to fourSan Antonio Spurs championships in the 21st century, was the next-to-last pick (57th) in the1999 NBA draft. He was also the centerpiece ofArgentina's national team in the2004 Summer Olympics, where he led his country to a gold medal.
Another notable draft steal isIsaiah Thomas, who was selected as the 60th and last pick in the2011 NBA draft, but emerged as an All-Star in 2017 and led the Boston Celtics to the first seed in the Eastern Conference that same year. He also finished 5th in MVP voting in 2017 with an average of 28.9 points and 5.9 assists.
Draymond Green, who was selected as the 35th pick in the2012 NBA draft, was a key contributor to theGolden State Warriors winning four championships. Green has been named to multiple All-Star selections and also won theNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2017.
Nikola Jokić, a Serbian who was selected by theDenver Nuggets as the 41st pick in the2014 NBA draft, remained in Europe for the 2014–15 season to develop his skills before arriving in the NBA in 2015. In his second season, he quickly became a solid post playmaker, averaging about 16.7 ppg, 4.9 apg, and 9.8 rpg. He was also named to the All-NBA Team in both 2019 (first team) and 2020 (second team), and wonleague MVP in 2021, 2022 and 2024 while leading the Nuggets to their first championship in2023. He was the first 2nd round pick to win MVP sinceWillis Reed in 1970; the latter was the 8th pick in the1964 NBA draft. Jokić was also a crucial member ofSerbia's national team in the2016 and2024 Summer Olympics, where he won silver and bronze medals respectively.
DeAndre Jordan, who was selected as the 35th pick in the2008 NBA draft, became an All-Star in 2017 and led the league in rebounding two years in a row (2014, 2015). He became a significant contributor of the "Lob city Clippers" era for theLos Angeles Clippers, along withBlake Griffin andChris Paul. Jordan would win alongside Jokić and the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals.
Kyle Korver, who was selected as the 51st pick in the2003 NBA draft, went to have a successful 17-year career in the NBA. He was an All-Star in 2015 and is one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in league history,ranking eighth all-time in 3-point field goals made with 2,450.
Jordan Clarkson, who was selected as the 46th pick in the2014 NBA draft, won theNBA Sixth Man of the Year Award with theUtah Jazz in 2021.
Malcolm Brogdon, who was the 36th pick in the2016 NBA draft, won theRookie of the Year award in 2017 and became a member of the exclusive50–40–90 club in 2019. He also won theNBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2023.
Jalen Brunson, who was selected as the 33rd pick in the2018 NBA draft, went on to have a breakout year in 2024, making his first All-Star and All-NBA team and led the Knicks to 2nd place in the Eastern Conference.
Marc Gasol is also another example as he was selected as the 48th pick by theLos Angeles Lakers in the2007 NBA draft, but was traded to theMemphis Grizzlies in a package that sent his older brotherPau to the Lakers. Like his brother Pau, he became an elite rim protector who could pass, shoot, and score efficiently in the post, and later in his career became an example of a "stretch five", a center capable of effective scoring fromthree-point range. He was also the 2013NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and he helped theToronto Raptors win their first championship in 2019.
The1984 NHL entry draft is noted for the unusually high number of future Hall of Famers picked, particularly in lower rounds:Patrick Roy, the only player with threeConn Smythe trophies, was drafted 51st in the third round;Brett Hull, the fifth highest goal scorer of all time, was drafted 117th in the sixth round; andLuc Robitaille, who retired as the highest-scoring left winger in the NHL, was drafted 171st in the ninth round.
Hall of FamerDoug Gilmour was drafted by theSt. Louis Blues in the seventh round, 134th overall at the1982 NHL entry draft; during his career he scored over 1,400 points, won aStanley Cup andFrank J. Selke Trophy.
Pavel Datsyuk, drafted 171st in the1998 NHL entry draft, won two Stanley Cups and is considered one of the most talented NHL players of all-time.[94][95][96]
TheDetroit Red Wings have draftedNicklas Lidström (53rd in1989),Sergei Fedorov (74th in 1989),Vladimir Konstantinov (221st in 1989),Tomas Holmström (257th in1994) andHenrik Zetterberg (210th in1999) in later rounds, all of whom contributed to one or more of the four Stanley Cup wins, between 1997 and 2008, by the Red Wings.[95][96]
A similar Stanley Cup legacy was achieved by theTampa Bay Lightning, draftingAlex Killorn (77th in2007),Nikita Kucherov (58th in2011),Ondřej Palát (208th in 2011),Cédric Paquette (101st in2012),Brayden Point (79th in2014),Anthony Cirelli (72nd in2015),Mathieu Joseph (120th in 2015) andRoss Colton (118th in2016), all of whom contributed to back-to-back Stanley Cups wins by the Lightning in 2020 and 2021.[97]
TheEdmonton Oilersdynasty that won 5 Stanley Cups between 1984 to 1990 had several notable draft steals, draftingMark Messier (48th in1979),Glenn Anderson (69th in 1979),Jari Kurri (69th in1980),Andy Moog (132nd in 1980),Steve Smith (111th in1981), andEsa Tikkanen (80th in1983). All of whom contributed to 1 of the 5 Stanley Cup wins between 1984 to 1990.[98][99][100]
Vezina Trophy winnersDominik Hašek (drafted 199th in1983),Tim Thomas (drafted 217th in 1994),Miikka Kiprusoff (drafted 116th in1995),Ryan Miller (drafted 138th in 1999),Henrik Lundqvist (drafted 205th in2000),Pekka Rinne (drafted 258th in2004),Braden Holtby (drafted 93rd in 2008),Connor Hellebuyck (drafted 130th in 2012),Linus Ullmark (drafted 163rd in 2012), andIgor Shesterkin (drafted 118th in 2014) were considered some of the best goalie draft steals, with Thomas winning theConn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the2011 Stanley Cup playoffs while being the lowest-drafted player to win the award and setting a league record for the most saves by a goaltender in a single postseason.
Pavel Bure was drafted by theVancouver Canucks in the 6th round, 113th overall, at the1989 NHL entry draft. Due to international transfer disputes which prompted the Canucks to draft Bure later, he had his rookie season two seasons later in1991, where he would win theCalder Memorial Trophy for being the most outstanding rookie of that season. Later in his career, Bure won theMaurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for being the leading goal scorer in2000 and2001.
Dave Taylor was drafted by theLos Angeles Kings in the 15th round, 210th overall, at the1975 NHL amateur draft. Taylor would have a productive 17 season career in the NHL as part of theTriple Crown Line, and still holds the record for being the lowest drafted player to score more than 1,000 points in the NHL.
Theoren Fleury was drafted by theCalgary Flames in the 8th round, 166th overall, at the1987 NHL entry draft, then scored over 1,000 points, while playing 1,000 games in the NHL between 1989 and 2003.
Daniel Alfredsson was drafted by theOttawa Senators in the 6th round, 133rd overall, at the1994 NHL entry draft, in Alfredsson near 20 year career he recorded over 1,000 points and played in over 1,000 games, and help lead the Senators to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in2007.[95]
Joe Pavelski was drafted by theSan Jose Sharks in the 7th round, 205th overall, at the2003 NHL entry draft, has become one of the best American-born players of his generation.
Patric Hörnqvist was drafted last by theNashville Predators at the2005 NHL entry draft (230th in the 7th round), then won two Stanley Cups with thePittsburgh Penguins.
Jamie Benn was drafted by theDallas Stars in the 5th round, 129th overall in 2007, became the franchise's sixth captain in 2013, and won theArt Ross Trophy in 2015.
Mark Stone was drafted in the 6th round, 178th overall by theOttawa Senators, in the2010 NHL entry draft, and has been nominated for theFrank J. Selke Trophy (awarded to the league's best defensive forward) as a member and now captain of theVegas Golden Knights, Stone lead the Golden Knights to their first Stanley Cup win in2023.
Kirill Kaprizov was drafted in the 5th round, 135th overall by theMinnesota Wild. Kaprizov remained in his nativeRussia to play in theKontinental Hockey League for four seasons to develop his skills before making his NHL debut in2021 where he won theCalder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. Since then, Kaprizov has been selected as an all-star game player three times in his career.
LateCalgary Flames andColumbus Blue Jackets forwardJohnny Gaudreau, who was selected in the 4th round, 104th overall by the Flames in2011, opted to playcollege ice hockey in theNational Collegiate Athletic Association for three years where he won many accolades in the process, including oneHobey Baker Award for being the most outstanding player in college hockey. Gaudreau had his first full NHL season in2014, where he was named to theAll-Star Game and was a finalist of the Calder Memorial Trophy. Later in his career, Gaudreau would be named to six more all-star games, win theLady Byng Memorial Trophy for being the most sportsmanlike player of the2016–17 season, and be named to theFirst All-Star Team in the2021–22 season, where he finished second in league scoring with 115 points (40 goals and 75 assists).
An example of a draft steal isHawthorn midfielderSam Mitchell[87][101] who was drafted with pick 36 in the2001 AFL draft. Mitchell went on to become a four-time premiership player, a premiership captain with Hawthorn in 2008, a2012 Brownlow Medalist, a three-timeAll-Australian, a five-timePeter Crimmins Medallist and the 2003AFL Rising Star.
Another example of a draft steal in the AFL is formerEssendon midfielderJames Hird,[87][101][102] who was drafted with pick 79 in the1990 AFL draft. Hird went on to become a two time premiership player, a premiership captain in 2000, the1996 Brownlow Medalist, the 2000Norm Smith Medallist, a five-timeAll-Australian, a five-timeW. S. Crichton Medalist, and a member of the Essendon Team of the Century and theAustralian Football Hall of Fame.
Another notable AFL draft steal isCollingwood midfielderDane Swan,[101][102] who was drafted with pick 58 in the 2001 AFL draft. Swan became a premiership player with Collingwood, a three-timeCopeland Trophy winner, the2011 Brownlow Medalist and a five-time All-Australian.
Another notable AFL draft steal wasWest Coast Eagles midfielderMatt Priddis. Priddis was drafted with the 31st Pick in the2005 Rookie Draft after being overlooked in the previous three national drafts. Priddis would go on to be the winner of the 2014Brownlow Medal, the first player to do this who was originally drafted in the Rookie draft. In his final season (2017), Priddis became the all-time league leader in tackles and became the first person to reach 1,500 tackles. Priddis also became just the second player to win both the Brownlow Medal andSandover Medal.
Mr. Irrelevant is a title given to the last player selected in each year's NFL Draft. The phrase pokes fun at the typically poor chances such a player has of ultimately making an impact in the league, although several went on to productive or notable NFL careers, such asRyan Succop andBrock Purdy.
Some unusual draft picks in professional sports history have includedTaro Tsujimoto, a fictional Japanese ice hockey forward who was drafted in the1974 NHL amateur draft by theBuffalo Sabres (a move made in protest of the league's decision to hold the draft by phone, in an attempt to discourage the rivalWHA); actorJohn Wayne, who at age 64 was legally drafted by theAtlanta Falcons in the1972 NFL draft;[103] andDerrell Robertson, a man who was mistakenly drafted by theOttawa Rough Riders in the 1995 CFL Dispersal Draft for theLas Vegas Posse after his death in the previous year.
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