The2016 NFL draft was the 81st annual draft ofNational Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligibleAmerican football players. As in2015, the draft took place at theAuditorium Theatre andGrant Park inChicago.[1] The draft began on Thursday, April 28 with the first round, and ended on Saturday, April 30. TheTennessee Titans, the team with the fewest wins in the NFL for the2015 season, traded the right to the top pick in the draft to theLos Angeles Rams, the first time the top pick was traded before the draft since2001 when theSan Diego Chargers traded their first pick to theAtlanta Falcons.Ohio State became the second school to have three players drafted in the top ten and to have five players drafted in the first round.
Ninety-six underclassmen announced their intention to enter the 2016 NFL draft as underclassmen, which primarily includes juniors and redshirt sophomores who are forgoing future years of college eligibility.[2] In order to be eligible to enter the draft, players must be at least 3 years removed from high school. The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the draft was January 18, 2016.
QuarterbacksJared Goff andCarson Wentz, taken as the top two picks in the draft, both made the Pro Bowl and helped both of their initial teams to Super Bowl appearances. However, both have since been traded.
First-round running backEzekiel Elliott, taken 4th overall by Dallas, is a three-time Pro-Bowler, two-time All-Pro, and has twice led the league in rushing.Joey Bosa, selected third overall by San Diego, was theNFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first season and has been selected to the Pro Bowl five times.
Defensive tacklesKenny Clark (27th overall by Green Bay) andChris Jones (37th overall by Kansas City) have been named to multiple Pro Bowls.
Second round pickDerrick Henry, taken 45th overall by Tennessee, has broken multiple rushing records and is one of eight members of the2,000-yard club.
Michael Thomas (top, 47th pick overall by New Orleans) set the record for most receptions by a wide receiver in a single season in 2019, whileTyreek Hill (bottom, 165th selection overall by Kansas City) has been named to six Pro Bowls and theNFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
(PD) indicates trades completed prior to the start of the draft (i.e. Pre-Draft), while(D) denotes trades which took place during the 2016 draft.
Round one
^No. 1: Tennessee → Los Angeles (PD).Tennessee traded its first-, fourth-, and sixth-round selections (1st,113th, and177th) toLos Angeles in exchange for Los Angeles's first-round, two second-round, and third-round selections in this year's draft (15th,43rd,45th, and76th) as well as Los Angeles's first- and third-round selections in the2017 NFL draft.[source 1]
^No. 2: Cleveland → Philadelphia (PD).Cleveland traded this selection (2nd) and a conditional fifth-round selection in2017 (this selection would be upgraded to a compensatory fourth-round selection if the Browns receive one in 2017) toPhiladelphia in exchange for Philadelphia's first-round, third-round, and fourth-round selections in this years draft (8th,77th, and100th) as well as Philadelphia's first-round selection in the2017 NFL draft and second-round selection in the2018 NFL draft.[source 2]
^No. 9: Tampa Bay → Chicago (D).Tampa Bay traded its first-round selections (9th) toChicago in exchange for Chicago's first- and fourth-round selections (11th and106th).[source 4]
^No. 21: Washington → Houston (D).Washington traded its first-round selection (21st) toHouston in exchange for Houston's first-round selection (22nd) and their2017 sixth-round selection.[source 4]
^No. 26: Seattle → Denver (D).Seattle traded its first-round selection (26th) toDenver in exchange for Denver's first- and third-round selections (31st and94th).[source 5]
^No. 28: Kansas City → San Francisco (D).Kansas City traded its first-round selection (28th) and seventh-round selection (249th) toSan Francisco in exchange for San Francisco's second-, fourth-, and sixth-round selections (37th,105th, and178th).[source 6]
^No. 41: Chicago → Buffalo (D).Chicago traded its second-round selection (41st) toBuffalo in exchange for Buffalo's second- and fourth-round selections (49th and117th). Buffalo also surrendered a2017 fourth-round selection.[source 10]
^No. 43: multiple trades: No. 43: Philadelphia → Los Angeles (PD).Philadelphia traded its second-round selection in this year's draft, a2015 fourth-round selection and quarterbackNick Foles toLos Angeles in exchange for Los Angeles's2015 fifth-round selection and quarterbackSam Bradford. The trade also included a possible conditional fourth-round selection in this year's draft that Philadelphia would have received if Bradford took less than 50 percent of the snaps in2015. Bradford took the majority of snaps for Philadelphia in 2015, so the fourth-round pick was returned to Los Angeles.[source 11] No. 43: Los Angeles → Tennessee (PD). seeNo. 1: Tennessee → Los Angeles.[source 1]
^No. 48: Indianapolis → Green Bay (D).Indianapolis traded its second-round selection (48th) toGreen Bay in exchange for Green Bay's second-, fourth- and seventh-round selections (57th,125th, and248th).[source 12]
^No. 50: Atlanta → Houston (D).Atlanta traded this selection toHouston in exchange for Houston's second- and sixth-round selections (52nd and195th).[source 4]
^No. 59: Kansas City → Tampa Bay (D).Kansas City traded this selection toTampa Bay in exchange for Tampa Bay's third- and fourth-round selections (74th and106th).[source 4]
^No. 86: Minnesota → Miami (D).Minnesota traded this selection toMiami in exchange for Miami's sixth-round selection (186th) and Miami's third- and fourth-round selections in2017.[source 17]
^No. 120: Washington → New Orleans (D).Washington traded this selection toNew Orleans in exchange for New Orleans' fifth-round selection (152nd) and a fifth-round selection in2017.[source 22]
^No. 142: San Diego → San Francisco (PD).San Diego traded this selection, and its2015 first- and fourth-round selections, toSan Francisco in exchange for San Francisco's2015 first-round selection.[source 25]
^No. 143: Dallas → Oakland (PD).Dallas conditionally traded this selection toOakland for wide receiverBrice Butler and Oakland's 2016 sixth-round selection (189th). The pick occurred because Butler was on the Cowboys' 53-man roster for at least six games.[source 26]
^No. 147: multiple trades: No. 147: Miami → New England (D).Miami traded this selection toNew England in exchange for New England's 2 sixth-round selections (196th and204th) and a seventh-round selection (250th).[source 27] No. 147: New England → Seattle (D).New England traded this selection and a seventh-round selection (243rd) toSeattle in exchange for Seattle's sixth-round selection (225th) and a fourth-round selection in2017.[source 28]
^No. 157: multiple trades: No. 157: New York Jets → Denver (PD).NY Jets traded this selection toDenver in exchange for Denver's seventh-round selection (235th) and offensive tackleRyan Clady.[source 31] No. 157: Denver → Tennessee (D).Denver traded this selection and a seventh-round selection (253rd) in exchange for a sixth-round selection (176th) and a sixth-round selection in2017.[source 32]
^No. 158: Washington → New York Jets (D).Washington traded this selection to theNew York Jets in exchange for New York's fourth-round selection in2017.[source 33]
^No. 164: Pittsburgh → Philadelphia (PD).Pittsburgh traded this conditional selection toPhiladelphia in exchange for cornerbackBrandon Boykin. The selection could have become a fourth round selection if Boykin played 60% of the snaps during the season.[source 35]
^No. 169: Denver → Detroit (PD).Denver traded this selection, its 2015 first- and fifth-round selections (28th &143rd), and guard–centerManny Ramirez toDetroit in exchange for Detroit's 2015 first-round selection (23rd).[source 37]
^No. 187: New Orleans → Washington (PD).New Orleans traded this selection along with its sixth-round selection in the2015 NFL draft (187th) toWashington in exchange for Washington's fifth-round selection.[source 15]
^No. 188: Philadelphia → Minnesota (D).Philadelphia traded this selection toMinnesota in exchange for Minnesota's sixth- and seventh-round selections (196th and240th).[source 40]
^No. 195: multiple trades: No. 195: New York Jets → Houston (PD). TheJets traded a conditional seventh-round selection in the 2016 draft toHouston in exchange for quarterbackRyan Fitzpatrick. The pick can become a sixth-round selection based on Fitzpatrick's playing time.[source 43] No. 195: Houston → Atlanta (D). seeNo. 50: Atlanta → Houston.[source 4]
^No. 229: New York Giants → Pittsburgh (PD). TheGiants traded a conditional seventh-round selection in the 2016 draft toPittsburgh in exchange for punterBrad Wing.[source 54]
^No. 243: multiple trades: No. 243: Houston → New England (PD).Houston traded its seventh–round selection in the 2016 draft toNew England in exchange for quarterbackRyan Mallett. The pick could have been a sixth–round selection but Mallett did not play 40% of the snaps in 2014.[source 58] No. 243: New England → Seattle (D). seeNo. 147: New England → Seattle.[source 28]
^No. 251: Arizona → Philadelphia (PD).Arizona traded this selection toPhiladelphia in exchange for quarterbackMatt Barkley on the condition that Barkley was on the roster for six games.[source 59]
^New England forfeited its first-round selection as a result ofDeflategate. The team will also forfeit a 2017 fourth-round selection.[source 7]
^Kansas City forfeited its third-round selection for violating the NFL's Anti-Tampering policy. The team will also forfeit a 2017 sixth-round selection and pay a $250,000 fine.[source 18]
The 2016supplemental draft was held on July 14, 2016. For each player selected in the supplemental draft, the team forfeits its pick in that round in the draft of the following season. This year, six players were eligible for selection:[6]