The draft was broadcast onESPN andESPN2 beginning at noon on Saturday, April 26 and beginning at 11:00 am on Sunday, April 27. The draft consisted of seven rounds, with teams selecting in the reverse order of the finish theprevious season. There were 32compensatory picks distributed among 15 teams, with five teams each receiving four additional selections.[5] In addition, theHouston Texans, who started play as anexpansion franchise theprevious season, were granted a supplemental selection in the middle of each of the draft's final five rounds, plus the final selection in the final two rounds.[6]
There was little drama when the draft began with theCincinnati Bengals selectingCarson Palmer, as Palmer had agreed to contract terms with the Bengals the previous day. He became the firstHeisman Trophy winner selected first overall in the draft sinceVinny Testaverde in1987.[7] The event ended nearly 30 hours later withRyan Hoag being chosen by the Oakland Raiders with the final pick and thus gaining the distinction of "Mr. Irrelevant".[8]
The draft took an odd turn with theMinnesota Vikings and their pick (seventh) in the first round. The Vikings were apparently attempting to consummate a trade when their fifteen-minute time allowance elapsed. TheJaguars who selected next were quick to pounce, turning in their card to select QBByron Leftwich immediately after the Vikings' time elapsed. ThePanthers also took advantage of the gaffe, selecting OTJordan Gross before the Vikings recovered and selected DTKevin Williams.[source 1] Nevertheless, the mistake may have worked in the Vikings' favor as Williams went on to be a mainstay in their team, missing only four games in his first 10 seasons in the NFL and making six Pro Bowls.
The colleges with the most players selected in the draft wereFlorida,Miami andTennessee which each had eight players chosen.[source 2] Meanwhile,Penn State and Miami each had four players selected in the first round.[9] Eleven defensive linemen were selected in round one, eclipsing the previous record of nine, set in2001.[source 1] Ten underclassmen were taken in the first round, including three of the first four overall selections.[9] The first round lasted nearly five hours.[source 1] TheBuffalo Bills selection of Miami'sWillis McGahee as the first running back off the board was notable because he was recovering from a career-threatening injury he suffered in theFiesta Bowl which it was believed could have caused him to miss the upcoming season.[7][10]
This draft is notable for its excellent undrafted players, including longtime Dallas Cowboys quarterbackTony Romo and longtime San Diego Chargers, Hall of Famer, tight endAntonio Gates.
The 262 players chosen in the draft were in the following positions:[source 3]
In the explanations below,(D) denotes trades that took place during the draft, while(PD) indicates trades completed pre-draft.
Round one
^#4: Chicago → New York Jets (PD). Chicago traded this selection to the Jets in exchange for picks#13 (obtained fromWashington as compensation for Washington signing Jets' restricted free agentLaveranues Coles) and#22 in the first round and the Jets' fourth-round selection (#116).[source 4]
^#6: Arizona → New Orleans (D). Arizona traded this selection along with picks#37 and#102 to New Orleans in exchange for picks#17 (received from Miami in theRicky Williams trade),#18 and#54.[source 1]
#13: Washington → New York Jets (PD). The Jets acquired this pick from Washington as compensation for Washington's signing of Jets' restricted free agent WRLaveranues Coles[source 5]
^#15: San Diego → Philadelphia (D). Philadelphia acquired this pick from San Diego for Philadelphia's first-round (#30) and second-round (#62) selections.[source 2]
^#16: Kansas City → Pittsburgh (D). Pittsburgh acquired this pick from Kansas City for Pittsburgh's first-round (#27), third-round (#92) and sixth-round (#200) selections.[source 2]
#18: Miami → New Orleans (PD). New Orleans acquired this pick along with a2002 first-round selection (with which New Orleans selected DECharles Grant) from Miami for RBRicky Williams. This conditional pick became a first-rounder when Williams rushed for over 1,500 yards for Miami in2002.[source 7]
^#19: New England → Baltimore (D). Baltimore acquired this pick from New England for Baltimore's second-rounder (#41) and Baltimore's first-round selection in2004[source 2]
^#32: Tampa Bay → Oakland (PD). Oakland acquired this pick – along with Tampa Bay's first- and second-round selections in2002 and Tampa Bay's second-round selection in2004. – for the rights to head coachJon Gruden[source 9]
Round two
^#36: Houston → New England (D). New England acquired this pick and Houston's fourth-round selection (#117) from Houston for Baltimore's second-rounder (#41 see#19: New England → Baltimore) and New England's third-round selection(#75).[source 2]
^#45: Carolina → New England (D). New England acquired this selection from Carolina for New England's second-rounder (#50) and fourth-round selection(#120).[source 2]
#62: Green Bay → Philadelphia (PD). Philadelphia acquired this selection from Green Bay for CBAl Harris and Philadelphia's fourth-round selection(#120).[source 10]
#75: Washington → New England (PD). Washington traded this pick and their fourth-round selection in2004 (#104) to New England forpick #81 and New England's fifth-round selection (#140), which Washington needed to compensate theNew York Jets for Washington's signing of the Jets' restricted free agent KRChad Morton.[source 11][source 12]
#78: Kansas City → New Orleans (PD). New Orleans acquired this selection from Kansas City in exchange for OT Willie Roaf.[source 13][source 14]
#78: New Orleans → New England (D). New England acquired this selection and New Orleans' seventh-round selection (#239) from New Orleans for safetyTebucky Jones.[source 15]
#78: New England → Miami (PD). New England sent this selection to Miami in exchange for Miami's second-round selection in2004[source 16]
^#79: Buffalo → Green Bay (D). Green Bay acquired this pick from Buffalo for Buffalo's third-rounder (#94) and Buffalo's fourth-round selection(#127).[source 2]
^#82: Denver → Carolina (D). Carolina acquired this pick from Denver for Carolina's two fourth-rounders (#108) and (#120acquired from New England) and Carolina's seventh-round selection(#227).[source 2]
^#83: Houston → Oakland (D). Oakland acquired this pick and Houston's seventh-round selection (#262) from Houston for Oakland's second-round selection in2004[source 2]
^#88: Atlanta → Houston (PD). Houston acquired this pick from Atlanta for Houston's fourth round selection(#116) in the2002 draft which Atlanta used to select GMartin Bibla.[source 12]
#128: Green Bay → New England (PD). Green Bay traded this pick and their fourth-round selection (#126) in2002 to New England for WRTerry Glenn[source 18]
#140: Dallas → New England (PD). Dallas traded this pick and a seventh-round selection (#237) in2002 (with which New England selected RBAntwoine Womack) to New England for New England's fifth-round selection (#168) in2002 (with which Dallas selected DBPete Hunter).[source 12]
^#142: Minnesota → Cleveland (PD). Minnesota traded this pick to Cleveland for DLStalin Colinet.[source 19]
^#143: Jacksonville → Chicago (D). Jacksonville traded this pick to Chicago for two sixth-round selections (#176 and#193) and a seventh-rounder (#218).[source 3]
^#147: Green Bay → Seattle (D). Green Bay acquired this pick from Seattle for Green Bay's fifth-round (#165) and sixth-round (#203) selections.[source 3]
^#150: Kansas City → New York Jets (D). Kansas City traded this pick and their sixth-rounder (#200) to the New York Jets for the Jets fifth-round (#153) and sixth-round (#189) selections.[source 3]
#154: Houston → New England (PD). Houston traded this pick to New England for OTGreg Randall[source 21]
#154: New England → Tennessee (D). New England traded this pick and their seventh-rounder (#225) to Tennessee for Tennessee's fifth-round (#164), sixth-round (#201) and seventh-round (#243) selections.[source 3]
^#166: Philadelphia → Green Bay (D). Philadelphia traded this pick to Green Bay for Green Bay's sixth-round (#185) and seventh-round (#244) selections.[source 3]
#185: Washington → Green Bay (PD). Green Bay acquired this pick from Washington as compensation for Washington signing Green Bay's restricted free agent safetyMatt Bowen[source 22]
^#186: Kansas City → Dallas (PD). Dallas acquired this selection along with Kansas City's first-round and third-round picks in2002 (picks8 and75 with which Dallas selected SRoy Williams and CBDerek Ross) in exchange for Dallas' first-round pick in2002 (#6) with which Kansas City selected DTRyan Sims.[source 23]
^#190: New Orleans → Minnesota (PD). Minnesota acquired this selection from New Orleans in exchange for QBTodd Bouman.[source 24]
^#191: Miami → Chicago (PD). Chicago acquired this selection and a sixth-round selection in2002 (#199 with which Chicago selected RBAdrian Peterson) from Miami in exchange for QBCade McNown and the Dolphins' seventh-round selection in2002 (#241 with which Miami selected RBLeonard Henry).[source 25]
^#202: Philadelphia → Atlanta (PD). Atlanta acquired this selection and Philadelphia's2004 fourth-rounder (#125) from Philadelphia for LBMark Simoneau.[source 26]
#226: Washington → Miami (PD). Miami received this pick from Washington as compensation for Washington's signing of Miami's restricted free agent DTJermaine Haley.[source 29]
^#7: Minnesota held the 7th pick, but the Vikings did not make their selection in the allotted time. By rule, they could make a selection at any time afterwards, however Jacksonville and Carolina were able to make their own picks before Minnesota could make its own.[source 1]
