Data & Methodology

How NFL Records builds and maintains its database of 15,881 draft picks spanning every NFL draft from 1967 to 2026.

Scope

The database covers every selection from the 1967 AFL–NFL common draft through the 2026 NFL Draft — 60 drafts in all. Earlier drafts (1936–1966) are outside the current dataset because pre-merger records are fragmentary and inconsistently documented.

Sources

Draft results are compiled and cross-checked from Pro Football Reference, NFL.com, and contemporaneous public records. Career statistics come from publicly available NFL statistics databases. Player headshots are served from ESPN's public image CDN.

Update cadence

• Annually after the draft (April): the new class is added — all ~257 picks with college, position, team and pick number.
• Continuously: reader-reported corrections are verified against the historical record and fixed.

Known limitations

• Supplemental drafts: supplemental picks (e.g. Bernie Kosar 1985, Cris Carter 1987) are listed with their within-round selection number, and pages note the supplemental context.
• Career stats: statistics coverage is deepest for the modern era; some historical players have partial stat lines.
• College groupings: historical name variants (e.g. "NC State" vs "N.C. State") are normalized, but a handful of legacy variants may persist.

Corrections

Found an error? Contact us with the player name and page URL. Corrections are verified before publishing.

Independence

NFL Records is an independent, fan-built resource with no affiliation to the NFL, its teams, or any college program. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.