Defensive End (DE) Draft History
1,257 players listed · 1967–2025
Since 1980, NFL teams have drafted 1,077 defensive ends in the NFL Draft, 179 of them in the first round. 11 of those picks are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Howie Long (1981), Richard Dent (1983), Bruce Smith (1985), Chris Doleman (1985), Charles Haley (1986) and Michael Strahan (1993), plus 5 more. By career Approximate Value, the most productive pick was Bruce Smith (DE, Virginia Tech), taken in round 1 of the 1985 draft. The biggest value pick was Jason Taylor, a round-3 selection in 1997 who made 6 Pro Bowls. Of the picks made through 2025, 113 (11%) made at least one Pro Bowl and 88% appeared in at least one NFL game. The most common school was Miami (FL), with 28 picks.
Figures cover the 1980–2026 drafts. Source: nflverse.
Summary
Every Defensive End (DE) selection recorded in our draft database, 1967–2025. The highest pick at the position on record is Bubba Smith at 1st overall in 1967. Aaron Jones has the longest career among them by games played (120). 207 of these were first-round selections.