Quick Answer
Yes. In 1999 the New Orleans Saints traded all of their draft picks to move up and select RB Ricky Williams at #5 overall, the most extreme all-in draft trade in NFL history.
Has a Team Ever Traded Their Entire Draft?
Yes — and it remains one of the most famous gambles in NFL history. In 1999, the New Orleans Saints, led by head coach Mike Ditka, traded all six of their remaining 1999 draft picks (plus their first- and third-round picks in 2000) to the Washington Redskins to move up to the #5 overall pick and select Texas running back Ricky Williams.
How the Trade Worked
- The Saints sent Washington their 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th round picks in 1999, plus 1st and 3rd round picks in 2000.
- Washington used the haul to build depth and later packaged picks in further trades.
- Williams played three seasons in New Orleans before being traded to Miami in 2002 — ironically, for a package that included two first-round picks.
Other Near-Total Draft Trades
- 2012 Washington Redskins – Traded three first-round picks and a second-rounder to the Rams to draft Robert Griffin III at #2 overall.
- 2021 San Francisco 49ers – Sent three first-round picks to Miami to move up and draft Trey Lance at #3.
- 1989 Minnesota Vikings – The Herschel Walker trade sent a massive package of picks and players to Dallas, fueling the Cowboys' 1990s dynasty.
The lesson teams took from the Ricky Williams trade: mortgaging an entire draft class for one player almost never pays off, which is why no team has repeated a full-draft trade since.