The 2019 NFL draft was the 84th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2019 NFL season. The draft was held on April 25–27 in Nashville. The first round was held on April 25, followed by the second and third rounds on April 26, and the draft concluded with rounds 4–7 on April 27. The draft featured a record-high 40 trades,[1] surpassing the 37 which were made in 2017.[2]
A record-high 111 eligible applicants announced their intention to enter the 2019 NFL draft as underclassmen, which primarily included juniors and redshirt sophomores who forwent future years of college eligibility.[3] In order to be eligible to enter the draft, players must be at least three years removed from high school. The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the draft was January 14, 2019.
Host city bid process
The host city for the 2019 (as well as the 2020) draft was chosen from among finalists Denver, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Nashville, and Cleveland/Canton in May 2018 at the NFL Spring League Meeting.[4] On May 23, 2018, the league announced Nashville as the host city of the 2019 draft.[5]
Player selections
The following is the breakdown of the 254 players selected by position:
Second round selections Deebo Samuel (36th overall), A. J. Brown (51st overall), Mecole Hardman (56th overall), and DK Metcalf (64th overall) have all been selected to the Pro Bowl at least once.
A supplemental draft was held on July 10, 2019. For each player selected in the supplemental draft, the team forfeited its pick in that round in the draft of the following season.
(PD) indicates trades completed prior to the start of the draft (i.e. Pre-Draft), while (D) denotes trades which took place during the 2019 draft.
Round one
^No. 10: Denver → Pittsburgh (D). Denver traded a first-round selection (10th) to Pittsburgh in exchange for Pittsburgh's first- and second-round selections (20th and 52nd) as well as their third-round selection in 2020.[Trade 1]
^No. 21: Seattle → Green Bay (D). Seattle traded a first-round selection (21st) to Green Bay in exchange for Green Bay's first- and two fourth-round selections (30th, 114th and 118th).[Trade 1]
^No. 22: Baltimore → Philadelphia (D). Baltimore traded a first-round selection (22nd) to Philadelphia in exchange for Philadelphia's first-, fourth- and sixth-round selections (25th, 127th and 197th).[Trade 1]
^No. 24: Chicago → Oakland (PD). Chicago traded first- and sixth-round selections (24th and 196th) as well as 2020 first- and third-round selections to Oakland in exchange for outside linebackerKhalil Mack and 2020 second- and conditional fifth-round selections.[Trade 3]
^No. 26: Indianapolis → Washington (D). Indianapolis traded a first-round selection (26th) to Washington in exchange for Washington's second-round selection (46th) as well as a 2020 second-round selection.[Trade 1]
^No. 30: multiple trades. New Orleans → Green Bay (PD). New Orleans traded a first-round selection (30th), as well as 2018 first- and fifth-round selections (27th and 147th) to Green Bay in exchange for Green Bay's 2018 first round selection (14th).[Trade 6] Green Bay → Seattle (D). See No. 21: Seattle → Green Bay.[Trade 1] Seattle → NY Giants (D). Seattle traded this first-round selection (30th) to New York Giants in exchange for New York's second-, fourth- and fifth-round selections (37th, 132nd and 142nd).[Trade 1]
^No. 31: LA Rams → Atlanta (D). Los Angeles traded their first- and sixth-round selections (31st and 203rd) to Atlanta in exchange for Atlanta's second- and third-round selections (45th and 79th).[Trade 1]
Round two
^No. 34: NY Jets → Indianapolis (PD). New York traded their 2019 second-round selection (34th), as well as their 2018 first- and two second-round selections (6th, 37th and 49th) to Indianapolis in exchange for Indianapolis' 2018 first-round selection (3rd).[Trade 7]
^No. 35: Oakland → Jacksonville (D). Oakland traded their second-, fifth- and seventh-round selections (35th, 140th and 235th) to Jacksonville in exchange for Jacksonville's second- and fourth-round selections (38th and 109th).[Trade 1]
^No. 37: multiple trades.[Trade 1] NY Giants → Seattle (D). See No. 30: Seattle → NY Giants. Seattle → Carolina (D). Seattle traded this second-round selection (37th) to Carolina in exchange for Carolina's second- and third-round selections (47th and 77th).
^No. 38: multiple trades.[Trade 1] Jacksonville → Oakland (D). See No. 35: Oakland → Jacksonville. Oakland → Buffalo (D). Oakland traded this second-round selection (38th) to Buffalo in exchange for Buffalo's second- and fifth-round selections (40th and 158th).
^No. 42: Cincinnati → Denver (D). Cincinnati traded their second-round selection (42nd) to Denver in exchange for Denver's second-, fourth- and sixth-round selections (52nd, 125th and 182nd).[Trade 1]
^No. 45: multiple trades.[Trade 1] Atlanta → LA Rams (D). See No. 31: LA Rams → Atlanta. LA Rams → New England (D). Los Angeles traded this second-round selection (45th) to New England in exchange for New England's second- and third-round selections (56th and 101st).
^No. 46: multiple trades.[Trade 1] Washington → Indianapolis (D). See No. 26: Indianapolis → Washington. Indianapolis → Cleveland (D). Indianapolis traded this second-round selection (46th) to Cleveland in exchange for Cleveland's second- and fifth-round selections (49th and 144th).
^No. 48: Miami → New Orleans (D). Miami traded a second- and fourth-round selection (48th and 116th) to New Orleans in exchange for New Orleans' second- and sixth-round selections (62nd and 202nd) as well as a 2020 second-round selection.[Trade 1]
^No. 53: Baltimore → Philadelphia (PD). Baltimore traded a second-round selection (53rd) as well as 2018 second- and fourth-round selections (52nd and 125th) to Philadelphia in exchange for Philadelphia's 2018 first- and fourth-round selections (32nd and 132nd).[Trade 6]
^No. 54: Seattle → Houston (PD). Seattle traded a second-round selection (54th) as well as a 2018 third-round selection (80th) to Houston in exchange for Houston's 2018 fifth-round selection (141st) and offensive tackle Duane Brown. This trade originally included cornerback Jeremy Lane but was revised after Lane failed his physical.[Trade 8]
^No. 56: multiple trades. Chicago → New England (PD). Chicago traded a second-round selection (56th) as well as a 2018 fourth-round selection (105th) to New England in exchange for New England's 2018 second-round selection previously acquired from Detroit (51st).[Trade 6] New England → LA Rams (D). See No. 45: LA Rams → New England.[Trade 1] LA Rams → Kansas City (D). Los Angeles traded this second-round selection (56th) to Kansas City in exchange for Kansas City's second- and fifth-round selections (61st and 167th).[Trade 1]
^No. 62: multiple trades.[Trade 1] New Orleans → Miami (D). See No. 48: Miami → New Orleans. Miami → Arizona (D). Miami traded this second-round selection (62nd) as well as a 2020 fifth-round selection to Arizona in exchange for quarterback Josh Rosen.
^No. 63: LA Rams → Kansas City (PD). Los Angeles traded their second-round selection (63rd) as well as their 2018 fourth-round selection (124th) to Kansas City in exchange for Kansas City's 2018 sixth-round selection (209th) and cornerback Marcus Peters.[Trade 9]
^No. 64: New England → Seattle (D). New England traded their second-round selection (64th) to Seattle in exchange for Seattle's third- and fourth-round selections (77th and 118th).
Round three
^No. 66: Oakland → Pittsburgh (PD). Oakland traded third- and fifth-round selections (66th and 141st) to Pittsburgh in exchange for wide receiver Antonio Brown.[Trade 10]
^No. 70: Tampa Bay → LA Rams (D). Tampa Bay traded a third-round selection (70th) to Los Angeles in exchange for two third-round selections (94th and 99th).[Trade 1]
^No. 73: multiple trades.[Trade 6] Detroit → New England (PD). Detroit traded a third-round selection (73rd) to New England for New England's 2018 fourth-round selection (114th). New England → Chicago (D). New England traded this third-round selection and a sixth-round selection (73rd and 205th) to Chicago in exchange for Chicago's third- and fifth-round selections (87th and 162nd) as well as a 2020 fourth-round selection.[Trade 1]
^No. 81: Minnesota → Detroit (D). Minnesota traded a third-round selection (81st) to Detroit in exchange for Detroit's third- and sixth-round selections (88th and 204th).[Trade 1]
^No. 88: multiple trades. Philadelphia → Detroit (PD). Philadelphia traded a third-round selection (88th) to Detroit in exchange for wide receiver Golden Tate.[Trade 11] Detroit → Minnesota (D). See No. 81: Minnesota → Detroit.[Trade 1] Minnesota → Seattle (D). Minnesota traded this third-round selection and a sixth-round selection (88th and 209th) to Seattle in exchange for Seattle's third- and fifth-round selections (92nd and 159th).[Trade 1]
^No. 93: multiple trades. New Orleans → NY Jets (PD). New Orleans traded a third-round selection (93rd) to New York for a sixth-round selection and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.[Trade 12] NY Jets → Minnesota (D). See No. 92: Minnesota → NY Jets.[Trade 1] Minnesota → Baltimore (D). Minnesota traded this third-round selection (93rd) to Baltimore in exchange for Baltimore's third- and two sixth-round selections (102nd, 191st and 193rd).[Trade 1]
^No. 96: Washington → Buffalo (D). Washington traded a third-round selection (96th) to Buffalo in exchange for Buffalo's two fourth-round selections (112nd and 131st).
^No. 97: New England → LA Rams (D). New England traded their third-and fifth-round selections (97th and 162nd) to Los Angeles in exchange for a fourth-round selection (133rd) and regained their third-round selection (101st).[Trade 1]
^No. 98: LA Rams → Jacksonville (PD). Los Angeles traded their third-round selection (98th) as well as their 2020 fifth-round selection to Jacksonville in exchange for defensive end Dante Fowler.[Trade 14]
^No. 104: San Francisco → Cincinnati (D). San Francisco traded a fourth-round selection (104th) to Cincinnati in exchange for the Bengals' fourth- and two sixth-round selections (110th, 183rd, 198th).[Trade 1]
^No. 105: NY Jets → New Orleans (D). The Jets traded a fourth-round selection (105th) to New Orleans in exchange for the Saints' fourth- and fifth-round selections (116th and 168th).[Trade 1]
^No. 111: Detroit → Atlanta (D). Detroit traded a fourth-round selection (111th) to Atlanta in exchange for Atlanta's fourth- and sixth-round selections (117th and 186th).[Trade 1]
^No. 113: Denver → Baltimore (PD). Denver traded a fourth-round selection (113th) to Baltimore in exchange for quarterback Joe Flacco; the trade became official on March 13.[Trade 15]
^No. 116: multiple trades.[Trade 1] Miami → New Orleans (D). See No. 48: Miami → New Orleans. New Orleans → NY Jets (D). See No. 105: NY Jets → New Orleans. NY Jets → Tennessee (D). New York traded this fourth-round selection and their fifth-round selection (116th and 168th) to Tennessee in exchange for Tennessee's fourth- and fifth-round selections (121st and 157th).
^No. 125: multiple trades. Houston → Denver (PD). Houston traded a fourth-round selection to Denver in exchange for wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. The two teams also swapped seventh-round selections.[Trade 17] Denver → Cincinnati (D). See No. 42: Cincinnati → Denver.[Trade 1]
^No. 134: New England → LA Rams (D). New England traded fourth- and seventh-round selections (134th and 243rd) to Los Angeles in exchange for two fifth-round selections (162nd and 167th).[Trade 1]
^No. 135: multiple trades.[Trade 1] Indianapolis → Oakland (D). See No. 109: Oakland → Indianapolis. Oakland → Atlanta (D). Oakland traded this fourth-round selection (135th) to Atlanta in exchange for Atlanta's fourth- and seventh-round selections (137th and 230th).
^No. 136: Dallas → Cincinnati (D). Dallas traded a fourth-round selection (136th) to Cincinnati in exchange for Cincinnati's fifth- and sixth-round selections (149th and 213th).[Trade 1]
^No. 140: multiple trades. NY Jets → Oakland (PD). New York traded a fifth-round selection (140th) to Oakland in exchange for guard/tackle Kelechi Osemele and a sixth-round selection (196th) originally acquired from Chicago.[Trade 20] Oakland → Jacksonville (D). See No. 35: Oakland → Jacksonville.[Trade 1]
^No. 142: multiple trades. San Francisco → Detroit (PD). San Francisco traded a fifth-round selection (142nd) to Detroit in exchange for guard Laken Tomlinson.[Trade 21] Detroit → NY Giants (PD). Detroit traded a fifth-round selection to New York in exchange for defensive tackle Damon Harrison. New York received the earlier of Detroit original selection or the one Detroit received from San Francisco's.[Trade 22] NY Giants → Seattle (D). See No. 30: Seattle → NY Giants.[Trade 1]
^No. 148: Denver → San Francisco (D). Denver traded a fifth-round selection (148th) to San Francisco in exchange for linebacker Dekoda Watson and a sixth-round selection (212th).[Trade 1]
^No. 149: multiple trades.[Trade 1] Cincinnati → Dallas (D). See No. 136: Dallas → Cincinnati. Dallas → Oakland (D). Dallas traded this fifth-round selection (149th) to Oakland in exchange for Oakland's fifth- and seventh-round selections (158th and 218th).[Trade 1]
^No. 156: Minnesota → Denver (PD). Minnesota traded a fifth-round selection (156th) to Denver in exchange for Denver's 2018 seventh-round selection (225th) and quarterback Trevor Siemian.[Trade 24]
^No. 159: multiple trades.[Trade 1] Seattle → Minnesota (D). See No. 88: Minnesota → Seattle. Minnesota → New England (D). Minnesota traded this fifth-round selection (159th) to New England in exchange for New England's fifth- and seventh-round selections (162nd and 239th).
^No. 163: Philadelphia → New England (D). Philadelphia traded a fifth-round selection (163rd) to New England in exchange for fifth- and seventh-round selections (167th and 246th).[Trade 1]
^No. 170: New England → Cleveland (PD). New England traded a fifth-round selection (170th) to Cleveland in exchange for receiver Josh Gordon and a seventh-round selection (243rd).[Trade 27]
^No. 179: Tampa Bay → Arizona (PD). Tampa Bay sent a sixth-round selection (179th) as compensation to Arizona in exchange for a seventh-round selection (215th) and the rights to head coach Bruce Arians.[Trade 28]
^No. 187: Carolina → Denver (D). Carolina traded a sixth-round selection (187th) to Denver in exchange for Denver's sixth- and seventh-round selections (212nd and 237th).[Trade 1]
^No. 188: Miami → Tennessee (PD). Miami traded a sixth-round selection (188th) and quarterback Ryan Tannehill to Tennessee in exchange for a seventh-round selection (233rd) as well as a 2020 fourth-round selection.[Trade 29]
^No. 207: Arizona → Pittsburgh (PD). Arizona traded a compensatory sixth-round selection (207th) to Pittsburgh in exchange for tackle Marcus Gilbert.[Trade 34]
^No. 208: Philadelphia → Tampa Bay (PD). Philadelphia traded a sixth-round selection (208th) to Tampa Bay in exchange for wide receiver DeSean Jackson and a 2020 seventh-round selection.[Trade 35]
^No. 216: San Francisco → Kansas City (PD). San Francisco traded a conditional seventh-round selection to Kansas City in exchange for wide receiver Rod Streater and a conditional seventh-round selection.[Trade 36]
^No. 219: Tampa Bay → Pittsburgh (PD). Tampa Bay traded a seventh-round selection (219th) and free safety J. J. Wilcox to Pittsburgh in exchange for their 2018 sixth-round selection (202nd).[Trade 37]
^No. 221: Jacksonville → Cleveland (PD). Jacksonville traded a conditional seventh-round selection to Cleveland in exchange for quarterback Cody Kessler.[Trade 39]
^No. 222: multiple trades. Denver → Philadelphia (PD). Denver traded a seventh-round selection to Philadelphia in exchange for guard Allen Barbre.[Trade 40] Philadelphia → Chicago (PD). Philadelphia traded this conditional seventh-round selection to Chicago in exchange for safety Deiondre' Hall.[Trade 41]
^No. 228: Carolina → Buffalo (PD). Carolina traded a seventh-round selection (228th) and wide receiver Kaelin Clay to Buffalo in exchange for cornerback Kevon Seymour.[Trade 42]
^No. 229: Miami → Detroit (PD). Miami traded a conditional seventh-round selection to Detroit in exchange for defensive tackle Akeem Spence.[Trade 43]
^No. 231: Cleveland → New Orleans (PD). Cleveland traded a conditional seventh-round selection to New Orleans in exchange for defensive tackle Devaroe Lawrence.[Trade 44]
^No. 232: Minnesota → NY Giants (PD). Minnesota traded a seventh-round selection (232nd) to New York in exchange for center Brett Jones.[Trade 45]
^No. 234: multiple trades. Pittsburgh → Cleveland (PD). Pittsburgh traded a seventh-round selection (234th) and wide receiver Sammie Coates to Cleveland in exchange for their 2018 sixth-round selection (202nd).[Trade 46] Cleveland → Miami (PD). Cleveland traded this seventh-round selection (234th) as well as a 2018 fourth-round selection previously acquired from Carolina (123rd) to Miami in exchange for wide receiver Jarvis Landry.[Trade 47]
^No. 236: multiple trades. Baltimore → Jacksonville (PD). Baltimore traded a seventh-round selection (236th) to Jacksonville in exchange for center Luke Bowanko.[Trade 49] Jacksonville → Seattle (D). Jacksonville traded this seventh-round selection (236th) to Seattle in exchange for a 2020 sixth-round selection.[Trade 1]
^No. 239: multiple trades. Philadelphia → New England (PD). Philadelphia traded a seventh-round selection (239th) as well as a 2018 seventh-round selection (250th) to New England in exchange for New England's 2018 seventh-round selection (233rd).[Trade 6] New England → Minnesota (D). See No. 159: Minnesota → New England.[Trade 1]
^No. 245: LA Rams → NY Giants (PD). Los Angeles traded their seventh-round selection (245th) and linebacker Alec Ogletree to New York in exchange for 2018 fourth- and sixth-round selections (135th and 176th).[Trade 51]
^No. 246: multiple trades.[Trade 1] New England → Philadelphia (D). See No. 163: Philadelphia → New England. Philadelphia → Indianapolis (D). Philadelphia traded this seventh-round selection (246th) to Indianapolis in exchange for defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway.
In November 2018, after having aired the final rounds of the draft on the network, ESPN announced that it would air coverage of all three days of the 2019 draft on ABC, using an entertainment-oriented format and hosted by the panel of College GameDay (which hosted an alternate ESPN2 broadcast of the previous draft), including Lee Corso, Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard. It marked the first time that broadcast television coverage of all three days of the NFL Draft had been carried by a single network; in 2018, the first two nights aired on Fox in association and simulcast with NFL Network. ESPN and NFL Network continued to broadcast more traditionally-formatted coverage.[7] In addition, NFL Network's morning show Good Morning Football was simulcast on ESPN2 on both April 25 and 26, while ESPN and NFL Network personalities made appearances across the networks' studio programs.[8]
The NFL reported an average viewership of 6.1 million across all ESPN and NFL outlets carrying coverage, up from the composite average of 5.5 million in 2018, and estimated that at least 47.5 million viewers watched coverage at some point during the draft.[9] The NFL also reported that at least 600,000 people attended events associated with the draft, overtaking 2017 as the most-attended NFL Draft.[10]
A then-record 64 players were drafted from one conference,[11] the second-most in NFL history, breaking the previous high of 63 selections in 2013. Both numbers were set by the Southeastern Conference. The record was broken in 2021, when 65 players were selected also from the SEC.