The NFL sets its draft order in reverse of the previous season’s results. Worst record picks first, Super Bowl champion picks last.
The Two Groups
| Slots | Who | Ordered by |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 18 | The 18 teams that missed the playoffs | Record, worst first |
| 19 to 32 | The 14 playoff teams | How far they advanced, then record |
Within the playoff group, teams eliminated in the wild card round pick before divisional losers, who pick before conference championship losers. The Super Bowl runner-up picks 31st and the champion 32nd.
Breaking Ties
Teams with identical records are separated by strength of schedule, with the weaker schedule picking first. If that is also equal, the league holds a coin flip.
Unlike the playoff tiebreakers, head-to-head results are not the primary factor here.
No Lottery
The NFL does not use a draft lottery. The worst team is guaranteed the first pick, which is different from the NBA and NHL, where lotteries are meant to reduce the incentive to lose deliberately.
That guarantee is why late-season losses by bad teams draw attention: every one can move a franchise up the board.
Why the Published Order Rarely Survives
Trades. Picks change hands constantly, both in the months before the draft and live on the clock. A team that trades down may hold two picks in a round and none in another. The order set in January describes where each slot sits, not who will use it.
Rounds Two Through Seven
Each subsequent round follows the same order as the first, with compensatory picks appended to the end of rounds three through seven.
Related
How the draft works · How picks are determined · Compensatory picks
The Bottom Line
Non-playoff teams first in reverse order of record, then playoff teams by how deep they went. Strength of schedule breaks ties, and there is no lottery.