The NFL draft is the annual event that blends strategy, scouting, and spectacle into a weekend that can shape franchises for years. Whether you’re tracking your favorite team’s rebuild or looking for the next star, understanding how picks are made can make the process even more compelling.
Unless teams agree to trade down or up, the order of the draft is determined by record and placement in the playoffs. If a team has the worst regular season record it will have first overall pick, then the next best team in the league picks second, and so on. If a team makes the playoffs but loses to the Super Bowl champion it will have the third pick, and so on. Teams can also forfeit draft picks for a variety of reasons, including salary cap accounting mistakes and violating the league’s anti-tampering rules.
Why they picked him: The Cardinals are continuing to fill out their defensive front and Nolen has the size and speed to be an impact player in the NFL. He rushed for more than 1,300 yards last year, was one of the top pass rushers in college football, and is poised to become an immediate contributor.
Despite the devaluation of the running back position, Shedeur Sanders is expected to be drafted in the top 10. He has the power and speed to dominate opposing defenses. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist and possesses the skills to take pressure off of quarterbacks.