Second Round Signing Tracker

A recent pick-signing trend has been the difficulty in getting second-round picks signed. That’s because players, or their agents, have been trying to get some of the contract guarantees that had only gone to the players selected in the first round. Something has changed this year. Here’s a look at the pick-singing progress of the players selected in the second round. 

2026 NFL Draft - Second Round Signing Tracker

1.   San Francisco 49ers: De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, San Francisco 49ers - Signed

2.   Arizona Cardinals: Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M - Signed

3.   Buffalo Bills: T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson - Signed

4.   Houston Texans: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State - Signed

5.   New York Giants: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee - Signed

6.   Las Vegas Raiders: Treydan Stukes, DB, Arizona - Signed

7.   Cleveland Browns: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington - Signed

8.   Kansas City Chiefs: R Mason Thomas, Edge, Oklahoma - Signed

9.   Cincinnati Bengals: Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M

10. New Orleans Saints: Christen Miller, DT, Georgia - Signed

11. Miami Dolphins: Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech

12. Detroit Lions: Derrick Moore, Edge, Michigan - Signed

13. Baltimore Ravens: Zion Young, Edge, Missouri - Signed

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josiah Trotter, Missouri - Signed

15. Pittsburgh Steelers: Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama - Signed

16. Atlanta Falcons: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson - Signed

17. Carolina Panthers: Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech - Signed

18. New York Jets: D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana - Signed

19. Minnesota Vikings: Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati - Signed

20. Green Bay Packers: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina - Signed

21. Indianapolis Colts: C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia - Signed

22. Philadelphia Eagles: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt - Signed

23. New England Patriots: Gabe Jacas, Edge, Illinois

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Nate Boerkircher, TE, Texas A&M - Signed

25. Chicago Bears: Logan Jones, C, Iowa

26. Cleveland Browns: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo - Signed

27. Houston Texans: Marlin Klein, TE, Michigan - Signed

28. Tennessee Titans: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas - Signed

29. Los Angeles Rams: Max Klare, TE, Ohio State

30. Buffalo Bills: Donald Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State - Signed

31. Los Angeles Chargers: Jake Slaughter, C, Florida - Signed

32. Seattle Seahawks: Bud Clark, S, TCU - Signed

27 of the 32 players selected in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft have signed. That’s a significant improvement over recent years. In those years, perhaps a handful of second round picks were signed at this point in the offseason. 

Minnesota Vikings Free Agent Additions

The primary free agency focus of the Minnesota Vikings this year was cutting costs. They had spent heavily recently and the salary cap structure was leaning the wrong way. The offseason brought more roster subtractions than additions. At least, that was the case at the start of free agency. Ultimately, the Vikings ended up with a free agent class that could be as productive any in recent memory. 

Minnesota Vikings Free Agent Additions

James Pierre, CB

Kyler Murray, QB

Johnny Hekker, P

Ryan Van Demark, OT

Eric Johnson II, DL

Jauan Jennings, WR

Isaiahh Loudermilk, DL

The Vikings added seven outside free agents for less than the amount they were scheduled to pay Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. While Johnny Hekker, Eric Johnson II, and Isaiahh Lowdermilk will be competing for roster spots, Kyler Murray, James Pierre, Ryan Van Demark, and Jauan Jennings will play critical roles for the Vikings this season. Murray and J.J. McCarthy will compete for the starting quarterback job. With Pierre joining Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers, Brian Flores will finally be able to put a talented trio of corners on the field together. Flores clearly likes the versatility of safeties. Was he forced to lean on the safeties because he couldn’t trust the corners beyond his top two? Who knows? We may find out this season. Last year, the Vikings finally put together a talented starting offensive line. Unfortunately, the starting five played fewer than 100 snaps together. That’s about one game of snaps. Offensive line injuries, and the resulting inconsistencies, wrecked the Vikings offense. It also led to injuries to quarterbacks McCarthy and Carson Wentz. The offensive line was a mess and the offense was a mess. To clean that mess, the Vikings targeted Buffalo Bills restricted free agent Van Demark to improve the offensive line depth. The cap to this productive, cost-efficient offseason was Jennings. In Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, the Vikings have the best receiving duo in the league. When Jalen Nailor departed for the Las Vegas Raiders for a nice bag of cash, it created a significant third receiver need. From the start of free agency, Jennings was a dream solution. The only problem was that his reported contract expectations were around $20 million per year. The fact that he was still available after the draft seemed to confirm those reports. There’s no way the Vikings could afford that sort of deal. Somehow, Jennings signed with Minnesota for a base salary of only $8 million. Incentives could boost that to $13 million. Even at $13 million, he’s a steal. Now, the Vikings have the best receiving trio in the league. 

This wasn’t the most active free agency in Vikings franchise history but it might be the most efficient. It helps to luck into a starting quarterback, and potential franchise quarterback, for only $1.3 million. A top-three corner for $4 million? A starting-caliber tackle for $4 million? An elite third receiver for a base of $8 million? The Vikings filled four critical roster positions for less than $18 million. The roster is stronger than it was in March and it was done by cutting costs. That’s pretty efficient. 

First Round Signing Tracker

The 2026 NFL Draft was over a month ago. That means that teams are more than a month into the task of signing the players they drafted. Here’s a look at the signing status of the first round picks.

2026 NFL Draft - First Round

1.   Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana 

2.   New York Jets: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech - Signed

3.   Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame - Signed

4.   Tennessee Titans: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State - Signed

5.   New York Giants: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State

6.   Kansas City Chiefs: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

7.   Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State - Signed

8.   New Orleans Saints: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State - Signed

9.   Cleveland Browns: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah - Signed

10. New York Giants: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami 

11. Dallas Cowboys: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State - Signed

12. Miami Dolphins: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

13. Los Angeles Rams: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

14. Baltimore Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State - Signed

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami - Signed

16. New York Jets: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon - Signed

17. Detroit Lions: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson - Signed 

18. Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida - Signed

19. Carolina Panthers: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia - Signed

20. Philadelphia Eagles: Makai Lemon, WR, USC - Signed

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State - Signed

22. Los Angeles Chargers: Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami

23. Dallas Cowboys: Malachi Lawrence, Edge, UCF

24. Cleveland Browns: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

25. Chicago Bears: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

26. Houston Texans: Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech

27. Miami Dolphins: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State

28. New England Patriots: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

29. Kansas City Chiefs: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

30. New York Jets: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

31. Tennessee Titans: Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn

32. Seattle Seahawks: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame 

15 of the 32 players selected in the first round have signed.

Minnesota Vikings General Manager History

The Minnesota Vikings are in the process of finding a new general manager. Despite being one of the league’s most consistently competitive teams for nearly 60 years, the Vikings have had a somewhat problematic general manager history. The exception to that problematic history is Jim Finks. He has a bust in Canton for being one of the best to ever do the job. Finks built the Vikings teams that went to four Super Bowls from 1969-76. It’s a damn shame that he left the team in 1974. It’s an even greater shame that he went to the Chicago Bears. For whatever reason, the Vikings turned the team’s football decision-making over to career businessmen after Finks. Here’s a look at the somewhat puzzling and often troubling general manager history of the Minnesota Vikings. 

Bert Rose (1961-63)

Bert Rose got things rolling for the expansion Minnesota Vikings. He came up with the name and the color scheme for the team. Rose saw the “Vikings” moniker having a dual purpose. It represented a strong and aggressive entity as well as the numerous Scandinavians in the Minnesota region. Inspired by the colors of his alma mater, the University of Washington, Rose chose purple and gold as the color scheme for the Vikings. He selected Los Angeles cartoonist Karl Hubenthal to design the team’s helmet, uniform, and logo. After attending to those important matters, Rose hired former Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Norm Van Brocklin as the Vikings first head coach. 

Jim Finks (1964-73)

There’s a reason Jim Finks was the second general manager, after Tex Schramm, to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He built teams into annual contenders. The Vikings were his first. One of his first great decisions was hiring Bud Grant as the franchise’s second head coach in 1967. Two years later, the Vikings were in Super Bowl IV. The teams that went to four Super Bowls, and should’ve gone to at least a couple more, were built by Finks. 

1974 was a transition-year when it comes to the Vikings general manager position. Jim Finks resigned in May 1974. The 1974 NFL Draft was held in late January so Finks was around for that as well as the bulk of the offseason. Without free agency, NFL offseasons weren’t the “events” they are today. When Finks departed in May much of the year’s team construction was already done. On August 15, 1974, Mike Lynn was hired as assistant to the president (Max Winter) of the Vikings. Lynn quickly burrowed his way into Winter’s embrace and was named general manager less than a year later. 

Mike Lynn (1975-90)

Mike Lynn really had no business being a general manager. He was a businessman. Maybe he was a good one. I know that he was a terrible general manager. At the start of his (too long) run as the Vikings general manager, Lynn admittedly let the actual football people make the football decisions. At some point, he decided to take a crack at those decisions. It was a mistake. When Bud Grant decided to retire after the 1983 season, he recommended offensive coordinator Jerry Burns as his replacement. Instead of doing the right thing, Lynn opted for receivers coach Les Steckel. It was a mistake. 1984 was the most painful season in all my years as a Vikings fan. The year was so bad that Grant returned as coach in 1985 to get the team back above water. As he should’ve been in 1984, Burns was named the head coach in 1986. Lynn was a terrible general manager. His football idiocy is probably best defined by the “Herschel Walker Trade.” That travesty of a trade helped turn the Dallas Cowboys into three-time champions and set the Vikings back years. I really don’t understand how this weasel became a favorite within the team and around the league. By the late 1980s, he had one of the most influential voices in league circles. 

Jeff Diamond (1991-98)

After the failure of Mike Lynn, Vikings ownership decided to make the same mistake in promoting Jeff Diamond to general manager in 1991. Lynn wasn’t a football person. Diamond wasn’t a football person. As a result, both “learned” the job as they held the job. Diamond joined the Vikings in 1976 as a public relations gofer. 15 years later, he was doing a job he had no business doing. For most of the league’s history, the head coach made, or oversaw, all football decisions. As late as the 1990s, an NFL general manager was nothing like the critical franchise fixture it is today. Coaches and a handful of scouts ran the draft and built the team. Everything started to change in 1993 with the introduction of free agency. Even though Diamond held the top personnel job in Minnesota, I think it’s safe to say that head coach Dennis Green and the scouts ran the drafts and made the bulk of the roster-building decisions. Diamond did handle the contacts and for that he was named NFL Executive of the Year in 1998. He received that award for jamming a handful of big contracts under that year’s salary cap. Instead of facing the pain of those big deals in the years beyond 1998, Diamond bolted for the Tennessee Titans in 1999. 

Tim Connolly (1999)

Another businessman running the Vikings personnel department. Tim Connolly inherited the role when Jeff Diamond bolted for Tennessee. Fortunately, Connolly’s run in Minnesota was short. 

Dennis Green (2000)

Red McCombs owned the Vikings from 1998 until he sold the team to the Wilf family in 2005. It’s safe to say that McCombs didn’t want to spend much more than the $250 million it took to buy the team. He didn’t provide much money for assistant coaches. There didn’t appear to be any money for a general manager. As a result, Dennis Green had the dual role of head coach and general manager in 2000. He was really already doing both even without the title. McCombs was probably thrilled when he could fire both his head coach and his general manager in one move. 

Rob Brzezinski (2001-05)

Rob Brzezinski came to Minnesota from the Miami Dolphins in 1999. He’s been a franchise fixture ever since. As VP of Football Operations, he’s given the Vikings de facto general manager role from 2001-05 by Pro Football Reference. In reality, the closest he’s come to being the general manger was this past offseason. From 2001-05, the coaches (led by Mike Tice) and scouts (led by Scott Studwell on the college side) probably made the football decisions. 

Fran Foley (2006)

A year after buying the Vikings, the Wilfs hired Brad Childress as head coach and Fran Foley as VP of Player Personnel. The owners decided to go with the ill-conceived and poorly named “Triangle of Authority.” Childress, Foley and Rob Brzezinski made up the triangle and collectively made football decisions. Hiring Foley was a mistake. It was soon revealed that he had lied about portions of his career in football. He was also reportedly problematic in the building. A few days after the 2006 draft, Foley was fired. 

Rick Spielman (2006-21)

Rick Spielman was hired to replace Fran Foley. The “Triangle of Authority” might not have continued by name but it continued in practice. Spielman simply replaced Foley in the triangle. He was promoted to general manager in 2012. This is significant as Spielman was the first football guy to be named Vikings general manager since Jim Finks departed in 1974. Spielman has his critics. All general managers do. I believe that he did a fine job as general manager. When he and head coach Mike Zimmer were getting along, I felt the Vikings were heading in the right direction. Unfortunately, the relationship fell apart at the end. 

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (2022-25)

The Wilfs decided to try their luck with an analytics-centric decision-maker when they hired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in 2022. While I liked that he stressed the importance of getting on the grass and actually scouting players, he was a spreadsheet-guy at heart. Perhaps I’m being overly nostalgic, I’m convinced that a team’s top decision-maker must be a career football guy. Even if I’m skeptical about the choice, I always hope that any person the Vikings hire, sign, or draft works out beautifully. I hoped until the very end that Adofo-Mensah would get a handle on football team-building. It’s safe to say that none of his four drafts were great. The first was simply terrible. Four years on and none of the ten players selected in 2022 are on the roster. That’s bad. Fortunately for the team, he did hit on several players in free agency. 

Rob Brzezinski (2026)

While Rob Brzezinski didn’t come up through the scouting side of football, he’s had an active role in team-building for decades. His primary role has been the management of the salary cap. With that he’s arguably the league’s best. According to those inside and outside the building, his people skills are universally considered a strength. He knows his lane. He relies on those that do the scouting and evaluating. He builds a consensus. From a distance, it looks like his offseason as the interim general manager was successful. I have no doubt that he’ll do fine if he gets the full-time job but I’m not so sure I want him to get it. The general manager is always one, or two, bad drafts away from being fired. Brzezinski is too important to the Vikings to be on the annual chopping block. 

Because of the Mike Lynn years and the front office confusion of the early 2000s, I’ve known that the Vikings have had a troublesome general manager history. I didn’t realize the extent of the troubles until putting this timeline together. It really is amazing that the team managed to stay competitive through most of the troubling years. I was too young to truly appreciate it at the time but I sure miss the sound decision-making of Jim Finks. Lynn, Jeff Diamond, and Tim Connolly should never have risen to general manager. I suppose the Vikings remained competitive over the years because it was the coaches and scouts that ran the drafts. Those business bozos wouldn’t know a flanker from a nose tackle. People talk about this year’s draft being a coach’s draft. Nearly every draft since Finks left has been a coach’s draft in Minnesota. 2026 will be the Vikings 66th season. In all that time, the team was in solid general manager hands with Jim Finks and Rick Spielman. That’s about 26 of those years. Bert Rose was great in getting the team up and running. When it came to actual football decisions, head coach Norm Van Brocklin and Director of Player Personnel Joe Thomas called the shots in the early years of the franchise. To be fair, it really wasn’t until well into the free agency era that the general manager became the all-important team-building position it is today. Before the explosion of free agency, college and pro scouts did the work and the coaches made the decisions. Each offseason was just the draft, a trade or two, and a handful of waiver claims. Free agency added a whole new level to team-building and the demands became too great for most head coaches. For the past couple decades, the general manager has perhaps rivaled the head coach in importance. Especially since it’s often the general manager that hires the head coach. With the Vikings days away from hiring their next general manager, it’s easy to dream and hope for a return to the solid days of Jim Finks. 

A Too Early Minnesota Vikings 53-Man Roster Projection

I always have reservations about projecting a Minnesota Vikings 53-man roster in May. The players likely on the roster bubble haven’t even had a chance to show what they can do or show any of the potential they might have. Despite the reservations, I can’t stop myself in May from projecting what the Vikings roster might look like in September. 

This projection includes a projection that Harrison Smith returns to continue his brilliant career. If he hasn’t announced his retirement by May, he’s coming back! Besides, I’m not ready for a Vikings defense that doesn’t include #22. 

A Too Early Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster Projection

Offense (25)

Quarterback (3)

Kyler Murray

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Running Back (3)

Aaron Jones

Jordan Mason

Demond Claiborne

Fullback (1)

Max Bredeson

Wide Receiver (5)

Justin Jefferson

Jordan Addison

Jauan Jennings

Tai Felton

Myles Price

Tight End (3)

T.J. Hockenson

Josh Oliver

Gavin Bartholomew

Offensive Line (10)

Christian Darrisaw

Donovan Jackson

Blake Brandel

Will Fries

Brian O’Neill

Ryan Van Demark

Caleb Tiernan

Michael Jurgens

Joe Huber

Gavin Gerhardt

Defense (25)

Defensive Line (6)

Jalen Redmond

Caleb Banks

Domonique Orange

Levi Drake Rodriguez 

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Elijah Williams

Outside Linebacker (5)

Andrew Van Ginkel

Dallas Turner

Bo Richter

Tyler Batty

Chaz Chambliss

Linebacker (4)

Blake Cashman

Eric Wilson

Ivan Pace Jr.

Jake Golday

Cornerback (4)

Byron Murphy Jr.

Isaiah Rodgers

James Pierre

Chuck Demmings

Safety (6)

Harrison Smith

Josh Metellus

Jay Ward

Theo Jackson

Jakobe Thomas

Tavierre Thomas

Special Teams (3)

Kicker (1)

Will Reichard

Punter (1)

Johnny Hekker

Long Snapper (1)

Andrew DePaola

Minnesota Vikings 90 - Man Roster

Since completion of the draft and a wave of undrafted signings, the Minnesota Vikings have made a significant signing a few tweaks to bring the offseason roster close to the 90 - man limit. 

The significant signing:

Jauan Jennings, WR

The Vikings needed a third receiver to go with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Now, they have the best receiving trio in the league. Jauan Jennings gives the Vikings some size and edginess they didn’t have in the receiver room and on the offense. 

Signed:

Smith Vilbert, DL

Bangally Kamara, LB

Terrill Davis, WR

Isaiah Loudermilk, DL

Waived:

Jordan Botelho, OLB

Shaleak Knotts, WR

Smith Vilbert and Bangally Kamara were signed after successful tryouts during the rookie minicamp. After going unselected in the draft, Terrill Davis had tryouts with the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens. The Vikings ended his tryout tour. Isaiahh Loudermilk is the veteran addition of the recent roster tweaks. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin, he had a five-year run with the Pittsburgh Steelers. One of those years was with Brian Flores on the Steelers coaching staff. 

The Vikings currently have 90 players on the roster. Undrafted rookie punter Brett Thorson is one of those players. He’s from Australia and is part of International Pathways Program. As such, he doesn’t count towards the 90 - man roster limit. That leaves a vacancy. Harrison Smith? 

Minnesota Vikings Post-Draft Roster (90)

Offense (44)

Quarterbacks (4)

Kyler Murray

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Max Brosmer

Running Backs (6)

Aaron Jones

Jordan Mason

Zavier Scott

Demond Claiborne

Max Bredeson - fullback

Kejon Owens

Receivers (12)

Justin Jefferson

Jordan Addison

Jauan Jennings

Tai Felton

Myles Price

Jeshaun Jones

Dontae Fleming

Joaquin Davis

Dillon Bell

Marcus Sanders Jr.

Luke Wysong 

Terrill Davis

Tight Ends (5)

T.J. Hockenson

Josh Oliver

Gavin Bartholomew

Ben Yurosek

Bryson Nesbit

Tackles (7)

Christian Darrisaw

Brian O’Neill

Ryan Van Demark

Walter Rouse

Caleb Etienne

Caleb Tiernan

Triston Leigh

Guards (5)

Donovan Jackson

Will Fries

Joe Huber

Henry Byrd

Tomas Rimac

Centers (5)

Blake Brandel

Michael Jurgens

Vershon Lee

Gavin Gerhardt

Delby Lemieux

Defense (42)

Defensive Line (11)

Jalen Redmond

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Elijah Williams

Taki Taimani

Caleb Banks

Domonique Orange

Monkell Goodwine

Eric Johnson II

Isaiahh Loudermilk

Smith Vilbert

Outside Linebackers (7)

Andrew Van Ginkel

Dallas Turner

Bo Richter

Tyler Batty

Chaz Chambliss

Cam’Ron Stewart

Arden Walker 

Inside Linebackers (8)

Blake Cashman

Eric Wilson

Ivan Pace Jr.

Josh Ross

Jacob Roberts

Jake Golday

Keli Lawson

Bangally Kamara

Cornerbacks (9)

Byron Murphy Jr.

Isaiah Rodgers

James Pierre

Zemaiah Vaughn

Dwight McGlothern

Chuck Demmings

Marcus Allen

Da’Veawn Armstead

Tyreek Chappell

Safeties (7)

Joshua Metellus

Theo Jackson

Jay Ward

Tavierre Thomas

Kahlef Hailassie 

Jakobe Thomas

Jacob Thomas

Special Teams (4)

Kicker

Will Reichard

Punter

Johnny Hekker

Brett Thorson

Long Snapper

Andrew DePaola

The NFL Draft Is Coming To Minnesota

A few weeks ago, there were rumors that Minneapolis-St. Paul was the “favorite” to host the 2028 NFL Draft. Those rumors became fact at this week’s Owners Meetings in Orlando. Seeing as the draft has been held in Chicago (2x), Detroit, and Green Bay during its recent travels, it’s only natural for the league to complete the NFC North. 

The NFL will always follow dollars in all that it does. Making the draft a traveling show has been a cash explosion for the league and the cities that host it. Combined attendance for the three-day event is creeping towards a million. While the Minneapolis-St. Paul Draft is expected to be spread across the metropolitan area, its focus will be on the spectacular US Bank Stadium. Unless some architectural tricks are planned, the stadium’s footprint isn’t as expansive as recent sites. There will be a great fan turnout but I doubt attendance records will be threatened. I might even be there. It would take a lot to pull me from my draft routine. Minnesota hosting might be enough. 

The NFL Draft became a nomadic event in 2015. 

2015: Chicago, IL

2016: Chicago, IL

2017: Philadelphia, PA

2018: Arlington, TX

2019: Nashville, TN

2020: Virtual due to the global pandemic

2021: Cleveland, OH

2022: Las Vegas, NV

2023: Kansas City, MO

2024: Detroit, MI

2025: Green Bay, WI

2026: Pittsburgh, PA

2027: Washington DC

2028: Minnesota

The NFL Draft became a thing in 1936. For the first five decades, it was a barely noticeable thing. For the next couple decades, it was a somewhat noticeable thing. For the past three decades, the NFL Draft has become a very big thing. The ridiculous growth of the NFL Draft has been a very curious thing. A movie was even made about the damn thing. 

When the draft went on the road in 2015, it felt new because it had been held in New York City for the previous fifty years. It was actually a return to what it had been. Before becoming a New York staple in 1965, the site of the draft roamed about for it’s first thirty years.

Pre-2015 draft locations:

1936: Philadelphia, PA

1937: New York City, NY

1938: Chicago, IL

1939: New York City, NY

1940: Milwaukee, WI

1941: Washington DC

1942-43: Chicago, IL

1944: Philadelphia, PA

1945-47: New York City, NY

1948: Pittsburgh, PA

1949-50: Philadelphia, PA

1951: Chicago, IL

1952: New York City, NY

1953-54: Philadelphia, PA

1955: New York City, NY

1956-61: Philadelphia, PA

1962-64: Chicago, IL

1965-2014: New York City, NY

I have been, and always will be, fascinated with the NFL Draft. The draft as an event, it’s critical part in football team-building, it’s history. All of it. It all fascinates me.