List of Detroit Lions first-round draft picks

Barry Sanders sitting at a table.
Running back Barry Sanders was drafted first overall in 1989. He spent his whole 10-year career with the Lions, during which time he was a 10-time All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler, two-time Offensive Player of the Year, and the 1997 MVP.[1] A first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer, Sanders rushed for over 1,000 yards in every season he played and led the league in rushing yards four times.[2][3][4] He was also selected to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.[5]
Matthew Stafford throwing a pass in a Detroit Lions uniform.
Matthew Stafford was selected first overall in the 2009 NFL draft.[6] He spent 13 seasons with the team, during which he time he set various NFL records, including being the fastest to 30,000, 40,000, and 50,000 passing yards,[7][8][9] being the first player to complete 60% or more of all passes in each game in a season,[8] most fourth quarterback comebacks in a season,[8][10] and the most game winning drives in a season.[11][12] He was also the 2010 Comeback Player of the Year Award.[6]

The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference North Division. The team plays its home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit. The franchise was founded in Portsmouth, Ohio, as the Portsmouth Spartans and joined the NFL on July 12, 1930.[13] After being purchased by George A. Richards in 1934, the franchise was relocated to Detroit and renamed to the Detroit Lions in reference to the city's Major League Baseball franchise, the Detroit Tigers.[14][15][16]

The NFL draft, officially known as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting",[17][18][19] is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment.[20] The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings; the teams with the worst win–loss records receive the earliest picks. Teams that qualified for the NFL playoffs select after non-qualifiers, and their order depends on how far they advanced, using their regular season record as a tie-breaker. The final two selections in the first round are reserved for the Super Bowl runner-up and champion. Draft picks are tradable and players or other picks can be acquired with them.[21]

In 1936, the league introduced the NFL draft after team owners voted on it in 1935.[22][23] The intention of the draft is to make the NFL more competitive, as some teams had an advantage in signing players.[21][23] From 1947 through 1958 the NFL designated the first overall selection as a "bonus" or "lottery pick". The pick was awarded by a random draw and the winner who received the "bonus pick" forfeited its selection in the final round of the draft and became ineligible for future draws. The system was abolished prior to the 1959 NFL draft, as all twelve teams in the league at the time had received a bonus choice.[24][25]

Since the first draft, the Lions have selected 91 players in the first round. The team's first-round pick in the inaugural NFL draft was Sid Wagner, a guard from Michigan State; he was the 8th overall selection.[13][26] The Lions have held the first overall pick four times and selected Frank Sinkwich in 1943, Leon Hart in 1950, Billy Sims in 1980, and Matthew Stafford in 2009.[27] In the most recent draft, held in 2023, the Lions chose Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs and Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell in the first round.[28]

The Lions did not draft a player in the first round on seven occasions.[27] Seven of the team's first-round picks—Otto Graham, Calvin Johnson, Alex Karras, Johnny Robinson, Barry Sanders, Y. A. Tittle, and Alex Wojciechowicz—have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame;[29][25] two of these, Graham and Tittle, chose not to play for the Lions and joined the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) instead.[30][31] The Lions also used three first-round picks in the 1960s to select players–Pete Beathard, John Hadl, and Johnny Robinson–who chose to sign with the NFL's pre-merger direct competitor, the American Football League (AFL) instead.[32][33][29]

Player selections

Calvin Johnson on an NFL field in a Detroit Lions jersey and helmet.
Wide receiver Calvin Johnson was drafted second overall in the 2007 NFL draft.[34] He spent his entire nine-year career with the Lions, during which time he was a four-time All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowler, and set the single-season record for most receiving yards in a season.[35] After retiring, Johnson was selected to the 2010s All-Decade Team and became a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.[36][37][35]
Alex Karras in a jersey and on his hands and toes, as if about to rush a passer.
Defensive tackle Alex Karras was drafted with the 10th overall pick of the 1958 NFL draft and played 11 seasons for the Lions. During his time with the team he was a nine-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler. A member of the 1960s All-Decade Team, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.[38][39][40]
Key
† Indicates the player was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
* Selected number one overall
Position abbreviations
C Center
CB Cornerback
DB Defensive back
DE Defensive end
DT Defensive tackle
E End
FB Fullback
G Guard
HB Halfback
LB Linebacker
QB Quarterback
RB Running back
S Safety
T Tackle
TE Tight end
WB Wingback
WR Wide receiver
Detroit Lions first-round draft picks by season
Season Pick[27] Player[27] Position[27] College[27] Notes
1936 8 Sid Wagner G Michigan State
1937 7 Lloyd Cardwell HB Nebraska
1938 6 Alex Wojciechowicz† C Fordham
1939 7 John Pingel HB Michigan State
1940 6 Doyle Nave QB USC Declined to play football[41]
1941 5 Jim Thomason WB Texas A&M
1942 5 Bob Westfall FB Michigan
1943 1 Frank Sinkwich* RB Georgia
1944 4 Otto Graham† QB Northwestern Did not sign with team[A]
1945 6 Frank Szymanski C Notre Dame
1946 8 Bill Dellastatious HB Missouri Never played in the NFL[43]
1947 2 Glenn Davis HB Army Player rights traded to Los Angeles Rams[B]
1948 6 Y. A. Tittle† QB LSU Original pick traded to Pittsburgh Steelers.[C] Pick received in trade with Los Angeles Rams.[B] Signed with the Baltimore Colts of the AAFC.[31]
1949 2 John Rauch QB Georgia Player rights traded to New York Yanks[D]
1950 1 Leon Hart* E Notre Dame Lottery bonus pick[49]
5 Joe Watson C Rice
1951 No pick Pick traded to Philadelphia Eagles[E]
1952 No pick Pick traded to Cleveland Browns[F]
1953 13 Harley Sewell G Texas
1954 13 Dick Chapman T Rice Did not sign with team[G]
1955 12 Dave Middleton E Auburn
1956 3 Howard Cassady HB Ohio State
1957 12 Bill Glass G Baylor
1958 10 Alex Karras† DT Iowa
1959 6 Nick Pietrosante FB Notre Dame
1960 3 Johnny Robinson† DB LSU Signed for the AFL's Dallas Texans instead[54]
1961 No pick Pick traded to Cleveland Browns[H]
1962 10 John Hadl RB Kansas Signed for the AFL's San Diego Chargers instead[33]
1963 12 Daryl Sanders T Ohio State
1964 5 Pete Beathard QB USC Signed for the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs instead[32][33][29]
1965 11 Tom Nowatzke FB Indiana
1966 No pick Pick forfeited to Green Bay Packers[I]
1967 7 Mel Farr RB UCLA
1968 11 Greg Landry QB UMass
24 Earl McCullouch WR USC Pick received in trade with Los Angeles Rams[J]
1969 No pick Pick traded to Los Angeles Rams[K]
1970 19 Steve Owens RB Oklahoma
1971 21 Bob Bell DT Cincinnati
1972 16 Herb Orvis DT Colorado
1973 17 Ernie Price DE Texas A&I Moved up the draft order in trade with Chicago Bears[L]
1974 8 Ed O'Neil LB Penn State Moved up the draft order in trade with New Orleans Saints[M]
1975 13 Lynn Boden G South Dakota State
1976 10 James Hunter DB Grambling State Pick received from Los Angeles Rams.[N] Moved down the draft order in trade with Chicago Bears.[O]
16 Lawrence Gaines RB Wyoming
1977 No pick Pick traded to Buffalo Bills[P]
1978 11 Luther Bradley DB Notre Dame
1979 10 Keith Dorney T Penn State
1980 1 Billy Sims* RB Oklahoma
1981 16 Mark Nichols WR San Jose State
1982 15 Jimmy Williams LB Nebraska
1983 13 James Jones FB Florida
1984 20 David Lewis TE California
1985 6 Lomas Brown T Florida
1986 12 Chuck Long QB Iowa
1987 7 Reggie Rogers DT Washington
1988 3 Bennie Blades DB Miami Moved down the draft order in trade with Kansas City Chiefs[Q]
1989 3 Barry Sanders† RB Oklahoma State
1990 7 Andre Ware QB Houston
1991 10 Herman Moore WR Virginia
1992 26 Robert Porcher DE South Carolina State
1993 No pick Pick traded to New Orleans Saints[R]
1994 21 Johnnie Morton WR USC
1995 20 Luther Elliss DT Utah
1996 17 Reggie Brown LB Texas A&M Moved up the draft order in trade with Seattle Seahawks[S]
23 Jeff Hartings G Penn State
1997 5 Bryant Westbrook DB Texas
1998 20 Terry Fair DB Tennessee
1999 9 Chris Claiborne LB USC
27 Aaron Gibson T Wisconsin Moved up the draft order in trade with Miami Dolphins[T]
2000 20 Stockar McDougle T Oklahoma
2001 18 Jeff Backus T Michigan
2002 3 Joey Harrington QB Oregon
2003 2 Charles Rogers WR Michigan State
2004 7 Roy Williams WR Texas Moved down the draft order in trade with Cleveland Browns[U]
30 Kevin Jones RB Virginia Tech Moved up the draft order in trade with Kansas City Chiefs[V]
2005 10 Mike Williams WR USC
2006 9 Ernie Sims LB Florida State
2007 2 Calvin Johnson† WR Georgia Tech
2008 17 Gosder Cherilus T Boston College Moved down the draft order in trade with Kansas City Chiefs[W]
2009 1 Matthew Stafford* QB Georgia
20 Brandon Pettigrew TE Oklahoma State Pick received in trade with Dallas Cowboys[X]
2010 2 Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska
30 Jahvid Best RB California Moved up the draft order in trade with Minnesota Vikings[Y]
2011 13 Nick Fairley DT Auburn
2012 23 Riley Reiff T Iowa
2013 5 Ezekiel Ansah DE BYU
2014 10 Eric Ebron TE North Carolina
2015 28 Laken Tomlinson G Duke Moved down the draft order in trade with Denver Broncos[Z]
2016 16 Taylor Decker T Ohio State
2017 21 Jarrad Davis LB Florida
2018 20 Frank Ragnow C Arkansas
2019 8 T. J. Hockenson TE Iowa
2020 3 Jeff Okudah CB Ohio State
2021 7 Penei Sewell T Oregon
2022 2 Aidan Hutchinson DE Michigan
12 Jameson Williams WR Alabama Moved up the draft order in trade with Minnesota Vikings[AB]
2023 12 Jahmyr Gibbs RB Alabama Moved down the draft order in trade with Arizona Cardinals[AC]
18 Jack Campbell LB Iowa

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Could not play due to being enlisted with the Navy but signed a contract in 1945 to play for the AAFC's Cleveland Browns once discharged[42][30]
  2. ^ a b Detroit traded the player rights for halfback Glenn Davis to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 1948 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 6 and 17 overall). Davis did not play in the NFL until 1950 due to military service obligations.[44][45]
  3. ^ Detroit traded their 1948 first-round selection (No. 3 overall), halfbacks Bob Cifers and Paul White, and the rights to Bob Chappuis to the Pittsburgh Steelers for halfback Bill Dudley.[46]
  4. ^ Detroit traded the rights for John Rauch to the New York Yanks in exchange for the rights to Doak Walker.[47] Detroit would later have to give up an additional second-round pick in the 1950 draft due to a conflicting claim for Walker with the Cleveland Browns.[48]
  5. ^ Detroit traded their 1951 first-round selection (No. 8 overall) to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Lindy Pearson.[50][51]
  6. ^ Detroit traded their 1952 first- and sixteenth-round selections (Nos. 9 and 189 overall), as well as Charley Schroll, Ed Wood, and cash to the Cleveland Browns for Jim Martin, Ed Pasky, Tom Lucia, Lowell Tew, and Dave Rakestraw.[52]
  7. ^ Elected to return to Rice in hopes of becoming an atomic scientist[53]
  8. ^ Detroit traded their 1961 first-round selection (No. 10 overall) and linebacker Bob Long to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for quarterback Jim Ninowski.[55]
  9. ^ Detroit traded their 1966 first-round selection (No. 8 overall) to the Green Bay Packers for the right to sign free agent Ron Kramer.[56][57][58]
  10. ^ Detroit traded defensive tackle Roger Brown to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 1968 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 24 and 74 overall) as well as their 1969 second-round selections (No. 47 overall).[59][60][61]
  11. ^ Detroit traded their 1969 first-round selection (No. 8 overall), punter and wide receiver Pat Studstill, running back Tom Watkins, and quarterback Milt Plum to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for quarterback Bill Munson.[62][63]
  12. ^ Detroit traded their 1973 first-round selection (No. 19 overall) and tight end Craig Cotton to the Chicago Bears in exchange for their 1973 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 17 and 58 overall).[64][65]
  13. ^ Detroit traded their 1974 first-round selection (No. 13 overall) and center Dave Thompson to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for their 1974 first-round selection (No. 8 overall) and 1975 sixth-round selection (No. 138 overall).[65]
  14. ^ a b Detroit received a 1976 first-round selection (No. 8 overall) from the Los Angeles Rams as compensation for free agent wide receiver Ron Jessie.[66]
  15. ^ Detroit traded a 1976 first-round selection (No. 8 overall, received from Los Angeles Rams)[N] to the Chicago Bears in exchange for their 1976 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 10 and 68 overall).[65]
  16. ^ Detroit traded their 1977 first-round selection (No. 12 overall) to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for wide receiver J. D. Hill.[67]
  17. ^ Detroit traded their 1988 first-round selection (No. 2 overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 1988 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 3 and 29 overall).[68]
  18. ^ Detroit traded their 1993 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 8 and 89 overall) to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for linebacker Pat Swilling.[69]
  19. ^ During the 1995 NFL draft, Detroit traded their 1995 second-round selection (No. 51 overall) to the San Diego Chargers in exchange for their 1996 first-round selection (No. 21 overall). Prior to the 1996 NFL draft, Detroit traded San Diego's first-round selection (No. 21 overall) and their own 1996 third-round selection (No. 91 overall) to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for their 1996 first-round selection (No. 17 overall).[70]
  20. ^ Detroit traded their 1999 second-, third-, and fourth-round selection (Nos. 39, 70, and 142 overall) to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for their 1999 first-round selection (No. 27 overall).[71]
  21. ^ Detroit traded their 2004 first-round selection (No. 6 overall) to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for their 2004 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 7 and 37 overall).[72]
  22. ^ Detroit traded their 2004 second- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 36 and 105 overall) Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 2004 first-round selection (No. 30 overall).[72]
  23. ^ Detroit traded their 2008 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 15 and 76 overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 2008 first-, third-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 17, 66, and 136 overall).[73][74]
  24. ^ Detroit traded their 2009 seventh-round selection (No. 210 overall) and wide receiver Roy Williams to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for their 2009 first-, third-, and sixth-round selections (Nos. 20, 82, and 192 overall).[75]
  25. ^ Detroit traded their 2010 second-, fourth-, and seventh-round selections (Nos. 34, 100, and 214 overall) to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for their 2010 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 30 and 128 overall).[76]
  26. ^ Detroit traded their 2015 first-round selection (No. 23 overall) to the Denver Broncos in exchange for their 2015 first- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 28 and 143 overall), their 2016 fifth-round selection (No. 169 overall), and guard Manny Ramirez.[77]
  27. ^ a b Detroit traded quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for a 2022 first-round selection (No. 32 overall), a 2023 first-round selection (No. 6 overall), a 2021 third-round selection (No. 101 overall), and quarterback Jared Goff.[78]
  28. ^ Detroit traded a 2022 first- (received from Los Angeles Rams in Matthew Stafford trade),[AA] second-, and third-round selections (Nos. 32, 34, and 66 overall) to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for their 2022 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 12 and 46 overall).[79]
  29. ^ Detroit traded a 2023 first- (received from Los Angeles Rams in Matthew Stafford trade)[AA] and third-round selection (Nos. 6 and 81 overall) to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for their 2023 first-, second-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 12, 34, and 168 overall).[80]

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Detroit Lions
  • Founded in 1928
  • Formerly the Portsmouth Spartans (1928–1933)
  • Based in Detroit, Michigan
  • Headquartered in Allen Park, Michigan
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