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2002 NFL draft
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
| 2002 NFL draft | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Date | April 20–21, 2002 |
| Time | Noon EDT (April 20) 11:00 am EDT (April 21) |
| Location | Theater at MSG in New York City, NY |
| Networks | ESPN, ESPN2 |
| Overview | |
| 261 total selections in 7 rounds | |
| League | NFL |
| First selection | David Carr, QB Houston Texans |
| Mr. Irrelevant | Ahmad Miller, DT Houston Texans |
| Most selections (12) | Houston Texans |
| Fewest selections (5) | Kansas City Chiefs Miami Dolphins New York Jets |
| Hall of Famers | 3 |
The 2002 NFL draft was the 67th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible professional football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936.[1] The draft took place from April 20–21, 2002, at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.[2][3][4] The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. The draft began with the Houston Texans selecting David Carr, and it ended with the Texans selecting Mr. Irrelevant, Ahmad Miller. There were thirty-two compensatory selections distributed among eighteen teams, with the Buffalo Bills receiving the most selections with four.[5] The University of Miami was the college most represented in the draft, having five of its players selected in the first round. Although the Carolina Panthers finished with a 1–15 record which would normally have given them the first pick in each round, the Houston Texans were given the first pick because they were an expansion team. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season.
Player selections
[edit]
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Trades
[edit]In the explanations below, (D) denotes trades that took place during the draft, while (PD) indicates trades completed pre-draft.
- Round one
- ^ #6: Dallas → Kansas City (D). Dallas traded this choice to Kansas City for Kansas City's first- (#8), third- (#75) and 2003 sixth-round (#186) draft choices.[source 1]
- ^ #8: Kansas City → Dallas (D). see #6: Dallas → Kansas City[source 1]
- ^ #14: Tennessee → New York Giants (D). Tennessee traded this selection to the New York Giants for New Yorks's first- (#15) and fourth-round (#110) draft choices.[source 2]
- ^ #15: New York Giants → Tennessee (D). see #14: Tennessee → New York Giants[source 2]
- ^ #17: Atlanta → Oakland (D). Atlanta traded this selection to the Oakland for Oakland's first- (#18) and fifth-round (#158) draft choices.[source 2]
- ^ #18: multiple trades:
- #18: Washington → Oakland (D). Oakland and Washington swapped first round picks, Oakland also traded their third-round pick to Washington.
- #18: Oakland → Atlanta (D). see #17: Atlanta → Oakland[source 2]
- ^ No. 20: Seattle → Green Bay (D). Seattle traded its first- and fifth- round selections (20th and 156th) to Green Bay in exchange for Green Bay's first- and second-round selections (28th and 60th)
- ^ #21: multiple trades:
#21: Tampa Bay → Oakland (PD). Tampa Bay traded its first- and second-round selections (21st and 53rd) and first-round selection (31st) in 2003 and second-round selection (45th) in 2004 to Oakland as compensation for signing Raiders' head coach Jon Gruden.
#21: Oakland → Washington (D). see #18: Washington → Oakland[source 2]
#21: Washington → New England (D) Washington traded this first-round selection to New England in exchange for New England's first-, third- and seventh-round selections (32nd, 96th and 234th). - ^ No. 25: Miami → New Orleans (PD). Miami traded its first- and fourth- round selections (25th and 125th) and first-round selection (18th) in 2003 to New Orleans in exchange for RB Ricky Williams and New Orleans' fourth-round selection (114th).
- ^ No. 28: Green Bay → Seattle (D). see No. 20: Seattle → Green Bay.
- ^ No. 32: New England → Washington (D). see No. 21: Washington → New England.
Round two
[edit]- ^ No. 48: Atlanta → San Diego (PD). Atlanta traded its second-round selection (48th) and first- and third-round selections (5th and 67th) in 2001 to San Diego in exchange for San Diego's first-round selection (1st) in 2001
- ^ No. 52: Washington → Baltimore (D). Washington traded its second- and third-round selections (52nd and 96th) to Baltimore in exchange for Baltimore's second-, third- and fifth round selections (56th, 87th and 159th)
- ^ No. 53: Tampa Bay → Oakland (PD). see No. 21: Tampa Bay → Oakland.
- ^ No. 56: Baltimore → Washington (D). see No. 52: Washington → Baltimore.
- ^ No. 59: Miami → Philadelphia (D). Miami traded its second-round selection (59th) to Philadelphia in exchange for Philadelphia's third- and sixth round selections (88th and 187th)
- ^ No. 60: Green Bay → Seattle (D). see No. 20: Seattle → Green Bay.
- ^ No. 61: San Francisco → Buffalo (D). San Francisco traded its second-round selection (61st) to Buffalo in exchange for Buffalo's third- and fourth round selections (69th and 102nd)
- ^ No. 63: Chicago → Dallas (D). Chicago traded its second- and fourth-round selections (63rd and 129th) to Dallas in exchange for Dallas' third-, fourth- and fifth-round selections (72nd, 104th and 140th)
Round three
[edit]- ^ No. 67: Carolina → Cincinnati (D). Carolina traded its third-round selection (67th) to Cincinnati in exchange for Cincinnati's third- and fifth-round selections (73rd and 145th)
- ^ No. 69: Buffalo → San Francisco (D). see No. 61: San Francisco → Buffalo.
- ^ No. 72: Dallas → Chicago (D). see No. 63: Chicago → Dallas.
- ^ No. 73: Carolina → Cincinnati (D). Carolina traded its third-round selection (73rd) to Cincinnati in exchange for Cincinnati's third- and fifth-round selections (73r and 145th)
- ^ #75: Kansas City → Dallas (D). see #6: Dallas → Kansas City[source 1]
- ^ No. 76: Jacksonville → Cleveland (D). Jacksonville traded its third-round selection (76th) to Cleveland in exchange for Cleveland's third-round selection (79th) and LB Wali Rainer
- ^ No. 79: multiple trades:
No. 79: Cleveland → Jacksonville (D).see No. 76: Jacksonville → Cleveland.
No. 79: Jacksonville → Washington (D). Jacksonville traded this third-round selection (79th) to Washington in exchange for Washington's third- and fourth-round selections (89th and 118th). - ^ No. 84: multiple trades:
No. 84: Washington → Kansas City (PD). Kansas City received Washington's third-round selection (84th) and third-round selection (77th) in 2001 as compensation for Washington hiring former Chiefs' head coach Marty Schottenheimer.
No. 84: Kansas City → St. Louis (D). St. Louis received this third-round selection and Kansas City's second-round selection (42nd) in 2001 as compensation for Kansas City hiring former Rams' head coach Dick Vermeil. - ^ No. 87: Baltimore → Washington (D). see No. 52: Washington → Baltimore.
- ^ No. 89: multiple trades:
No. 89: Oakland → Washington (D). see #18: Washington → Oakland[source 2]
No. 89: Washington → Jacksonville (D) see No. 79: Jacksonville → Washington. - ^ No. 96: multiple trades:
No. 96: New England → Washington (D). see No. 32: New England → Washington.
No. 96: Washington → Baltimore (D) see No. 52: Washington → Baltimore.
No. 96: Baltimore → Denver (D) Baltimore traded this third-round selection to Denver in exchange for Denver's fourth- and fifth-round selections (112th and 155th).
Round four
[edit]- ^ No. 101: Detroit → Denver (PD). Detroit traded its fourth-round selection (101st) to Cleveland in exchange QB Ty Detmer.
- ^ No. 102: Buffalo → San Francisco (D). see No. 61: San Francisco → Buffalo.
- ^ No. 104: Dallas → Chicago (D). see No. 63: Chicago → Dallas.
- ^ #110: New York Giants → Tennessee (D). see #14: Tennessee → New York Giants[source 2]
- ^ No. 112: multiple trades:
No. 112: Atlanta → Denver (PD). Atlanta traded its fourth-round selection (112th) to Denver in exchange for Denver's three seventh-round selections (215th, 219th and 226th) in 2001.
No. 112: Denver → Baltimore (D) see No. 96: Baltimore → Denver. - ^ No. 114: New Orleans → Miami (PD). see No. 25: Miami → New Orleans.
- ^ No. 116: Houston → Atlanta (D). Houston traded its fourth-round selection (116th) to Atlanta in exchange for Atlanta's third-round selection (88th) in 2003.
- ^ No. 117: Denver → New England (D). Denver traded its fourth-round selection (117th) to New England in exchange for New England's third- and fourth-round selections (131st and 144th).
- ^ No. 118: Washington → Jacksonville (D). see No. 52: Jacksonville → Washington.
- ^ No. 122: Oakland → Cleveland (D). Oakland traded its fourth-round selection (122nd) to Cleveland in exchange for Cleveland's fourth- and fifth-round selections (147th and 189th).
- ^ No. 125: Miami → New Orleans (PD). see No. 25: Miami → New Orleans.
- ^ No. 126: Green Bay → New England (D). Green Bay traded its fourth-round selection (126th) to New England in exchange for WR Terry Glenn.
- ^ No. 129: Chicago → Dallas (D). see No. 63: Chicago → Dallas.
- ^ No. 131: New England → Denver (D). see No. 117: Denver → New England.
- ^ No. 140: Dallas → Chicago (D). see No. 63: Chicago → Dallas.
Round five
[edit]- ^ No. 141: Minnesota → Cleveland (PD). Minnesota traded its fifth-round selection (141st) and fifth-round selection (142nd) in 2003 and G Everett Lindsay to Cleveland in exchange for QB Spergon Wynn and RB Travis Prentice.
- ^ No. 144: multiple trades:
No. 144: Jacksonville → New England (PD). Jacksonville traded its fifth-round selection (144th) to New England in exchange for New England's sixth-round selection (170th) in 2001.
No. 144: New England → Denver (D) see No. 117: Denver → New England. - ^ No. 145: Cincinnati → Carolina (D). see No. 63: Carolina → Cincinnati.
- ^ No. 146: Indianapolis → Seattle (PD). Indianapolis traded its fifth-round selection (146th) to Seattle in exchange for QB Brock Huard.
- ^ No. 147: Cleveland → Oakland (D). see No. 122: Oakland → Cleveland.
- ^ No. 154: Washington → NY Jets (PD). Washington traded its fifth-round selection (154th) to N.Y. Jets in exchange for G David Loverne and the Jets' fifth-round selection (160th).
- ^ No. 112: Denver → Baltimore (D) see No. 96: Baltimore → Denver.
- ^ No. 156: Green Bay → Seattle (D). see No. 20: Seattle → Green Bay.
- ^ #158: Oakland → Atlanta (D). see #17: Atlanta → Oakland[source 2]
- ^ No. 159: Baltimore → Washington (D). see No. 52: Washington → Baltimore.
- ^ No. 160: N.Y. Jets → Washington (D). see No. 154: Washington → N.Y. Jets.
- ^ No. 168: New England → Dallas (D). New England traded its fifth-round selection (168th) to Dallas in exchange for Dallas' seventh-round selection (237th) and fifth-round selection (168th) in 2003.
Round six
[edit]- ^ No. 183: multiple trades:
No. 183: Kansas City → St. Louis (PD). Kansas City traded its sixth-round selection (183rd) to St. Louis in exchange for RB James Lewis.
No. 183: St. Louis → Indianapolis (PD) St. Louis traded this sixth-round selection (183rd) to Indianapolis in exchange for WR Terrence Wilkins. - ^ No. 189: Cleveland → Oakland (D). see No. 122: Oakland → Cleveland.
- ^ No. 196: NY Jets → New Orleans (PD). NY Jets traded CB Earthwind Moreland and its sixth-round selection (196th) to New Orleans in exchange for RB Chad Morton.
- ^ No. 199: Miami → Chicago (PD). Miami traded its sixth-round selection (199th) and sixth-round selection (191st) in 2003 to Chicago in exchange for QB Cade McNown and Chicago's seventh-round selection (241st).
- ^ No. 204: St. Louis → Indianapolis (PD). St. Louis traded its sixth-round selection (204th) to Indianapolis in exchange for P John Baker.
- ^ No. 205: New England → St. Louis (PD). New England traded its sixth-round selection (205th) to St. Louis in exchange for WR Dane Looker.
Round seven
[edit]- ^ No. 212: Houston → Pittsburgh (PD). Pittsburgh received Houston's seventh-round selection (212th) as compensation for Houston signing Steelers' restrictive free agent K Kris Brown
- ^ No. 217: Dallas → Atlanta (PD). Dallas traded its seventh-round selection (217th) to Atlanta in exchange for TE OJ Santiago.
- ^ No. 228: Atlanta → Denver (PD). Atlanta traded its seventh-round selection (228th) to Denver in exchange for LB Henri Crockett.
- ^ No. 234: multiple trades:
No. 234: N.Y. Jets → New England (PD). New England traded its first-round selection (16th) in 2000 and fourth- and seventh-round selections (101st and 206th) in 2001 but received back from the Jets their fifth-round selection (149th) in 2001 and this seventh-round selection (234th).
No. 234: New England → Washington (PD) see No. 32: New England → Washington. - ^ No. 237: multiple trades:
No. 237: Miami → Dallas (PD). Miami traded its seventh-round selection (237th) to Dallas in exchange for WR Jeff Ogden.
No. 237: Dallas → New England (PD) see No. 140: New England → Dallas. - ^ No. 241: Chicago → Miami (PD). see No. 199: Miami → Chicago.
Supplemental draft selections
[edit]For each player selected in the supplemental draft, the team forfeits its pick in that round in the draft of the following season.
| Rnd. | Pick No. | NFL team | Player | Pos. | College | Conf. | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | – | Houston Texans | Milford Brown | G | Florida State | ACC |
Notable undrafted players
[edit]| † | = Pro Bowler[6] |
Hall of Famers
[edit]- Ed Reed, free safety from Miami (FL), taken 1st round 24th overall by the Baltimore Ravens.
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 2019.
- Julius Peppers, defensive end from North Carolina, taken 1st round 2nd overall by the Carolina Panthers.
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
- Dwight Freeney, defensive end from Syracuse, taken 1st round 11th overall by the Indianapolis Colts.
- Inducted: Professional Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
Notes
[edit]
References
[edit]- General references
- "2002 NFL Draft". NFL. Archived from the original on January 4, 2007. Retrieved January 8, 2007.
- "Draft-Weekend Trades". NFL. Archived from the original on March 11, 2005. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
- "FFToday.com Draft Tracker". FFToday.com. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
- "2002 NFL Draft Pick Transactions". ProSportsTransactions.com. Archived from the original on May 21, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
- Trade references
- ^ a b c Tucker, Doug (April 20, 2002). "Chiefs Trade Up for UNC Defensive Tackle Ryan Sims". UNC (website) from AP. Archived from the original on May 3, 2012. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Olney, Buster (April 21, 2002). "Giants Trade Up to Get Miami's Shockey". The New York Times. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
- Specific references
- ^ "NFL Draft: Overview". ESPN. April 11, 2011. Archived from the original on April 13, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
- ^ "Facts and figures on 2002 NFL Draft". NFL.com. Archived from the original on June 19, 2004. Retrieved January 8, 2007.
- ^ "NFL Draft Locations". FootballGeography.com. October 2, 2014. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
- ^ Salomone, Dan (October 2, 2014). "NFL Draft headed to Chicago in 2015". Giants.com. New York Giants. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ^ "Compensatory draft choices announced". NFL.com. Archived from the original on September 4, 2006. Retrieved January 8, 2007.
- ^ a b Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career.
- ^ Players are identified as a Hall of Famer if they have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- ^ "2001 Heisman Trophy winner". Archived from the original on December 2, 2009. Retrieved October 11, 2008.
External links
[edit]- "2002 NFL Draft: Six Years Later". Football Outsiders. April 15, 2008. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
2002 NFL draft
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
The 2002 NFL Draft was the 67th annual player selection meeting of the National Football League (NFL), in which the league's 32 teams selected amateur college football players; the event took place over two days, April 20 and 21, at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.[1][2]
As the first draft for the expansion Houston Texans franchise, which joined the NFL for the 2002 season, the Texans held the No. 1 overall pick and selected quarterback David Carr from Fresno State to anchor their new roster.[3] The team also picked first in each of the draft's seven rounds, a perk of their expansion status, and concluded the event by selecting defensive tackle Ahmad Miller with the final pick (No. 261), earning him the "Mr. Irrelevant" moniker.[4][5]
The seven-round draft featured 261 total selections and produced a class rich in defensive talent, including three Pro Football Hall of Famers: defensive end Julius Peppers (No. 2 overall, Carolina Panthers, University of North Carolina), who won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors; defensive end Dwight Freeney (No. 11 overall, Indianapolis Colts, Syracuse University); and safety Ed Reed (No. 24 overall, Baltimore Ravens, University of Miami).[4][3] Other key first-round picks included quarterback Joey Harrington (No. 3, Detroit Lions, University of Oregon), wide receiver Mike Williams (No. 4, Buffalo Bills, University of Texas), and cornerback Quentin Jammer (No. 5, San Diego Chargers, University of Texas).[3]
Among the later selections, running back Clinton Portis (No. 51 overall, second round, Denver Broncos, University of Miami) earned Offensive Rookie of the Year accolades after rushing for 1,508 yards in his debut season, while the class as a whole contributed to strong defensive performances across the league, with Peppers anchoring the Panthers' front and Reed bolstering Baltimore's secondary.[3] The draft's emphasis on defensive prospects reflected the era's trends, helping shape contending teams like the Colts and Ravens in subsequent years.[4]
Background
Event details
The 2002 NFL draft was held over two days, April 20 and 21, at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.[6][2] This venue served as the site for the league's annual player selection event, accommodating team representatives, media, and fans during the proceedings.[7] The draft consisted of seven rounds, featuring 229 regular selections supplemented by 32 compensatory picks awarded to 18 teams, resulting in a total of 261 picks distributed among the league's 32 teams, including the expansion Houston Texans. Each team was allocated one pick per round based on the prior season's standings, with the Texans receiving the first overall choice in every round due to their status as a new franchise.[3] Coverage of the event was provided by ESPN, which aired the proceedings live on both days, featuring commentary from draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. alongside hosts Chris Berman and others.[8][9] The broadcast highlighted key selections and analysis, drawing significant viewership as the league expanded to 32 teams for the first time.Expansion team impact
The NFL awarded an expansion franchise to Houston, Texas, on October 6, 1999, with the team scheduled to commence operations in the 2002 season as the league's 32nd club.[10] This addition marked the first new team since the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars joined in 1995, prompting a realignment that shifted the Texans into the AFC South division.[11] To facilitate competitiveness, the league granted the Houston Texans the No. 1 overall selection in the 2002 NFL Draft, bypassing the traditional reverse-order assignment based on prior-season records since the franchise had no playing history.[11] This priority pick enabled the Texans to target foundational talent immediately, culminating in their selection of quarterback David Carr from Fresno State to anchor the offense.[12] Preceding the regular draft, the NFL conducted an expansion draft on February 18, 2002, allowing the Texans to claim 19 unprotected players from the 31 existing teams' rosters, with each club able to shield up to 42 players.[13] Notable selections included offensive tackle Tony Boselli and defensive end Gary Walker, which not only built an initial core but also depleted certain positions across the league, subtly altering the pool of veteran free agents and influencing how teams evaluated draft needs for immediate depth.[14] The Texans' guaranteed top choice reshaped draft dynamics league-wide, as other teams anticipated the franchise would prioritize a signal-caller like Carr to establish long-term stability, prompting maneuvers such as trading up to target alternative quarterbacks or premier defensive talents perceived as slipping due to the expansion priority.[14] This strategic layer emphasized quarterback scarcity in a draft class featuring multiple prospects, forcing rebuilding squads to adjust their positioning aggressively to avoid missing out on high-impact starters.Draft process
Selection order determination
The selection order for the 2002 NFL draft was established in reverse order of the teams' regular-season records from the 2001 NFL season, with the poorest-performing teams positioned to pick earliest among the established franchises.[15] Due to their status as the league's newest expansion franchise, the Houston Texans were automatically assigned the first pick in each of the draft's seven rounds (positions 1, 33, 66, 99, 136, 173, and 212 overall) to facilitate rapid roster construction.[3] Additionally, the Texans received seven extra selections at the conclusion of rounds 2 through 7, contributing to an expanded pool of regular picks totaling 229 for the seven rounds across all 32 teams.[16] Ties in win-loss records were resolved through a series of tiebreakers, including head-to-head results, strength of schedule, and conference or divisional records; unresolved ties, particularly those spanning conferences or divisions, were settled by coin flip.[15] The draft included 32 compensatory selections distributed to 18 teams as reimbursement for net free-agent losses from the prior offseason, bringing the total number of picks to 261.[17] Prior to draft day, multiple teams had traded away portions of their allotted picks in previous transactions, which adjusted the preliminary order as selections were swapped for future assets or players.[18]Overall pick structure
The 2002 NFL Draft consisted of seven rounds, providing a structured opportunity for all 32 teams to select amateur players. Round 1 featured exactly 32 picks, one for each franchise, while Rounds 2 through 7 included a base of 32 picks per round augmented by compensatory selections awarded to teams that lost more unrestricted free agents than they signed in the previous offseason. This resulted in the following distribution: Round 2 (33 picks), Round 3 (33 picks), Round 4 (37 picks), Round 5 (37 picks), Round 6 (39 picks), and Round 7 (50 picks).[2][3] In total, 261 players were selected across these rounds, reflecting the addition of 32 compensatory picks that expanded the draft beyond the standard allocation. The selection order within each round was determined by the reverse order of the previous season's standings for Round 1; for subsequent rounds, the order alternates direction to promote competitive balance: odd-numbered rounds (3, 5, 7) follow the reverse standings order (poorest records first), while even-numbered rounds (2, 4, 6) follow the opposite (best records first), giving teams that picked late in the first round earlier opportunities in the second round and vice versa.[3][15] (Note: The 2002 compensatory picks announcement aligns with the total structure.) Although two third-round picks were forfeited—by the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos due to salary cap violations—the overall framework remained intact, with no additional disruptions to the round totals as compensatory selections offset the losses for other teams. This maintained a full allocation of opportunities, ensuring every team participated in each round unless affected by trades or penalties.[18][19]Player selections
First round
The first round of the 2002 NFL Draft, conducted on April 20, 2002, at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, consisted of 32 picks distributed among the league's teams, with the expansion Houston Texans receiving multiple high selections due to their status. The Texans opened the draft by selecting quarterback David Carr from Fresno State with the first overall pick, establishing him as the cornerstone of their new franchise and the face of their inaugural 2002 season; however, Carr set an NFL record by being sacked 76 times as a rookie due to inadequate offensive line protection.[20] Immediately following, the Carolina Panthers chose defensive end Julius Peppers from North Carolina at No. 2, a physically dominant prospect expected to anchor their defensive line and provide edge-rushing prowess from day one. The Detroit Lions, seeking to address their quarterback instability, picked Joey Harrington from Oregon at No. 3, viewing him as a precise passer to inject new energy into their offense.[3] This round emphasized bolstering the lines of scrimmage, with five offensive tackles and seven defensive linemen (including three defensive ends) selected among the top picks, alongside three quarterbacks overall—Carr, Harrington, and Patrick Ramsey (No. 32, Washington Redskins, Oregon State)—highlighting teams' focus on foundational talent. Notable selections included the Buffalo Bills taking offensive tackle Mike Williams from Texas at No. 4 to fortify their protection scheme, the Indianapolis Colts acquiring defensive end Dwight Freeney from Syracuse at No. 11 via trade-up for explosive pass disruption, and the Baltimore Ravens drafting safety Ed Reed from Miami (FL) at No. 24—a selection made after their preferred target, LB Napoleon Harris, was taken earlier[21]—to add a playmaking presence in the secondary. These choices were widely regarded as immediate contributors, with Peppers and Freeney projected to elevate their teams' defensive capabilities right away.[3] The full list of first-round picks is presented below:
[3]