NFL Draft 2025: NFL awards 35 compensatory picks among Top 16 teams, by round, teams..
The NFL confirmed that it has given 16 teams a total of 35 compensatory picks for the 2025 NFL Draft, which will take place in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
These 35-picks are awarded to teams who have had minority coaches or executives depart since the last season. With the NFL's free agent gain/loss policy dating back to the previous offseason, picks were also given out.
This year's draft is marked by a strong group of good talent through the first three rounds. A player selected with the No. 25 overall pick may be on a similar level talent-wise to a player selected with the No. 55 overall pick.
Cowboys, Ravens, Dolphins have the most NFL draft compensatory picks.
The 34 compensatory picks include five special selections that were awarded at the end of the third round to teams that have had a minority employee hired as a head coach or primary football executive by another club.
2024: Last season, the NFL handed out 34 compensatory picks to 14 teams.
2023: The NFL awarded out 37 compensatory picks to 16 teams.
What are compensatory draft picks and how do they work in NFL?
For a team to be eligible for compensatory picks, it "must end up with more or better qualifying free agents lost than gained in a particular year," per NFL.com.
The league then awards comp picks between Rounds 3 through 7 based on a confidential formula that considers a player's average salary, snap count and postseason awards.
Teams also get a "special compensatory pick" in the third round in consecutive drafts if they lose a minority coach or executive to a head coach or general manager position with a different club. The 49ers and Rams each got a special comp pick this year.
There's an entire appendix in the NFL's collective bargaining agreement that explains the compensatory draft pick system in detail. The system establishes "compensatory free agents" (CFAs) as unrestricted free agents who sign with a new team and are "ranked within the top 35% of all League players," based on a proprietary grading metric stipulated in the CBA. That formula includes player salary (base salaries, signing bonuses, performance and salary escalators, etc.), awards or individual honors (All-Pro teams, etc.) and playing time.
Based on the CFA's performance in the grading system, they are given a point value. Then, based on the number of CFAs a team lost and acquired — while also factoring in the quality of those CFAs — the compensatory draft picks are rewarded.
The NFL's management council developed the compensatory draft pick grading formula.
There was an amendment in 2020 CBA mutually agreed upon by the NFL and the NFL Players Association that also awards compensatory draft picks to teams who see a minority assistant coach or personnel executive be hired as the head coach or primary football executive of another team. These special compensatory draft picks are rewarded with the aim to promote equal employment opportunities.
Full List of NFL 35 Compensatory Picks in 2025 NFL Draft for 16 Teams, by round -
Below is the full list of compensatory picks awarded to teams ahead of this year's draft (special compensatory picks denoted by an asterisk):
Round 3
No. 97 overall: Minnesota Vikings
No. 98: Miami Dolphins
No. 99: New York Giants
No. 100: San Francisco 49ers
No. 101: Los Angeles Rams
No. 102: Detroit Lions
Round 4
No. 135 overall: Miami Dolphins
No. 136: Baltimore Ravens
No. 137: Seattle Seahawks
No. 138: San Francisco 49ers
Round 5
No. 169 overall: Buffalo Bills
No. 170: Dallas Cowboys
No. 171: Dallas Cowboys
No. 172: Seattle Seahawks
No. 173: Buffalo Bills
No. 174: Dallas Cowboys
No. 175: Seattle Seahawks
No. 176: Baltimore Ravens
Round 6
No. 209 overall: Los Angeles Chargers
No. 210: Baltimore Ravens
No. 211: Dallas Cowboys
No. 212: Baltimore Ravens
No. 213: Las Vegas Raiders
No. 214: Los Angeles Chargers
No. 215: Las Vegas Raiders
No. 216: Cleveland Browns
Round 7
No. 249 overall: San Francisco 49ers
No. 250: Green Bay Packers
No. 251: Kansas City Chiefs
No. 252: San Francisco 49ers
No. 253: Miami Dolphins
No. 254: Cleveland Browns
No. 255: Los Angeles Chargers
No. 256: Miami Dolphins
No. 257: Kansas City Chiefs
TOTAL 2025 COMPENSATORY PICKS BY TEAM
TEAM NUMBER OF PICKS
Here's a breakdown of the number of compensatory picks allotted by team (asterisk denotes a special compensatory pick is included in the team's total):
Baltimore Ravens 4
Dallas Cowboys 4
Miami Dolphins 4
San Francisco 49ers 4*
Los Angeles Chargers 3
Seattle Seahawks 3
Buffalo Bills 2
Cleveland Browns 2
Kansas City Chiefs 2
Las Vegas Raiders 2
Detroit Lions 1*
Green Bay Packers 1
Los Angeles Rams 1*
Minnesota Vikings 1
New York Giants 1
When is the 2025 NFL Draft?
The 2025 NFL Draft will begin on Thursday, April 24, and run through Saturday, April 27 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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