How Many Times the Overall No. 1 Pick Has Been Traded Before the NFL Draft in History?

The Chicago Bears own the No. 1 overall pick and it’s widely expected that they will select USC quarterback Caleb Williams. A quarterback has been selected No. 1 overall in five of the past six drafts, including Bryce Young to the Carolina Panthers in last year’s draft..

The Carolina Panthers traded the overall No.1 for wide receiver DJ Moore, their first-round pick (No. 9) and second-round pick (No. 61) this year, their first-round pick in 2024, and their second-round pick in 2025 to Chicago in order to move up to No. 1. The Bears then used that pick to acquire Moore and three additional picks in the following three draughts.

The Bears can add more talent to surround quarterback Justin Fields, who had a significantly improved sophomore season, while the Panthers can presumably choose their quarterback of the future.

NFL draft No. 1 overall pick trade history: 13 deals since 1967.

Since the NFL and AFL merged in 1967, the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft has been traded 13 times before the drought.

The last time it happened was in 2016, when the Rams moved up from the 15th pick to select quarterback Jared-Goff after the Titans traded the first pick to them two weeks before the draught.

What percentage of the time does the No. 1 pick get traded before the NFL draught? Since the NFL and AFL merged in 1967, it had occurred 12 times before Friday, including one instance where a pick was traded twice (1984).

Here is a closer look at each of the 13 transactions involving the No. 1 pick since 1967, excluding those that took place after the draught had already begun, such as the trade of Bo Jackson in 1986 and John Elway in 1983.

2023 - Chicago Bears to Carolina Panthers

Player picked at No. 1: Bryce Young

Bears received: WR DJ Moore, 2023 first-round pick (No. 9), 2023 second-round pick (No. 61), 2024 first-round pick and 2025 second-round pick.

2016 - Tennessee Titans to Los Angeles Rams

Player picked at No. 1: QB Jared Goff

Titans received: 2016 first-round pick (No. 15; subsequently traded, WR Corey Coleman),
2016 second-round pick (No. 43, DT Austin Johnson), 2016 second-round pick (No. 45, RB Derrick Henry),
2016 third-round pick (No. 76; subsequently traded, OT Shon Coleman),
2017 first-round pick (No. 5, WR Corey Davis) and
2017 third-round pick (No. 100, TE Jonnu Smith)

2001 - San Diego Chargers to Atlanta Falcons

Player picked at No. 1: QB Michael Vick

Chargers received: WR Tim Dwight, 2001 first-round pick (No. 5, RB LaDainian Tomlinson), 2021 third-round pick (No. 67, DB Tay Cody) and a 2002 second-round pick (No. 48, WR Reche Caldwell).

1997 - New York Jets to St. Louis Rams

Player picked at No. 1: OT Orlando Pace

Jets received: 1997 first-round pick (No. 6; subsequently traded, OT Walter Jones),
1997 third-round pick (No. 67; subsequently traded, OL Dan Neil),
1997 fourth-round pick (No. 102, DE Terry Day) and
1997 seventh-round pick (No. 207; subsequently traded, QB Koy Detmer)

1995 - Carolina Panthers to Cincinnati Bengals

Player picked at No. 1: RB Ki-Jana Carter

Panthers received: 1995 first-round pick (No. 5, QB Kerry Collins) and 1995 second-round pick (No. 36, DE Shawn King)

1991 - New England Patriots to Dallas Cowboys

Player picked at No. 1: DT Russell Maryland

Patriots received: 1991 first-round pick (No. 11, T Pat Harlow), 1991 second-round pick (No. 41, DB Jerome Henderson) and three players (CB Ron Francis, LB David Howard, LB Eugene Lockhart Jr.)

1990 - Atlanta Falcons to Indianapolis Colts

Player picked at No. 1: QB Jeff George

Falcons received: OT Chris Hinton, WR Andre Rison, 1990 fifth-round pick (No. 121, TE Reggie Redding) and 1991 first round pick (No. 13, WR Mike Pritchard)

1984 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Cincinnati Bengals to New England Patriots

Player picked at No. 1: WR Irving Fryar

June 1983 trade: Bengals received 1984 No. 1 pick, Buccaneers received QB Jack Thompson

1978 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Houston Oilers

Player picked at No. 1: RB Earl Campbell

Tampa Bay received: TE Jimmie Giles, 1978 first-round pick (No. 17, QB Doug Williams),
1978 second-round pick (No. 44, G Brett Moritz),
1979 third-round pick (No. 78, DE Reggie Lewis) and
1979 fifth-round pick (No. 133, QB Chuck Fusina)

1975 - Baltimore Colts to Atlanta Falcons

Player picked at No. 1: QB Steve Bartkowski

Colts received: 1975 first-round pick (No. 3, G Ken Huff) and OL George Kunz

1974 - Houston Oilers to Dallas Cowboys

Player picked at No. 1: DE Ed Jones

Oilers received: DE Tody Smith and WR Billy Parks

1968 - New York Giants to Minnesota Vikings

Player picked at No. 1: T Ron Yary

Giants received: QB Fran Tarkenton

1967 - New Orleans Saints to Baltimore Colts

Player picked at No. 1: DT Bubba Smith

Saints received: QB Gary Cuozzo

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