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]
Before the merger agreements in 1966, the AFL directly competed with the NFL and held a separate draft. This led to a bidding war over top prospects between the two leagues, along with the subsequent drafting of the same player in each draft. As part of the merger agreement on June 8, 1966, the two leagues began holding a multiple round "common draft". Once the AFL officially merged with the NFL in 1970, the "common draft" simply became the NFL draft.[22][23][24] The first AFL draft was held prior to the start of the 1960 season. The first round of the 1960 AFL draft was territorial selections. Each team received a "territorial pick" which allowed them to select a single player within a pre-agreed upon designated region (the team's "territory"). Teams then agreed on the top eight players at each position, who were subsequently assigned to teams by random draw, with each of the eight teams receiving one of those players. This process was repeated until all 53 roster spots were filled.[25] Beginning in the 1961 draft, the AFL, using the same system as the NFL, began to assign picks based on the previous season's standings.[26]
^The Tennessee Titans were previously known as the Houston Oilers (1960–1996) and Tennessee Oilers (1997–1998).[48][49]
^The first round of the 1960 AFL draft was territorial selections. Teams were allowed to select a single player from a designated region (their "territory").[25][28]
^Tennessee traded their 1965 first-round selection (No. 1 overall) to the New York Jets in exchange for the rights to quarterback Jerry Rhome.[50]
^Tennessee loaned quarterback Jacky Lee to the Denver Broncos (for the 1964 and 1965 seasons) in exchange for their 1965 first-round selection (No. 2 overall), defensive tackle Bud McFadin, and an unspecified sum of money.[51][52][53]
^Tennessee allowed the Dallas Cowboys to sign tackle Ralph Neely in exchange for their 1967 first-, second-, and two fifth-round selections (Nos. 23, 49, 119, and 127 overall).[54][55]
^Tennessee traded defensive tackle Mike Tilleman to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for their 1973 first-round selection (No. 14 overall).[58]
^Tennessee traded their 1974 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 1 and 53 overall) to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for defensive end Tody Smith and wide receiver Billy Parks.[59]
^Tennessee traded their 1976 first-round selection (No. 21 overall) and 1977 third-round selection (No. 65 overall) to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for running back Vic Washington.[62][63]
^Tennessee traded their 1978 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 17 and 44 overall), 1979 third- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 78 and 133 overall), and tight end Jimmie Giles to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for their 1978 first-round selection (No. 1 overall).[64]
^Tennessee traded their 1979 first-round selection (No. 23 overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 1979 second-round selection (No. 31 overall) and 1980 second-round selection (No. 38 overall).[65][66]
^Tennessee traded their 1980 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 25 and 160 overall) to the New England Patriots in exchange for tackle Leon Gray.[67][68]
^Tennessee traded their 1981 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 21 and 48 overall) and 1982 second-round selection (No. 35 overall) to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for tight end Dave Casper.[69]
^ abTennessee traded their 1983 first-round selection (No. 2 overall) to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 1983 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 3 and 88 overall) and 1984 fourth-round selection (No. 102 overall).[70][71][72]
^Tennessee traded a 1983 first-round selection (No. 3 overall, received from the Los Angeles Rams)[O] to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for their 1983 first-, second-, and third-round selections (Nos. 9, 42, and 69 overall).[73]
^Tennessee traded their 1985 first-round selection (No. 2 overall) to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for their 1985 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 3 and 30 overall).[74]
^ abcdTennessee traded the rights to quarterback Jim Everett[T] to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 1987 first- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 20 and 133 overall), 1988 first-round selection (No. 9 overall), guard Kent Hill, and defensive end William Fuller.[69][79]
^ abQuarterback Jim Everett and the team could not reach an agreement on a contract.[76] Everett was subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Rams.[S]
^Tennessee traded their 1987 first- and second-round selections (Nos. 8 and 36 overall) to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for their 1987 first-round selection (No. 3 overall).[77][78]
^Tennessee traded a 1988 first-, received from the Los Angeles Rams,[S] third-, and fourth-round selection (Nos. 9, 74, and 102 overall) to the Los Angeles Raiders in exchange for their 1988 second- and third-round selections (Nos. 48 and 60 overall) and defensive end Sean Jones.[69]
^Tennessee traded their 1991 first-round selection (No. 17 overall) to the New England Patriots in exchange for their 1991 second- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 28 and 101 overall).[64]
^Tennessee traded their 1993 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 19 and 75 overall) to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for their 1993 first-round selection (No. 13 overall).[82][83]
^ abTennessee traded their 1996 first-round selection (No. 9 overall) to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for their 1996 first-, second-, and fourth-round selections (Nos. 17, 48, and 109 overall).[84]
^Tennessee traded a 1996 first-round selection (No. 17 overall, received from the Los Angeles Raiders)[Z] and defensive tackle Glenn Montgomery to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for their 1996 first-round selection (No. 14 overall).[73]
^Tennessee traded their 1997 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 13 and 110 overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their 1997 first-, third-, fourth-, and sixth-round selections (Nos. 18, 81, 116, and 181 overall).[85]
^Tennessee traded their 2001 first-round selection (No. 29 overall) to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for defensive end Kevin Carter.[86]
^Tennessee traded their 2002 first-round selection (No. 14 overall) to the New York Giants in exchange for their 2002 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 15 and 110 overall).[87]
^Tennessee traded their 2004 first- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 27 and 159 overall) to the Houston Texans in exchange for their 2004 second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 40, 71, 103, and 138 overall).[88]
^ abcTennessee traded their 2016 first-, fourth-, and sixth-round selections (Nos. 1, 113, and 177 overall) to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 2016 first-, third-, and two second-round selections (Nos. 15, 43, 45, and 76 overall) and 2017 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 5 and 100 overall).[89]
^Tennessee traded a 2016 first-, received from the Los Angeles Rams,[AF] and third-round selection (Nos. 15 and 76 overall) and 2017 second-round selection (No 52 overall) to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for their 2016 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 8 and 176 overall).[89]
^Tennessee traded their 2018 first- and fourth-round selections (Nos. 25 and 125 overall) to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for their 2018 first- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 22 and 215 overall).[90]
^Tennessee traded their 2022 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 26 and 101 overall) to the New York Jets in exchange for their 2022 second-, third-, and fifth-round selections (Nos. 35, 69, and 163 overall).[91]
^Tennessee traded wide receiver A. J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for their 2022 first- and third-round selections (Nos. 18 and 101 overall).[91]