The NFL Draft: the Event of the Offseason

The NFL is the most popular sport to watch among Americans. Every year around April, fans come together for the NFL draft to see who their favorite teams are going to pick to build their future. This data is NFL draft data, with information on every drafted player from 1970-2021. It contains draft data such as the round and pick each player was drafted at, their college, as well as the team that picked them and the age they were when they were picked. The data also contains basic career statistics for each player, including passing, rushing, and receiving stats for offensive players, and tackles, interceptions, and sacks for defensive players.

The Much Desired #1 Pick

When it comes to the NFL draft, the conversation that is most common among fans is who will be the first overall pick of the year. This is an incredibly valuable position to be in for a franchise, as the player drafted has the potential to change the direction of a struggling franchise. I was curious about which NFL teams have the most #1 overall picks over the course of their history. The table below illustrates the results.

According to our data, the Houston Texans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have picked first the most times in the league, with 5 #1 overall picks in team history. The Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, and New England Patriots are tied for seconf with 4 picks in the top spot.