NFL Draft Format 2014: Explaining Rules, Selection Order and More

The 2014 NFL draft finally arrives Thursday, so it's key to know the basic rules in addition to where every team is in the selection order. That allows for a comprehensive grasp of the format and an idea of how the draft may play out.

An unprecedented number of underclassmen, 102 to be exact, have declared themselves eligible, creating perhaps the deepest pool of prospects in league history. One key rule to know is that those interested in entering the draft have to be out of high school for at least three years. That allowed redshirt sophomores such as Texas A&M Heisman winner Johnny Manziel and others to leave college early.

Starting talent can be acquired with relative ease in the third and fourth rounds this year, so there should be a temptation for some teams to trade down—or trade up—in order to grab one of the truly elite players available.

ESPN personality Skip Bayless tends to be hyperbolic on occasion, but he adequately summarized the excitement surrounding this draft in his analysis:

The St. Louis Rams and Cleveland Browns have two first-round choices and have picks in the top five, so they should be at the epicenter of trade talks. Each have the ammunition to move either way and could stockpile tons of picks to reshape their rosters even more than other teams will.

Below is a glance at the complete, seven-round selection order, followed by an explanation of more rules to know and a breakdown of the most interesting developments to monitor in Thursday's first round.

Note: Rules information was obtained via DraftSite.com.

Round	Pick	Team
1	1	Houston Texans
1	2	St. Louis Rams (from WSH)
1	3	Jacksonville Jaguars
1	4	Cleveland Browns
1	5	Oakland Raiders
1	6	Atlanta Falcons
1	7	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1	8	Minnesota Vikings
1	9	Buffalo Bills
1	10	Detroit Lions
1	11	Tennessee Titans
1	12	New York Giants
1	13	St. Louis Rams
1	14	Chicago Bears
1	15	Pittsburgh Steelers
1	16	Dallas Cowboys
1	17	Baltimore Ravens
1	18	New York Jets
1	19	Miami Dolphins
1	20	Arizona Cardinals
1	21	Green Bay Packers
1	22	Philadelphia Eagles
1	23	Kansas City Chiefs
1	24	Cincinnati Bengals
1	25	San Diego Chargers
1	26	Cleveland Browns (from IND)
1	27	New Orleans Saints
1	28	Carolina Panthers
1	29	New England Patriots
1	30	San Francisco 49ers
1	31	Denver Broncos
1	32	Seattle Seahawks
2	33	Houston Texans
2	34	Washington Redskins
2	35	Cleveland Browns
2	36	Oakland Raiders
2	37	Atlanta Falcons
2	38	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2	39	Jacksonville Jaguars
2	40	Minnesota Vikings
2	41	Buffalo Bills
2	42	Tennessee Titans
2	43	New York Giants
2	44	St. Louis Rams
2	45	Detroit Lions
2	46	Pittsburgh Steelers
2	47	Dallas Cowboys
2	48	Baltimore Ravens
2	49	New York Jets
2	50	Miami Dolphins
2	51	Chicago Bears
2	52	Arizona Cardinals
2	53	Green Bay Packers
2	54	Philadelphia Eagles
2	55	Cincinnati Bengals
2	56	San Francisco 49ers (from KC)
2	57	San Diego Chargers
2	58	New Orleans Saints
2	59	Indianapolis Colts
2	60	Carolina Panthers
2	61	San Francisco 49ers
2	62	New England Patriots
2	63	Denver Broncos
2	64	Seattle Seahawks
3	65	Houston Texans
3	66	Washington Redskins
3	67	Oakland Raiders
3	68	Atlanta Falcons
3	69	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3	70	Jacksonville Jaguars
3	71	Cleveland Browns
3	72	Minnesota Vikings
3	73	Buffalo Bills
3	74	New York Giants
3	75	St. Louis Rams
3	76	Detroit Lions
3	77	San Francisco 49ers (from TEN)
3	78	Dallas Cowboys
3	79	Baltimore Ravens
3	80	New York Jets
3	81	Miami Dolphins
3	82	Chicago Bears
3	83	Cleveland Browns (from PIT)
3	84	Arizona Cardinals
3	85	Green Bay Packers
3	86	Philadelphia Eagles
3	87	Kansas City Chiefs
3	88	Cincinnati Bengals
3	89	San Diego Chargers
3	90	Indianapolis Colts
3	91	New Orleans Saints
3	92	Carolina Panthers
3	93	New England Patriots
3	94	San Francisco 49ers
3	95	Denver Broncos
3	96	Minnesota Vikings (from SEA)
3	97	Pittsburgh Steelers
3	98	Green Bay Packers
3	99	Baltimore Ravens
3	100	San Francisco 49ers
4	101	Houston Texans
4	102	Washington Redskins
4	103	Atlanta Falcons
4	104	New York Jets (from TB)
4	105	Jacksonville Jaguars
4	106	Cleveland Browns
4	107	Oakland Raiders
4	108	Minnesota Vikings
4	109	Buffalo Bills
4	110	St. Louis Rams
4	111	Detroit Lions
4	112	Tennessee Titans
4	113	New York Giants
4	114	Jacksonville Jaguars (from BAL)
4	115	New York Jets
4	116	Miami Dolphins
4	117	Chicago Bears
4	118	Pittsburgh Steelers
4	119	Dallas Cowboys
4	120	Arizona Cardinals
4	121	Green Bay Packers
4	122	Philadelphia Eagles
4	123	Cincinnati Bengals
4	124	Kansas City Chiefs
4	125	San Diego Chargers
4	126	New Orleans Saints
4	127	Cleveland Browns (from IND)
4	128	Carolina Panthers
4	129	San Francisco 49ers
4	130	New England Patriots
4	131	Denver Broncos
4	132	Seattle Seahawks
4	133	Detroit Lions
4	134	Baltimore Ravens
4	135	Houston Texans
4	136	Detroit Lions
4	137	New York Jets
4	138	Baltimore Ravens
4	139	Atlanta Falcons
4	140	New England Patriots
5	141	Houston Texans
5	142	Washington Redskins
5	143	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5	144	Jacksonville Jaguars
5	145	Cleveland Browns
5	146	Seattle Seahawks (from OAK)
5	147	Atlanta Falcons
5	148	Minnesota Vikings
5	149	Buffalo Bills
5	150	Jacksonville Jaguars (from DET)
5	151	Tennessee Titans
5	152	New York Giants
5	153	St. Louis Rams
5	154	New York Jets
5	155	Miami Dolphins
5	156	Chicago Bears
5	157	Pittsburgh Steelers
5	158	Dallas Cowboys
5	159	Jacksonville Jaguars (from BAL)
5	160	Arizona Cardinals
5	161	Green Bay Packers
5	162	Philadelphia Eagles
5	163	Kansas City Chiefs
5	164	Cincinnati Bengals
5	165	San Diego Chargers
5	166	Indianapolis Colts
5	167	New Orleans Saints
5	168	Carolina Panthers
5	169	New Orleans Saints (from NE via PHI)
5	170	San Francisco 49ers
5	171	Denver Broncos
5	172	Seattle Seahawks
5	173	Pittsburgh Steelers
5	174	New York Giants
5	175	Baltimore Ravens
5	176	Green Bay Packers
6	177	Houston Texans
6	178	Washington Redskins
6	179	Jacksonville Jaguars
6	180	Cleveland Browns
6	181	Houston Texans (from OAK)
6	182	Atlanta Falcons
6	183	Chicago Bears (from TB)
6	184	Minnesota Vikings
6	185	Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from BUF)
6	186	Tennessee Titans
6	187	New York Giants
6	188	St. Louis Rams
6	189	Detroit Lions
6	190	Miami Dolphins
6	191	Chicago Bears
6	192	Pittsburgh Steelers
6	193	Kansas City Chiefs (from DAL)
6	194	Baltimore Ravens
6	195	New York Jets
6	196	Arizona Cardinals
6	197	Green Bay Packers
6	198	New England Patriots (from PHI)
6	199	Cincinnati Bengals
6	200	Kansas City Chiefs
6	201	San Diego Chargers
6	202	New Orleans Saints
6	203	Indianapolis Colts
6	204	Carolina Panthers
6	205	Jacksonville Jaguars (from SF)
6	206	New England Patriots
6	207	Denver Broncos
6	208	Seattle Seahawks
6	209	New York Jets
6	210	New York Jets
6	211	Houston Texans
6	212	Cincinnati Bengals
6	213	New York Jets
6	214	St. Louis Rams
6	215	Pittsburgh Steelers
7	216	Houston Texans
7	217	Washington Redskins
7	218	Cleveland Browns
7	219	Oakland Raiders
7	220	Atlanta Falcons
7	221	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
7	222	Jacksonville Jaguars
7	223	Minnesota Vikings
7	224	Buffalo Bills
7	225	Carolina Panthers (from NYG)
7	226	St. Louis Rams
7	227	Detroit Lions
7	228	Tennessee Titans
7	229	Dallas Cowboys (from CHI)
7	230	Pittsburgh Steelers
7	231	Dallas Cowboys
7	232	Indianapolis Colts (from BAL)
7	233	New York Jets
7	234	Miami Dolphins
7	235	Oakland Raiders (from ARI)
7	236	Green Bay Packers
7	237	Philadelphia Eagles
7	238	Dallas Cowboys (from KC)
7	239	Cincinnati Bengals
7	240	San Diego Chargers
7	241	St. Louis Rams (from IND)
7	242	San Francisco 49ers (from NO)
7	243	San Francisco 49ers (from CAR)
7	244	New England Patriots
7	245	San Francisco 49ers
7	246	Denver Broncos
7	247	Seattle Seahawks
7	248	Dallas Cowboys
7	249	St. Louis Rams
7	250	St. Louis Rams
7	251	Dallas Cowboys
7	252	Cincinnati Bengals
7	253	Atlanta Falcons
7	254	Dallas Cowboys
7	255	Atlanta Falcons
7	256	Houston Texans

Explaining Key Rules

Al Bello/Getty Images

The selection order itself is determined by teams' records from the previous season. Since the Houston Texans were an NFL-worst 2-14 in 2013, they got the privilege of choosing first overall. This helps promote parity in the league and allows struggling teams the chance for an instant turnaround. Playoff record determines how those who qualified for the postseason shake out, so the Super Bowl XLVIII champion Seattle Seahawks are last in the first-round order and so on.

Washington was meant to chose second since it went 3-13, but the trade to move up and acquire quarterback Robert Griffin III in the 2012 draft cost the franchise its 2014 first-round pick to St. Louis. That's why the Rams are in that spot instead.

Every team has 10 minutes to make their selections in the first round, then seven minutes in Round 2 and five minutes to do so for the rest of the draft.

Months of evaluation and preparation for every conceivable draft-day scenario sees most teams rely on their big boards to make picks as the draft progresses. They have to hope that the prospect they want to take with their first choice is still there when they're on the clock.

If for some reason a team doesn't get their selection in once their time has expired, they can still get it in thereafter. The next team on the clock could theoretically jump ahead of them if they move quickly enough.

Trades account for some clubs not having picks in certain rounds or having multiple picks in others. Otherwise, each organization is awarded one in each of the seven rounds. Thirty-two compensatory picks are handed out to teams deserving of them, and those were handed out to 13 different clubs back in March based on what happened in free agency in the previous offseason.

Predictions for Marquee First-Round Prospects

Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina: Houston Texans (No. 1 Overall)

A lackluster 2013 campaign has raised persistent red flags about Clowney's work ethic, but it's something the Texans don't seem to be too concerned about leading up to the draft.

The front office has a huge decision to make, and passing on such a premier defensive talent may haunt Houston for years to come. Thus, don't expect Clowney to slip past the first overall pick.

Clowney himself may have blown the Texans' cover on Wednesday—much likely to the chagrin of general manager Rick Smith—with this quote, per the Houston Chronicle's Brian T. Smith:

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Houston has seen all it needs to with regard to Clowney's motor:

J.J. Watt is an ideal mentor for Clowney, and the two could form a terrifying duo at defensive end, with Clowney even having the versatility to stand up as an edge-rusher in coordinator Romeo Crennel's 3-4 alignment.

There is no question as to who the most physically gifted and most talented prospect is in this draft. That honor goes to Clowney by a long shot, what with his 6'6" frame weighing 266 pounds and running a 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine.

The ominous risk in passing on Clowney outweighs his apparent shortcomings. He could very well be a surefire Hall of Famer thanks to his upside.

Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson: Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 3 Overall)

The consensus top receiver in the draft is Watkins, and it's all the more impressive that he's a class above the rest since it's arguably the deepest position. Jacksonville needs a No. 1 receiving threat with Justin Blackmon on indefinite suspension.

General manager Dave Caldwell said recently he isn't counting on Blackmon, per the Associated Press' Mark Long:

Then there was this inside information from MMQB.com's Peter King: "A peer of GM David Caldwell said Sunday he knows a big Jag priority will be to play it safe with this pick. Sammy Watkins or Jake Matthews … quite safe."

As Aaron Brenner of the Charleston Post & Courier pointed out, both ESPN draft gurus Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay had Watkins going third to the Jags in their recent mock drafts:

Watkins is indeed a safe choice, and he would give life to a Jags offense in desperate need of it. Chad Henne is the likely starting QB in 2013 unless Caldwell makes a move for a rookie alternative.

With his ability to generate yards after the catch, how quickly he gets out of breaks and his willingness to embrace contact, Jacksonville would be getting a receiver in Watkins who could provide a rare spark on the outside. The AFC South isn't particularly intimidating at the moment, so the Jags could be in line for a big step forward in 2014 with a strong draft and added offensive firepower.

Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 7 Overall)

The comparison offered by Bleacher Report draft expert Matt Miller makes a lot of sense from a football standpoint as well as the risk-reward dynamic at play for teams in the market for Manziel.

Griffin carried Washington to a division title in his rookie season but was ineffective the following year due to a knee injury. Durability concerns surround Manziel, who checked in just under 6'0" at the combine, and his larger-than-life personality may also scare potential suitors off.

With plenty of QB-needy franchises near the top of the order, Manziel could go just about anywhere given the excitement he brings to the gridiron and how much of a box-office attraction he'd be for a fanbase. But chances are he will slide out of the top five.

Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer reports that the Cleveland Browns will certainly not take a flier on Manziel at No. 4, nor will Oakland with the next choice:

Based on King's previous intel about Jacksonville's plans for Watkins or Matthews, that leaves the Bucs at No. 7, who have a starter in Josh McCown but spent heavily in free agency to retool the roster and thus have plenty of other picks to use later on to acquire depth. They are in a position to select Manziel and don't necessarily have to play him right away.

It's been reported that Manziel is on the Bucs' short list for first-round picks, and it appears the team is ready to ship out a QB they drafted last year in Mike Glennon, per Rapoport:

Such a move would clear the deck for Johnny Football, who wouldn't have to wait long behind McCown, as the veteran will turn 35 in July.

Tampa Bay presents an ideal situation for Manziel to thrive. He won't be rushed onto the field, and when he does get there, he'd have running back Doug Martin to take the pressure off and a No. 1 receiver in Vincent Jackson—who's similar to Manziel's ex-Aggies teammate, Mike Evans—to toss it to.

Wherever Clowney, Watkins or Manziel land in this draft, they will generate an incredible amount of buzz for some fortunate franchises. But more than perhaps any other year in recent memory, attention should be fixed on the draft even on Day 3, where great value can be had and instant starters can be acquired.

Uncertainty surrounds the top QB prospects this year in a draft that is loaded at almost every other spot, so there could be a franchise-caliber option available later on. No one is more polarizing than Manziel, though. He fits the modern mold as a dual-threat playmaker, but how the beginning of his career plays out will likely go a long way in shaping the perception and evolution of the most important position in football.