1999 NFL draft
The 1999 National Football League Draft was the 64th annual player selection meeting held by NFL franchises to choose eligible American football players, taking place over two days, April 17 and 18, at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.[1][2] The draft consisted of seven rounds and a total of 253 picks, with the Cleveland Browns selecting quarterback Tim Couch from the University of Kentucky as the first overall pick to address their quarterback needs following their 1999 expansion season.[3][1][4] The event is particularly remembered for its emphasis on quarterbacks, with five selected in the first round—a rarity that included Couch at No. 1, Donovan McNabb from Syracuse at No. 2 by the Philadelphia Eagles, Akili Smith from Oregon at No. 3 by the Cincinnati Bengals, Daunte Culpepper from Central Florida at No. 11 by the Minnesota Vikings, and Cade McNown from UCLA at No. 12 by the Chicago Bears.[5][6][3] Among the non-quarterback standouts were running back Edgerrin James from the University of Miami, taken fourth overall by the Indianapolis Colts and later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his 12,246 rushing yards and four Pro Bowls, and running back Ricky Williams from the University of Texas, selected fifth overall by the New Orleans Saints after a blockbuster trade.[5][6][3] A defining highlight was the Saints' trade with the Washington Redskins, in which New Orleans surrendered all eight of their 1999 draft picks plus their 2000 first- and third-round selections to move up from the 12th spot and draft Williams, a move that became one of the most scrutinized deals in draft history due to Williams' solid but not superstar production and the value returned to Washington, including players like linebacker LaVar Arrington and cornerback Champ Bailey.[7][8] Other notable first-round selections included wide receiver Torry Holt from North Carolina State at No. 6 by the St. Louis Rams, who earned seven Pro Bowls and a Hall of Fame induction, and cornerback Champ Bailey from Georgia at No. 7 by the Washington Redskins (later traded to the Denver Broncos), another Hall of Famer with 12 Pro Bowls.[5][3][9] The draft's chaotic nature, marked by multiple trades and a focus on quarterback talent that largely underperformed except for McNabb and Culpepper, underscored the risks of early-round selections in an era of expanding passing offenses.[8][3]Overview
Logistics and Format
The 1999 NFL draft took place on April 17 and 18 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, serving as the 64th annual player selection meeting.[3] The first round occurred on the evening of Saturday, April 17, while rounds 2 through 7 were held the following day, Sunday, April 18.[3] This two-day format allowed for focused coverage of the top prospects in the opening round before proceeding through the remaining selections.[7] The event featured 253 total picks across seven rounds, including compensatory selections granted to teams based on net free-agent losses from the previous offseason.[3] To manage the pace, teams were allotted 10 minutes per pick in the first round, 7 minutes for picks in rounds 2 and 3, and 5 minutes for selections in rounds 4 through 7.[10] The draft was broadcast live on ESPN, marking the network's 20th year of coverage and drawing its largest audience to date with 2.794 million households tuning in for the main telecast.[11] Held amid the NFL's ongoing expansion efforts, the 1999 draft followed the February expansion draft for the reinstated Cleveland Browns and preceded the awarding of a franchise to Houston later that year, which would join the league as the Texans in 2002.[12] These developments influenced pick allocations, particularly granting the Browns the No. 1 overall selection to aid their rebuilding as an expansion team.[7]Selection Order and Team Context
The selection order for the 1999 NFL Draft was established in reverse order of the 1998 regular-season records, with ties resolved by strength of schedule—the combined winning percentage of each team's opponents, where the weaker schedule granted higher priority. As an expansion franchise re-established after the original Browns relocated to Baltimore following the 1995 season, the Cleveland Browns were awarded the No. 1 overall pick regardless of record, reflecting the league's policy to provide new teams with foundational advantages. Among the three teams tied for the league's worst 3–13 mark—the Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals, and Indianapolis Colts—the Eagles secured the No. 2 pick due to their opponents' lowest combined .512 winning percentage, followed by the Bengals at No. 3 and the Colts at No. 4. Team strategies were shaped by pressing needs, particularly at quarterback, in a draft class renowned for its depth at the position. The Browns, entering their first season since the franchise's three-year suspension, prioritized a franchise quarterback to symbolize rebirth and build fan support in a city still healing from the relocation's aftermath. The Eagles, coming off a 3–13 campaign with inconsistent play from signal-callers like Bobby Hoying and Koy Detmer, aimed for long-term stability under new head coach Andy Reid. This emphasis was amplified by the class's talent, featuring five quarterbacks taken among the top 12 selections—the second-most in a first round since 1970—prompting multiple teams to target the position early despite risks.[13] The draft included 31 teams, each allocated seven picks across seven rounds for 217 base selections, augmented by 36 compensatory picks granted to clubs that suffered net losses in unrestricted free agents from the prior offseason, yielding a total of 253 players chosen.[3] Prospect evaluations were heavily informed by pre-draft events, including the NFL Scouting Combine in late February 1999 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, where over 300 college players underwent medical exams, interviews, and athletic testing to demonstrate speed, strength, and agility. Subsequent pro days at universities further refined team assessments, allowing prospects to perform position-specific drills in front of scouts and often simulating game conditions more closely than the combine's standardized format.Player Selections
First Round
The first round of the 1999 NFL Draft consisted of 31 picks due to the NFL's expansion to 31 teams with the addition of the Cleveland Browns.[3] The draft, held on April 17, 1999, at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, was characterized by a quarterback frenzy at the top, with the first three selections and four of the top six picks being signal-callers—a rare occurrence that underscored teams' desperation for franchise quarterbacks following a weak 1998 crop.[8] Five quarterbacks were ultimately taken in the round, the second-highest total in NFL draft history at that point behind only the 1983 class.[2] The Cleveland Browns, in their first draft as a reinstated franchise, selected Tim Couch from the University of Kentucky with the No. 1 overall pick, viewing him as the foundational piece for their rebuilding efforts after years of instability.[3] Media coverage highlighted the pick as a high-stakes gamble on Couch's strong arm and mobility, with analysts praising the Browns' due diligence in scouting the Heisman Trophy finalist.[8] The Philadelphia Eagles followed by drafting Donovan McNabb from Syracuse at No. 2, a selection met with boos from fans who preferred a running back but quickly lauded for McNabb's dual-threat potential.[8] At No. 3, the Cincinnati Bengals chose Akili Smith from Oregon, continuing the QB run despite some pre-draft projections placing him lower due to concerns over his accuracy.[14] A major highlight was the New Orleans Saints' aggressive trade-up to the No. 5 spot, where they selected Heisman Trophy-winning running back Ricky Williams from the University of Texas; the deal with the Washington Redskins cost the Saints all eight of their 1999 draft picks plus their 2000 first- and third-round selections, marking one of the most lopsided exchanges in draft history and drawing immediate criticism for head coach Mike Ditka's all-in approach.[15] The trade exemplified the round's volatility, with seven total transactions involving first-round picks, including swaps that facilitated the Vikings' acquisition of Daunte Culpepper from Central Florida at No. 6 via a trade-up from their original later position.[8] Other notable selections included running back Edgerrin James from Miami (FL) to the Indianapolis Colts at No. 4, praised for his vision and burst as a complement to Peyton Manning, and cornerback Champ Bailey from Georgia to the Redskins at No. 7, valued for his shutdown coverage skills.[3] Surprises abounded, such as the persistence of the quarterback selections despite a perceived drop-off in talent after the top three, and the fall of edge rusher Jevon Kearse from Virginia, who went No. 16 to the Tennessee Titans after being projected as a top-10 talent for his explosive pass-rushing ability.[14] Immediate post-draft analysis focused on the class's depth at running back and wide receiver, with speedy prospects like David Boston (WR, Ohio State, No. 8 to Arizona Cardinals) drawing comparisons to elite NFL talents, though the QB-heavy start dominated headlines as a risky strategy amid the league's competitive landscape.[16]| Pick | Team | Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland Browns | Tim Couch | QB | Kentucky |
| 2 | Philadelphia Eagles | Donovan McNabb | QB | Syracuse |
| 3 | Cincinnati Bengals | Akili Smith | QB | Oregon |
| 4 | Indianapolis Colts | Edgerrin James | RB | Miami (FL) |
| 5 | New Orleans Saints | Ricky Williams | RB | Texas |
| 6 | Minnesota Vikings | Daunte Culpepper | QB | Central Florida |
| 7 | Washington Redskins | Champ Bailey | CB | Georgia |
| 8 | Arizona Cardinals | David Boston | WR | Ohio State |
| 9 | Chicago Bears | Brian Simmons | LB | Oregon |
| 10 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Anthony McFarland | DT | LSU |
| 11 | San Diego Chargers | Donnie Edwards | LB | UCLA |
| 12 | Chicago Bears (from Redskins) | Cade McNown | QB | UCLA |
| 13 | Green Bay Packers (from Saints via Redskins) | Aaron Gibson | OT | Notre Dame |
| 14 | Buffalo Bills | Antoine Winfield | CB | Ohio State |
| 15 | San Diego Chargers (from Ravens) | Jason Taylor | DE | Akron |
| 16 | Tennessee Titans | Jevon Kearse | DE | Virginia |
| 17 | Dallas Cowboys | Ebenezer Ekuban | DE | North Carolina |
| 18 | New York Giants | L.J. Shelton | OT | Eastern Michigan |
| 19 | New York Jets | Shaun Ellis | DE | Tennessee |
| 20 | Cincinnati Bengals (from Jaguars) | Takeo Spikes | LB | Auburn |
| 21 | Oakland Raiders | Barry Gardner | LB | Northwestern |
| 22 | St. Louis Rams | Torry Holt | WR | NC State |
| 23 | Detroit Lions | Chris Claiborne | LB | USC |
| 24 | Minnesota Vikings | Jim Kleinsasser | TE | North Dakota |
| 25 | Atlanta Falcons | Travis Claridge | OT | USC |
| 26 | San Francisco 49ers | Tony Parrish | S | Miami (FL) |
| 27 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Troy Edwards | WR | Louisiana Tech |
| 28 | Kansas City Chiefs | John Tait | OT | BYU |
| 29 | Seattle Seahawks | Chris McIntosh | OT | Wisconsin |
| 30 | Atlanta Falcons (from Broncos via Seahawks) | Patrick Kerney | DE | Virginia |
| 31 | Denver Broncos | Al Wilson | LB | Tennessee |