2007 NFL draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft was the 72nd annual player selection meeting of NFL franchises to choose eligible American football players, held over two days at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and 29.[1] The event featured seven rounds and a total of 255 picks, including compensatory selections, with the Oakland Raiders selecting quarterback JaMarcus Russell from Louisiana State University as the first overall pick.[2][3] This draft class is widely regarded as one of the most talented in modern NFL history, producing multiple Pro Football Hall of Famers and perennial All-Pro performers who defined franchises across the league.[4] Key early selections included wide receiver Calvin Johnson (second overall, Detroit Lions), offensive tackle Joe Thomas (third overall, Cleveland Browns), and running back Adrian Peterson (seventh overall, Minnesota Vikings), all of whom became cornerstone players.[5] Later first-round gems like linebacker Patrick Willis (eleventh overall, San Francisco 49ers) and cornerback Darrelle Revis (fourteenth overall, New York Jets) further bolstered the class's defensive talent.[2] Among the draftees, four have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Johnson (inducted 2021), Thomas (inducted 2023), Revis (inducted 2023), and Willis (inducted 2024), highlighting the draft's enduring impact on the sport.[6][7] Other standouts, such as running back Marshawn Lynch (twelfth overall, Buffalo Bills) and safety Eric Weddle (thirty-seventh overall, San Diego Chargers), contributed to multiple Super Bowl appearances and earned widespread acclaim for their longevity and production.[5] Kicker Nick Folk (178th overall, Dallas Cowboys), drafted in the sixth round, has also been acclaimed for his longevity and consistent production, remaining the only active player from the 2007 draft class as of late 2025.[8][9] Despite the bust of the top pick Russell, who struggled and was out of the league by 2010, the 2007 draft's depth—spanning offense, defense, and special teams—has led analysts to rank it among the top classes of the 2000s for overall value and star power.[10][11]Background
Event details
The 2007 NFL Draft was held over two days, April 28 and 29, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York.[12] Rounds 1 through 3 took place on Saturday, April 28, starting at noon ET and concluding around 10 p.m. ET, while Rounds 4 through 7 occurred on Sunday, April 29, beginning at 11 a.m. ET.[12] This marked the first draft presided over by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who announced selections from the stage throughout the event.[13] The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year by ESPN, with additional coverage on ESPN2 and NFL Network in its second year of broadcasting the event.[14] It featured expanded media elements, including live online updates via NFL.com, enhancing real-time fan engagement.[13] In total, the draft consisted of 255 selections across seven rounds, incorporating 32 compensatory picks to account for free agency losses from the prior season.[2] The final selection, known as Mr. Irrelevant, was the 255th overall pick: cornerback Ramzee Robinson from the University of Alabama, chosen by the Detroit Lions.[15] The class was noted for its depth in offensive talent, particularly at skill positions, though it was widely regarded as weak at quarterback.[16]Draft order determination
The draft order for the 2007 NFL Draft was established primarily through the reverse order of the 32 teams' final standings from the 2006 regular season, with the team posting the worst win-loss record receiving the first overall pick and proceeding upward to the Super Bowl champion selecting last.[17] This system applied to the first 18 picks for non-playoff teams and picks 19–32 for playoff teams, ordered by the round of postseason elimination (wild-card losers first, followed by divisional round, conference championship, and Super Bowl participants).[17] The Oakland Raiders secured the No. 1 overall selection after finishing the 2006 season with a league-worst 2–14 record.[18] Ties in records among teams were resolved using a series of tiebreakers, beginning with strength of schedule—the combined winning percentage of all opponents faced, where the lowest value advanced the team higher in the draft order—followed by head-to-head matchup results (if applicable), won-lost-tied percentage in common games, conference record, and strength of victory.[17][19] For instance, the Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings, and Miami Dolphins—all with 6–10 records—alternated selections in the seventh through ninth positions of the first round based on these criteria.[20] This same reverse-ordering process, including tiebreakers, governed picks in each of the draft's seven rounds, yielding 223 regular selections across the league.[17] Compensatory selections added to the total pool, with 32 extra picks awarded to 16 teams that suffered a net loss of unrestricted free agents during the 2006 offseason (more departures than arrivals in value). These picks were distributed at the conclusion of the third through seventh rounds, positioned according to the estimated relative salary value of the lost free agents as determined by league formulas. The overall draft thus comprised 255 total selections, incorporating both regular and compensatory picks.[2] Pre-draft trades between teams could further modify the order by exchanging future selections, though the initial framework remained rooted in the prior season's performance.[17]Draft selections
Position breakdown
The 2007 NFL draft consisted of 255 selections, with players distributed across positions in a manner that emphasized trenches and skill roles amid a perceived talent scarcity at quarterback. A total of 12 quarterbacks were chosen, marking one of the shallower classes at the position in recent history, where teams often reached for prospects lacking elite traits. In contrast, running backs totaled 18, wide receivers 35, and tight ends 17, reflecting the era's focus on versatile offensive weapons. The offensive line saw significant investment with 22 tackles, 19 guards, and 6 centers selected, totaling 47 linemen overall. On defense, 25 defensive ends, 18 defensive tackles, 33 linebackers, 30 cornerbacks, and 20 safeties were drafted, while specialists included 3 kickers and 3 punters.[2]| Position | Number Drafted |
|---|---|
| QB | 12 |
| RB | 18 |
| WR | 35 |
| TE | 17 |
| OT | 22 |
| OG | 19 |
| C | 6 |
| DE | 25 |
| DT | 18 |
| LB | 33 |
| CB | 30 |
| S | 20 |
| K | 3 |
| P | 3 |
Round-by-round selections
The 2007 NFL Draft consisted of 255 selections across seven rounds, held on April 28–29 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.[24] The first round featured a strong emphasis on offensive and defensive linemen, with 10 such players selected among the top 32 picks.[24]Round 1
The first round began with the Oakland Raiders selecting quarterback JaMarcus Russell from Louisiana State University with the No. 1 overall pick. Russell, a 6-foot-6 standout at LSU, posted a 61.9% career completion rate with 52 touchdown passes and ranking second all-time at LSU in those categories.[25] The Detroit Lions followed at No. 2, drafting wide receiver Calvin Johnson from Georgia Tech, who set school records with 4,267 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns over three seasons, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2006.[26] At No. 3, the Cleveland Browns chose offensive tackle Joe Thomas from Wisconsin, a three-time All-Big Ten selection who allowed just one sack in his senior year while anchoring the Badgers' line. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected defensive end Gaines Adams from Clemson at No. 4, where he recorded 15.5 sacks in his final two seasons, leading the ACC in 2006. No. 5 went to the Arizona Cardinals with offensive tackle Levi Brown from Penn State, a two-time All-Big Ten honoree who started 40 games for the Nittany Lions. The Washington Redskins picked safety LaRon Landry from LSU at No. 6, who recorded 71 tackles and three interceptions in his senior season of 2006. At No. 7, the Minnesota Vikings selected running back Adrian Peterson from Oklahoma, who rushed for 1,925 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior, setting school records and winning the Doak Walker Award. The Atlanta Falcons took defensive end Jamaal Anderson from Arkansas at No. 8, where he tallied 10 sacks over his career despite playing through injuries. No. 9 was wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. from Ohio State to the Miami Dolphins, a track star who returned four punt touchdowns in college and was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2006. Rounding out the top 10, the Houston Texans drafted defensive tackle Amobi Okoye from Louisville at No. 10, the youngest player in draft history at age 20, with 10 sacks in his senior year. The full first-round selections are as follows:| Pick | Team | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland Raiders | JaMarcus Russell | QB | LSU | |
| 2 | Detroit Lions | Calvin Johnson | WR | Georgia Tech | |
| 3 | Cleveland Browns | Joe Thomas | OT | Wisconsin | |
| 4 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Gaines Adams | DE | Clemson | |
| 5 | Arizona Cardinals | Levi Brown | OT | Penn State | |
| 6 | Washington Redskins | LaRon Landry | S | LSU | |
| 7 | Minnesota Vikings | Adrian Peterson | RB | Oklahoma | |
| 8 | Atlanta Falcons | Jamaal Anderson | DE | Arkansas | |
| 9 | Miami Dolphins | Ted Ginn Jr. | WR | Ohio State | |
| 10 | Houston Texans | Amobi Okoye | DT | Louisville | |
| 11 | San Francisco 49ers | Patrick Willis | LB | Ole Miss | Compensatory pick |
| 12 | Buffalo Bills | Marshawn Lynch | RB | California | |
| 13 | St. Louis Rams | Adam Carriker | DE | Nebraska | |
| 14 | New York Jets | Darrelle Revis | CB | Pittsburgh | |
| 15 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Lawrence Timmons | LB | Florida State | |
| 16 | Green Bay Packers | Justin Harrell | DT | Tennessee | |
| 17 | Denver Broncos | Jarvis Moss | DE | Florida | |
| 18 | Cincinnati Bengals | Leon Hall | CB | Michigan | |
| 19 | Tennessee Titans | Michael Griffin | S | Texas | |
| 20 | New York Giants | Aaron Ross | CB | Texas | |
| 21 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Reggie Nelson | S | Florida | |
| 22 | Cleveland Browns | Brady Quinn | QB | Notre Dame | From Dallas via trade |
| 23 | Kansas City Chiefs | Dwayne Bowe | WR | LSU | |
| 24 | New England Patriots | Brandon Meriweather | S | Miami (FL) | |
| 25 | Carolina Panthers | Jon Beason | LB | Miami (FL) | |
| 26 | Dallas Cowboys | Anthony Spencer | DE | Purdue | |
| 27 | New Orleans Saints | Robert Meachem | WR | Tennessee | |
| 28 | San Francisco 49ers | Joe Staley | OT | Central Michigan | |
| 29 | Baltimore Ravens | Ben Grubbs | OG | Auburn | |
| 30 | San Diego Chargers | Craig Davis | WR | LSU | |
| 31 | Chicago Bears | Greg Olsen | TE | Miami (FL) | From Buffalo via trade |
| 32 | Indianapolis Colts | Anthony Gonzalez | WR | Ohio State |
Rounds 2–3
In Round 2, mid-round talents emerged, including safety Eric Weddle from Utah selected by the San Diego Chargers at No. 37 overall; Weddle earned Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2006 with 80 tackles and five interceptions. The Pittsburgh Steelers picked defensive end LaMarr Woodley from Michigan at No. 46, where he recorded 11 sacks as a senior and helped the Wolverines to a perfect regular season. Center Ryan Kalil from USC went to the Carolina Panthers at No. 59, a two-time All-American who anchored the line for two national title teams. Other notable Round 2 selections included quarterback Kevin Kolb from Houston to the Philadelphia Eagles (No. 36), who set school records with 12,429 passing yards, and running back Chris Henry from Arizona to the Tennessee Titans (No. 50), who rushed for 581 yards and 7 touchdowns in his senior year.[24] Round 3 featured additional value picks, such as offensive tackle Marshal Yanda from Iowa to the Baltimore Ravens at No. 86; Yanda started 37 games for the Hawkeyes, earning All-Big Ten honors twice. Defensive end Charles Johnson from Georgia went to the Carolina Panthers at No. 83, leading the Bulldogs with 6.5 sacks in 2006. Linebacker David Harris from Michigan to the New York Jets (No. 47, technically Round 2 but highlighted for impact) recorded 66 tackles in his senior season. These rounds saw 67 total picks, with a focus on defensive backs and linemen.[24]Rounds 4–7
Later rounds produced several sleepers who became key contributors, including offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod from Towson to the New Orleans Saints at No. 125 in Round 4; Bushrod, an FCS standout, earned All-Atlantic 10 honors with minimal sacks allowed in his senior year. Tight end Brent Celek from Cincinnati went to the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 137 in Round 5, where he set school records with 2,060 receiving yards. In Round 6, quarterback Troy Smith from Ohio State was selected by the Baltimore Ravens at No. 174; the 2006 Heisman Trophy winner threw for 2,542 yards and 23 touchdowns in his senior season. Round 7 included defensive back Ramzee Robinson from Alabama to the Detroit Lions at No. 244, a versatile corner who intercepted four passes in his final college year.[24] These rounds accounted for 156 selections (Rounds 4: 38 picks, Round 5: 37, Round 6: 36, Round 7: 45), often featuring developmental prospects and compensatory picks awarded to teams like the 49ers and Eagles for free-agent losses.[24] While exhaustive listings are extensive, the picks emphasized depth at positions like wide receiver and defensive line, with trades adding complexity to the order.[24]Additional selections
Supplemental draft
The NFL supplemental draft provides an opportunity for players who were ineligible to participate in the regular draft due to academic, disciplinary, or other NCAA-related issues to enter the league. Held annually in the summer following the primary April draft, the process allows teams to select such players in a single-day event, with the selecting team required to forfeit an equivalent-round pick in the subsequent year's regular draft. This mechanism ensures fairness by compensating teams for the lost future selection while integrating eligible prospects without disrupting the main draft order.[27] In 2007, the supplemental draft took place on July 12, shortly after the regular draft concluded in late April. Only two players were selected, reflecting the rarity of the event; since its inception in 1977, the supplemental draft has produced just 46 total picks league-wide, far fewer than the 255 selections in the 2007 main draft. Both selections involved players sidelined by academic ineligibility during their final college seasons.[28][29] The San Diego Chargers chose safety Paul Oliver from the University of Georgia in the fourth round (1st overall in that round). Oliver, who had started 13 games as a cornerback for the Bulldogs in 2006, entered the draft after academic issues prevented his return for a senior season. The Baltimore Ravens followed by selecting offensive tackle Jared Gaither from the University of Maryland in the fifth round (1st overall in that round). Gaither, a standout left tackle who had earned All-ACC honors as a junior, was ruled academically ineligible for Maryland's 2007 campaign despite regaining eligibility for NFL purposes. As a result, the Chargers forfeited their 2008 fourth-round pick, and the Ravens surrendered their 2008 fifth-rounder.[30][31][32][33]| Round | Overall Pick | Team | Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | San Diego Chargers | Paul Oliver | S | Georgia |
| 5 | 1 | Baltimore Ravens | Jared Gaither | OT | Maryland |
Notable undrafted players
Following the 2007 NFL Draft, which concluded on April 29, teams engaged in a frenzied period of signing undrafted free agents (UDFAs) to bolster their rosters, with negotiations often driven by agents pitching players to teams based on positional needs and immediate contributions in training camp.[34] Unlike drafted players who receive guaranteed contracts, UDFAs signed standard rookie deals at the league minimum, facing intense competition to secure practice squad or 53-man roster spots during the preseason.[34] This process highlighted the draft's limitations, as several overlooked talents from the 2007 class carved out significant roles through persistence and opportunity. Among the most notable UDFAs from the 2007 class were players who addressed specific team deficiencies and demonstrated versatility early on. Pierre Thomas, a running back from the University of Illinois, signed with the New Orleans Saints on April 30, 2007, and quickly adapted to a multifaceted role, appearing in 10 games as a rookie while providing blocking and receiving support behind established backs.[35] His immediate integration into the Saints' offense underscored the value of UDFAs in depth roles during roster battles. Lyle Sendlein, a center from the University of Texas, joined the Arizona Cardinals shortly after the draft, filling a need at the interior line following injuries; he started two games as a rookie and became a fixture, anchoring the position for the next several seasons.[36] Similarly, safety Melvin Bullitt from Texas A&M signed with the Indianapolis Colts on May 1, 2007, earning early playing time on special teams and in defensive packages, which helped him transition to a starting role by 2009.[37] Quarterback Matt Moore, out of Oregon State, was signed by the Dallas Cowboys on April 30, 2007, competing in a crowded backfield during preseason but ultimately latching on with the Carolina Panthers via waivers, where he served as a reliable backup and occasional starter.[38] Eric Weems, a wide receiver and return specialist from Bethune-Cookman University, inked a deal with the Atlanta Falcons on May 2, 2007, and contributed immediately on special teams, handling punt and kickoff returns while vying for offensive snaps.[39] Linebacker Nick Roach from Northwestern signed with the San Diego Chargers on May 1, 2007, starting on the practice squad before moving to the Chicago Bears, where he developed into a special teams contributor and eventual starter.[40]| Player | Position | College | Team Signed (Date) | Immediate Role/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pierre Thomas | RB | Illinois | Saints (Apr 30) | Rookie appearances in 10 games; receptions leader among RBs |
| Lyle Sendlein | C | Texas | Cardinals (Apr 30) | Started 2 games due to injuries; line depth |
| Melvin Bullitt | S | Texas A&M | Colts (May 1) | Special teams and dime defense snaps |
| Matt Moore | QB | Oregon State | Cowboys (Apr 30) | Preseason competition; waived to Panthers |
| Eric Weems | WR/KR | Bethune-Cookman | Falcons (May 2) | Return duties; practice squad elevation |
| Nick Roach | LB | Northwestern | Chargers (May 1) | Practice squad; special teams transition |