The draft was broadcast on ESPN and ESPN2 beginning at noon on Saturday, April 26 and beginning at 11:00am on Sunday, April 27. The draft consisted of seven rounds, with teams selecting in the reverse order of the finish the previous season. There were 32 compensatory picks distributed among 15 teams, with five teams each receiving four additional selections. In addition, the Houston Texans, who started play as an expansion franchise the previous season, were granted a supplemental selection in the middle of each of the draft's final five rounds, plus the final selection in the final two rounds.
There was little drama when the draft began with the Cincinnati Bengals selecting Carson Palmer, as Palmer had agreed to contract terms with the Bengals the previous day. He became the first Heisman Trophy winner selected first overall in the draft since Vinny Testaverde in 1987. The event ended nearly 30 hours later with Ryan Hoag being chosen by the Oakland Raiders with the final pick and thus gaining the distinction of "Mr. Irrelevant".
The draft took an odd turn with the Minnesota Vikings and their pick (7th) in the first round. The Vikings were apparently attempting to consummate a trade when their 15-minute time allowance elapsed. The Jaguars who selected next were quick to pounce, turning in their card to select QB Byron Leftwich immediately after the Vikings' time elapsed. The Panthers also took advantage of the gaffe, selecting OT Jordan Gross before the Vikings recovered and selected DT Kevin Williams. Nevertheless, the mistake may have worked in the Vikings' favor as Williams went on to be a mainstay in their team, missing only four games in his first 10 seasons in the NFL and making six Pro Bowls.
The colleges with the most players selected in the draft were Florida, Miami and Tennessee which each had eight players chosen. Meanwhile, Penn State and Miami each had four players selected in the first round. Eleven defensive linemen were selected in round one, eclipsing the previous record of nine, set in 2001. Ten underclassmen were taken in the first round, including three of the first four overall selections. The first round lasted nearly five hours. The Buffalo Bills selection of Miami's Willis McGahee as the first running back off the board was notable because he was recovering from a career-threatening injury he suffered in the Fiesta Bowl which it was believed could have caused him to miss the upcoming season.
This draft is notable for its excellent undrafted players, including longtime Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and San Diego Chargers Hall of Famer tight end Antonio Gates.
The 262 players chosen in the draft were in the following positions:
In the explanations below, (D) denotes trades that took place during the draft, while (PD) indicates trades completed pre-draft.
Round 1
↑No. 4: Chicago → NY Jets (PD). Chicago traded a first-round selection (4th overall) to the NY Jets in exchange for two first-round selections and a fourth-round selection (13th, 22nd and 116th overall).
↑No. 6: Arizona → New Orleans (D). Arizona traded first-, second- and fourth-round selections (6th, 37th and 102nd overall) to New Orleans in exchange for two first-round selections and a second-round selection (17th, 18th and 54th overall).
↑No. 13: Washington → NY Jets → Chicago → New England. Multiple trades: Washington → NY Jets (PD). Washington sent a first-round selection (13th overall) to the NY Jets as compensation for signing restricted free agent WR Laveranues Coles. NY Jets → Chicago (PD). See Round 1: Chicago → NY Jets Chicago → New England (D). Chicago traded a first-round selection (13th overall) to New England in exchange for first- and sixth-round selections (14th and 193rd overall).
↑No. 14: Buffalo → New England → Chicago. Multiple trades: Buffalo → New England (PD). Buffalo traded a first-round selection (14th overall) to New England in exchange for QB Drew Bledsoe. New England → Chicago (D). See Round 1: Chicago → New England
↑No. 15: San Diego → Philadelphia (D). San Diego traded a first-round selection (15th overall) to Philadelphia in exchange for first- and second-round selections (30th and 62nd overall).
↑No. 16: Kansas City → Pittsburgh (D). Kansas City traded a first-round selection (16th overall) to Pittsburgh in exchanege for first-, third- and sixth-round selections (27th, 92nd and 200th overall).
↑No. 18: Miami → New Orleans → Arizona. Multiple trades: Miami → New Orleans (PD). Miami traded a conditional first-round selection and a 2002 first-round selection to New Orleans in exchange for RB Ricky Williams. The conditional first-rounder was upgraded from the second round after Williams rushed for over 1,500 yards for Miami in 2002. New Orleans → Arizona (D). See Round 1: Arizona → New Orleans
↑No. 19: New England → Baltimore (D). New England traded a first-round selection (19th overall) to Baltimore in exchange for a second-round selection (41st overall) and a 2004 first-round selection.
↑No. 32: Tampa Bay → Oakland (PD). Tampa Bay traded a first-round selection (32nd overall), 2002 first- and second-round selections, and a 2004 second-round selection to Oakland in exchange for the rights to head coach Jon Gruden.
Round 2
↑No. 36: Houston → New England (D). Houston traded second- and fourth-round selections (36th and 117th overall) to New England in exchange for second- and third-round selections (41st and 75th overall).
↑No. 41: Baltimore → New England → Houston. Multiple trades: Baltimore → New England (D). See Round 1: New England → Baltimore New England → Houston (D). See Round 2: Houston → New England
↑No. 45: Carolina → New England (D). Carolina traded a second-round selection (45th overall) to New England in exchange for second- and fourth-round selections (50th and 120th overall).
↑No. 62: Green Bay → Philadelphia → San Diego. Multiple trades: Green Bay → Philadelphia (PD). Green Bay traded a second-round selection (62nd overall) to Philadelphia in exchange for a fourth-round selection (120th overall) and CB Al Harris. Philadelphia → San Diego (D). See Round 1: San Diego → Philadelphia
Round 3
↑No. 75: Washington → New England → Houston. Multiple trades: Washington → New England (PD). Washington traded a third-round selection (75th overall) and a 2004 fourth-round selection to New England in exchange for third- and fifth-round selections (81st and 140th overall). New England → Houston (D). See Round 2: Houston → New England
↑No. 78: Kansas City → New Orleans → New England → Miami. Multiple trades: Kansas City → New Orleans (PD). Kansas City traded a third-round selection (78th overall) to New Orleans in exchange for OT Willie Roaf. New Orleans → New England (D). New Orleans traded third- and seventh-round selections (78th and 239th overall) to New England in exchange for S Tebucky Jones. New England → Miami (PD). New England traded a third-round selection (78th overall) to Miami in exchange for a 2004 second-round selection.
↑No. 79: Buffalo → Green Bay (D). Buffalo traded a third-round selection (79th overall) to Green Bay in exchange for third- and fourth-round selections (94th and 127th overall).
↑No. 82: Denver → Carolina (D). Denver traded a third-round selection (82nd overall) to Carolina in exchange for two fourth-round selections and a seventh-round selection (108th, 120th and 227th overall).
↑No. 83: Houston → Oakland (D). Houston traded third- and seventh-round selections (83rd and 262nd overall) to Oakland in exchange for a 2004 second-round selection.
↑No. 88: Atlanta → Houston (PD). Atlanta traded a third-round selection (88th overall) to Houston in exchange for a 2002 fourth-round selection.
↑No. 107: Washington → St. Louis (PD). Washington traded a fourth-round selection (107th overall) and G David Loverne to St. Louis in exchange for RB Trung Canidate.
↑No. 118: New Orleans → Cincinnati (PD). New Orleans traded a fourth-round selection (118th overall) to Cincinnati in exchange for RB Curtis Keaton.
↑No. 119: Miami → Carolina (PD). Miami traded a fourth-round selection (119th overall) and DE Al Wallace to Carolina in exchange for DE Jay Williams.
↑No. 120: New England → Carolina → Denver → New England. Multiple trades: New England → Carolina (D). See Round 2: Carolina → New England. Carolina → Denver (D). See Round 3: Denver → Carolina. Denver → New England (D). Denver traded a fourth-round selection (120th overall) to New England in exchange for fourth- and fifth-round selections (128th and 157th overall).
↑No. 127: Philadelphia → Green Bay → Buffalo. Multiple trades: Philadelphia → Green Bay (PD). See Round 2: Green Bay → Philadelphia. Green Bay → Buffalo (D). See Round 3: Buffalo → Green Bay.
↑No. 128: Green Bay → New England → Denver. Multiple trades: Green Bay → New England (PD). Green Bay traded a fourth-round selection (128th overall) and a 2002 fourth-round selection to New England in exchange for WR Terry Glenn. New England → Denver (D). See Round 4: Denver → New England.
Round 5
↑No. 138: Houston → Indianapolis (D). Houston traded a fifth-round selection (138th overall) to Indianapolis in exchange for a 2004 fourth-round selection.
↑No. 140: Dallas → New England → Washington → NY Jets. Multiple trades: Dallas → New England (PD). Dallas traded a fifth-round selection (140th overall) and a 2002 seventh-round selection to New England in exchange for a 2002 fifth-round selection. New England → Washington (PD). See Round 3: Washington → New England. Washington → NY Jets (PD). Washington sent a fifth-round selection (140th overall) to the NY Jets as compensation for signing restricted free agent KR Chad Morton.
↑No. 142: Minnesota → Cleveland (PD). Minnesota traded a fifth-round selection (142nd overall) to Cleveland in exchange for DL Stalin Colinet.
↑No. 143: Jacksonville → Chicago (D). Jacksonville traded a fifth-round selection (143rd overall) to Chicago in exchange for two sixth-round selections and a seventh-round selection (176th, 193rd and 218th overall).
↑No. 144: Washington → Detroit (D). Washington traded a fifth-round selection (144th overall) to Detroit in exchange for G Brenden Stai.
↑No. 147: Green Bay → Seattle (D). Seattle traded a fifth-round selection (147th overall) to Green Bay in exchange for fifth- and sixth-round selections (165th and 203rd overall).
↑No. 150: Kansas City → NY Jets (D). Kansas City traded fifth- and sixth-round selections (150th and 200th overall) to the NY Jets in exchange for fifth- and sixth-round selections (153rd and 189th overall).
↑No. 154: Houston → New England → Tennessee. Multiple trades: Houston → New England (PD). Houston traded a fifth-round selection (154th overall) to New England in exchange for OT Greg Randall. New England → Tennessee (D). New England traded fifth- and seventh-round selections (154th and 225th overall) to Tennessee in exchange for fifth-, sixth- and seventh-round selections (164th, 201st and 243rd overall).
↑No. 166: Philadelphia → Green Bay (D). Philadelphia traded a fifth-round selection (166th overall) to Green Bay in exchange for sixth- and seventh-round selections (185th and 244th overall).
↑No. 181: Carolina → Miami (D). Carolina traded a sixth-round selection (181st overall) to Miami in exchange for two seventh-round selections (226th and 247th overall).
↑No. 185: Washington → Green Bay → Philadelphia. Multiple trades: Washington → Green Bay (PD). Washington sent a sixth-round selection (185th overall) to Green Bay as compensation for signing restricted free agent S Matt Bowen. Green Bay → Philadelphia (D). See Round 5: Philadelphia → Green Bay.
↑No. 186: Kansas City → Dallas (PD). Kansas City traded a sixth-round selection (186th overall), and 2002 first- and third-round selections to Dallas in exchange for a 2002 first-round selection.
↑No. 190: New Orleans → Minnesota (PD). New Orleans traded a sixth-round selection (190th overall) to Minnesota in exchange for QB Todd Bouman.
↑No. 191: Miami → Chicago (PD). Miami traded a sixth-round selection (191st overall) and a 2002 sixth-round selection to Chicago in exchange for a 2002 seventh-round selection and QB Cade McNown.
↑No. 193: New England → Chicago → Jacksonville. Multiple trades: New England → Chicago (D). See Round 1: Chicago → New England Chicago → Jacksonville (D). See Round 5: Jacksonville → Chicago.
↑No. 200: Pittsburgh → Kansas City → NY Jets. Multiple trades: Pittsburgh → Kansas City (D). See Round 1: Kansas City → Pittsburgh Kansas City → NY Jets (D). See Round 5: Kansas City → NY Jets.
↑No. 202: Philadelphia → Atlanta (PD). Philadelphia traded a sixth-round selection (202nd overall) and a 2004 fourth-round selection to Atlanta in exchange for LB Mark Simoneau.
↑No. 203: Green Bay → Seattle → New Orleans. Multiple trades: Green Bay → Seattle (D). See Round 5: Green Bay → Seattle. Seattle → New Orleans (D). Seattle traded a sixth-round selection (203rd overall) to New Orleans in exchange for DT Norman Hand.
↑No. 220: Arizona → Detroit (D). Arizona traded a seventh-round selection (220th overall) to Detroit in exchange for WR Larry Foster.
↑No. 222: Jacksonville → Seattle (PD). Jacksonville traded a seventh-round selection (222nd overall) to Seattle in exchange for LB Ike Charlton.
↑No. 225: St. Louis → New England → Tennessee. Multiple trades: St. Louis → New England (PD). St. Louis traded a seventh-round selection (225th overall) to New England in exchange for OT Grant Williams. New England → Tennessee (D). See Round 5: New England → Tennessee.
↑No. 226: Washington → Miami → Carolina. Multiple trades: Washington → Miami (PD). Washington sent a seventh-round selection (226th overall) to Miami as compensation for signing restricted free agent DT Jermaine Haley. Miami → Carolina (D). See Round 6: Carolina → Miami.
↑No. 232: Miami → Washington (PD). Miami traded a seventh-round selection (232nd overall) to Washington in exchange for QB Sage Rosenfels.
↑No. 236: Cleveland → San Diego → Dallas → Detroit. Multiple trades: Cleveland → San Diego (PD). Cleveland traded a seventh-round selection (236th overall) to San Diego in exchange for TE Steve Heiden. San Diego → Dallas (PD). San Diego traded a seventh-round selection (236th overall) to Dallas in exchange for OT Kelvin Garmon. Dallas → Detroit (D). Dallas traded a seventh-round selection (236th overall) to Detroit in exchange for RB Aveion Cason.
↑No. 239: Indianapolis → New Orleans → New England. Multiple trades: Indianapolis → New Orleans (PD). Indianapolis traded a seventh-round selection (239th overall) to New Orleans in exchange for RB Ricky A. Williams. New Orleans → New England (D). See Round 3: New Orleans → New England.
↑No. 245: Philadelphia → Green Bay (D). Philadelphia traded a seventh-round selection (245th overall) to Green Bay in exchange for a 2004 sixth-round selection.
↑No. 247: Tampa Bay → Miami → Carolina. Multiple trades: Tampa Bay → Miami (D). Tampa Bay traded a seventh-round selection (247th overall) to Miami in exchange for OT Cornell Green. Miami → Carolina (D). See Round 6: Carolina → Miami.
↑No. 7: Minnesota held the 7th pick, but did not make their selection in the allotted time. By rule, they could make a selection at any time afterwards, but Jacksonville and Carolina were able to make their own picks before Minnesota could make its own.