The 2009 NFL draft was the 74th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day, starting at 4:00pm EDT, and five rounds on the second day, starting at 10:00am EDT. To compensate for the time change from the previous year and in an effort to help shorten the draft, teams were no longer on the clock for 15 minutes in the first round and 10 minutes in the second round. Each team now had 10 minutes to make their selection in the first round and seven minutes in the second round. Rounds three through seven were shortened to five minutes per team. This was the first year that the NFL used this format and it was changed again the following year for the 2010 NFL draft. The 2009 NFL draft was televised by both NFL Network and ESPN and was the first to have cheerleaders. The Detroit Lions, who became the first team in NFL history to finish a season at 0–16, used the first selection in the draft to select University of GeorgiaquarterbackMatthew Stafford.
It was the first draft since 1983 that saw two centers being selected in the first round—Alex Mack at No. 21 to the Browns, and Eric Wood at No. 28 to the Bills. It was also the first time since the 1993 draft that a Miami Hurricanes player was not selected in the first round. As of the end of the 2018 season, the 2009 draft has seen 11 of the 32 first-round selections make the Pro Bowl, and 27 (including three punters) in total for the entire class. It has been referred to as one of the worst drafts in league history. This was the first time that a Mr. Irrelevant went on to win a Super Bowl (Ryan Succop).
As of 2025, the only remaining active players in the NFL from the 2009 draft class are Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, 49ers punter Thomas Morstead, and Giants placekicker Graham Gano.
Overview
The following is the breakdown of the 256 players selected by position:
First overall pick and the 2025 NFL Most Valuable PlayerMatthew Stafford is the fastest quarterback to reach 40,000 passing yards in NFL history and led the Los Angeles Rams to a victory in Super Bowl LVI.Linebacker Brian Orakpo, taken 13th overall, was a 4-time Pro Bowl selection.Cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, drafted 14th overall, won two Super Bowls with two different teams and was named to 3 Pro Bowls.Linebacker Clay Matthews III, picked 26th overall, is a member of the Matthews family of football players and was one of the league's premier pass-rushers throughout his career.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announcing a pick at the 2009 draft.
In the explanations below, (D) denotes trades that took place during the draft, while (PD) indicates trades completed pre-draft.
Round 1
↑No. 5: Cleveland → NY Jets (D). Cleveland traded a first-round selection (5th overall) to the NY Jets in exchange for first- and second-round selections (17th and 52nd overall), DE Kenyon Coleman, QB Brett Ratliff and S Abram Elam.
↑No. 17: NY Jets → Cleveland → Tampa Bay. Multiple trades: NY Jets → Cleveland (D). See Round 1: Cleveland → NY Jets. Cleveland → Tampa Bay (D). Cleveland traded a first-round selection (17th overall) to Tampa Bay in exchange for first- and sixth-round selections (19th and 191st overall).
↑No. 18: Chicago → Denver (PD). Chicago traded first- and third-round selections (18th and 84th overall), a 2010 first-round selection and QB Kyle Orton to Denver in exchange for a fifth-round selection (140th overall) and QB Jay Cutler.
↑No. 19: Tampa Bay → Cleveland → Philadelphia. Multiple trades: Tampa Bay → Cleveland (D). See Round 1: Cleveland → Tampa Bay. Cleveland → Philadelphia (D). Cleveland traded a first-round selection (19th overall) to Philadelphia in exchange for first- and sixth-round selections (21st and 195th overall).
↑No. 20: Dallas → Detroit (PD). Dallas traded first-, third- and sixth-round selections (20th, 82nd and 192nd overall) to Detroit in exchange for a seventh-round selection (210th overall) and WR Roy Williams.
↑No. 23: New England → Baltimore (D). New England traded a first-round selection (23rd overall) to Baltimore in exchange for first- and fifth-round selections (26th and 162nd overall).
↑No. 26: Baltimore → New England → Green Bay. Multiple trades: Baltimore → New England (D). See Round 1: New England → Baltimore. New England → Green Bay (D). New England traded first- and fifth-round selections (26th and 162nd overall) to Green Bay in exchange for a second-round selection and two third-round selections (41st, 73rd and 83rd overall).
↑No. 28: Carolina → Philadelphia → Buffalo. Multiple trades: Carolina → Philadelphia (PD). Carolina traded a first-round selection (28th overall), and 2008 second- and fourth-round selections to Philadelphia in exchange for a 2008 first-round selection. Philadelphia → Buffalo (PD). Philadelphia traded first- and fourth-round selections (28th and 121st overall) to Buffalo in exchange for OT Jason Peters.
Round 2
↑No. 34: Kansas City → New England (PD). Kansas City traded a second-round selection (34th overall) to New England in exchange for QB Matt Cassel and LB Mike Vrabel.
↑No. 37: Seattle → Denver (D). Seattle traded a second-round selection (37th overall) to Denver in exchange for a 2010 first-round selection.
↑No. 40: Oakland → New England (D). Oakland traded a second-round selection (40th overall) to New England in exchange for second-, fourth- and sixth-round selections (47th, 124th and 199th overall).
↑No. 43: San Francisco → Carolina (D). San Francisco traded second- and fourth-round selections (43rd and 111th overall) to Carolina in exchange for a 2010 first-round selection.
↑No. 44: Washington → Miami (PD). Washington traded a second-round selection (44th overall) and a 2010 sixth-round selection to Miami in exchange for DE Jason Taylor.
↑No. 45: New Orleans → NY Giants (PD). New Orleans traded second- and fifth-round selections (45th and 151st overall) to the NY Giants in exchange for TE Jeremy Shockey.
↑No. 47: San Diego → New England → Oakland. Multiple trades: San Diego → New England (PD). San Diego traded a second-round selection (47th overall) and a 2008 fifth-round selection to New England in exchange for a 2008 third-round selection (69th overall). New England → Oakland (D). See Round 2: Oakland → New England.
↑No. 49: Chicago → Seattle (D). Chicago traded a second-round selection (49th overall) to Seattle in exchange for third- and fourth-round selections (68th and 105th overall).[citation needed]
↑No. 50: Tampa Bay → Cleveland (PD). Tampa Bay traded a second-round selection (50th overall) and a 2010 fifth-round selection to Cleveland in exchange for TE Kellen Winslow Jr.
↑No. 51: Dallas → Buffalo (D). Dallas traded a second-round selection (51st overall) to Buffalo in exchange for third- and fourth-round selections (75th and 110th overall).
↑No. 56: Miami → Indianapolis (D). Miami traded a second-round selection (56th overall) to Indianapolis in exchange for second- and fifth-round selections (61st and 165th overall).[citation needed]
↑No. 64: Pittsburgh → Denver (D). Pittsburgh traded second- and fourth-round selections (64th and 132nd overall) to Denver in exchange for two third-round selections (79th and 84th overall).
Round 3
↑No. 65: Detroit → NY Jets (D). Detroit traded a third-round selection (65th overall) to the NY Jets in exchange for third-, fourth- and seventh-round selections (76th, 115th and 228th overall).
↑No. 69: Cleveland → Dallas (PD). Cleveland traded a third-round selection (69th overall) to Dallas in exchange for a 2008 fourth-round selection.
↑No. 73: Green Bay → New England → Jacksonville. Multiple trades: Green Bay → New England (D). See Round 1: New England → Green Bay. New England → Jacksonville (D). New England traded a third-round selection (73rd overall) to Jacksonville in exchange for a seventh-round selection (232nd overall) and a 2010 second-round selection.
↑No. 76: New Orleans → NY Jets → Detroit. Multiple trades: New Orleans → NY Jets (PD). New Orleans traded a third-round selection (76th overall) and a 2008 fourth-round selection to the NY Jets in exchange for a fourth-round selection (118th overall) and LB Jonathan Vilma. The third-round selection was upgraded from a fourth-rounder after Vilma met playtime incentives. NY Jets → Detroit (D). See Round 3: Detroit → NY Jets
↑No. 83: NY Jets → Green Bay → New England. Multiple trades: NY Jets → Green Bay (PD). The NY Jets traded a third-round selection (83rd overall) to Green Bay in exchange for QB Brett Favre. The conditional selection, originally a fourth-rounder, became a third-round selection (83rd overall) because Favre took more than 50 percent of the team's snaps; had the Jets made the playoffs, it would have become a second-round selection. Green Bay → New England (D) See Round 1: New England → Green Bay.
↑No. 84: Chicago → Denver → Pittsburgh. Multiple trades: Chicago → Denver (PD). See Round 1: Chicago → Denver. Denver → Pittsburgh (D). See Round 2: Pittsburgh → Denver.
↑No. 85: Philadelphia → NY Giants (PD). Philadelphia traded a third-round selection (85th overall) to the NY Giants in exchange for third- and fifth-round selections (91st and 164th overall).
↑No. 89: New England → Tennessee (D). New England traded a third-round selection (89th overall) to Tennessee in exchange for a 2010 second-round selection.
↑No. 91: NY Giants → Philadelphia → Seattle. Multiple trades: NY Giants → Philadelphia (PD). See Round 3: Philadelphia → NY Giants. Philadelphia → Seattle (D). Philadelphia traded a third-round selection (91st overall) to Seattle in exchange for fifth- and seventh-round selections (137th and 213th overall), and a 2010 third round selection.
Round 4
↑No. 101: Detroit → Dallas (PD). Detroit traded a fourth-round selection (101st overall) and a 2008 third-round selection to Dallas in exchange for a 2008 third-round selection.
↑No. 108: Oakland → Miami (D). Oakland traded fourth- and sixth-round selections (108th and 181st overall) to Miami in exchange for a fourth-round selection (126th overall) and C Samson Satele.
↑No. 115: Washington → NY Jets → Detroit. Multiple trades: Washington → NY Jets (PD). Washington traded a fourth-round selection (115th overall) to the NY Jets in exchange for G Pete Kendall. The pick was upgraded from the fifth round after Kendall played 80 percent of the snaps for Washington in 2007. NY Jets → Detroit (D). See Round 3: Detroit → NY Jets.[citation needed]
↑No. 117: Dallas → Tampa Bay (D). Dallas traded a fourth-round selection (117th overall) to Tampa Bay in exchange for fourth- and seventh-round selections (120th and 229th overall).
↑No. 122: Minnesota → Houston (PD). Minnesota traded a fourth-round selection (122nd overall) to Houston in exchange for QB Sage Rosenfels.
↑No. 123: Baltimore → New England (PD). Baltimore traded fourth- and sixth-round selections (123rd and 198th overall) to New England in exchange for two fifth-round selections (137th and 141st overall).
↑No. 137: Detroit → Seattle → Philadelphia → New England → Baltimore. Multiple trades: Detroit → Seattle (D). Detroit traded a fifth-round selection (137th overall) and DT Cory Redding to Seattle in exchange for LB Julian Peterson. Seattle → Philadelphia (D). See Round 3: Philadelphia → Seattle. Philadelphia → New England (D). Philadelphia traded two fifth-round selections (137th and 141st overall) to New England in exchange for CB Ellis Hobbs. New England → Baltimore (D). See Round 4: Baltimore → New England.
↑No. 138: St. Louis → Atlanta (D). St. Louis traded fifth- and sixth-round selections (138th and 176th overall) to Atlanta in exchange for fifth- and sixth-round selections (160th and 196th overall), and WR Laurent Robinson.
↑No. 140: Seattle → Denver → Chicago. Multiple trades: Seattle → Denver (PD). Seattle traded a fifth-round selection (140th overall) to Denver in exchange for WR Keary Colbert. Denver → Chicago (D). See Round 1: Chicago → Denver.
↑No. 141: Cleveland → Philadelphia → New England → Baltimore. Multiple trades: Cleveland → Philadelphia (PD). Cleveland traded a fifth-round selection (141st overall) to Philadelphia in exchange for a 2008 sixth-round selection. Philadelphia → New England (D). See Round 5: Philadelphia → New England. New England → Baltimore (D). See Round 4: Baltimore → New England. Baltimore → Denver (D). Baltimore traded a fifth-round selection (141st overall) to Denver in exchange for fifth- and sixth-round selections (149th and 185th overall).
↑No. 143: Oakland → Atlanta → Dallas. Multiple trades: Oakland → Atlanta (PD). Oakland traded a fifth-round selection (143rd overall) and a 2008 second-round selection to Atlanta in exchange for CB DeAngelo Hall. Atlanta → Dallas (D). Atlanta traded a fifth-round selection (143rd overall) to Dallas in exchange for fifth- and seventh-round selections (156th and 210th overall).
↑No. 150: Washington → Minnesota (D). Washington traded a fifth-round selection (150th overall) to Minnesota in exchange for fifth- and seventh-round selections (158th and 221st overall).
↑No. 153: NY Jets → Philadelphia (PD). The NY Jets traded a fifth-round selection (153rd overall) and a 2010 conditional selection to Philadelphia in exchange for CB Lito Sheppard.
↑No. 159: New England → Philadelphia (PD). New England traded a fifth-round selection (159th overall) to Philadelphia in exchange for a 2010 seventh-round selection and WR Greg Lewis.
↑No. 162: Baltimore → New England → Green Bay. Multiple trades: Baltimore → New England (D). See Round 1: Baltimore → New England. New England → Green Bay (D). See Round 1: Green Bay → New England.
↑No. 164: NY Giants → Philadelphia → New Orleans. Multiple trades: NY Giants → Philadelphia (D). See Round 3: Philadelphia → NY Giants. Philadelphia → New Orleans (D). Philadelphia traded a fifth-round selection (164th overall) to New Orleans in exchange for a seventh-round selection (222nd overall) and a 2010 fifth-round selection.
↑No. 166: Tennessee → Dallas (PD). Dallas originally traded a 2008 fourth-round selection to Tennessee in exchange for CB Adam Jones. Tennessee gave up an additional fifth-round selection (166th overall) after Jones was suspended by the league on October 15, 2008; had Jones made it through the 2008 season without suspension, Tennessee would have received a sixth-round selection from Dallas.
Round 6
↑No. 174: Detroit → Denver (D). Detroit traded a sixth-round selection (174th overall) to Denver in exchange for a seventh-round selection (235th overall) and a 2010 fifth-round selection.
↑No. 187: New Orleans → Green Bay (PD). New Orleans traded a sixth-round selection (187th overall) to Green Bay in exchange for a 2008 seventh-round selection.
↑No. 191: Tampa Bay → Chicago → Tampa Bay → Cleveland. Multiple trades: Tampa Bay → Chicago (PD). Tampa Bay traded a sixth-round selection (191st overall) to Chicago in exchange for QB Brian Griese. Chicago → Tampa Bay (PD). Chicago traded sixth- and seventh-round selections (191st and 229th overall) to Tampa Bay in exchange for G Dan Buenning. Tampa Bay → Cleveland (D). See Round 1: Cleveland → Tampa Bay.
↑No. 195: Minnesota → Philadelphia → Cleveland. Multiple trades: Minnesota → Philadelphia (PD). Minnesota traded a sixth-round selection (195th overall) to Philadelphia in exchange for QB Kelly Holcomb. Philadelphia → Cleveland (D). See Round 1: Cleveland → Philadelphia.
↑No. 197: Miami → Dallas (PD). Miami traded a sixth-round selection (197th overall) and a 2008 sixth-round selection to Dallas for a 2008 sixth-round selection and DT Jason Ferguson.
↑No. 202: Carolina → Oakland (D). Carolina traded a sixth-round selection (202nd overall) to Oakland in exchange for a seventh-round selection (216th overall) and a 2010 sixth-round selection.
Round 7
↑No. 210: Detroit → Dallas → Atlanta. Multiple trades: Detroit → Dallas (PD). See Round 1: Dallas → Detroit. Dallas → Atlanta (D). See Round 5: Atlanta → Dallas.
↑No. 217: Jacksonville → Tampa Bay (PD). Jacksonville traded a seventh-round selection (217th overall), and 2008 second- and fifth-round selections to Tampa Bay in exchange for a 2008 second-round selection.
↑No. 221: Washington → Minnesota → Washington. Multiple trades: Washington → Minnesota (PD). Washington traded a seventh-round selection (221st overall) to Minnesota in exchange for DE Erasmus James. Minnesota → Washington (D). See Round 5: Washington → Minnesota.
↑No. 222: New Orleans → Philadelphia → Indianapolis. Multiple trades: New Orleans → Philadelphia (D). See Round 5: Philadelphia → New Orleans. Philadelphia → Indianapolis (D). Philadelphia traded a seventh-round selection (222nd overall) to Indianapolis in exchange for a 2010 sixth-round selection.
↑No. 226: Tampa Bay → Pittsburgh (PD). Tampa Bay traded a seventh-round selection (226th overall) to Pittsburgh in exchange for C Sean Mahan.
↑No. 229: Chicago → Tampa Bay → Detroit → Dallas. Multiple trades: Chicago → Tampa Bay (PD). See Round 6: Chicago → Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay → Dallas (D). See Round 4: Dallas → Tampa Bay.
↑No. 232: Miami → Jacksonville → New England. Multiple trades: Miami → Jacksonville (PD). Miami traded a seventh-round selection (232nd overall) to Jacksonville in exchange for DT Tony McDaniel. Jacksonville → New England (D). See Round 3: New England → Jacksonville.
↑No. 233: Baltimore → Tampa Bay (PD). Baltimore traded a seventh-round selection (233rd overall) and a 2010 conditional seventh-round selection to Tampa Bay in exchange for DL Marques Douglas.
↑No. 235: Atlanta → Denver → Detroit. Multiple trades: Atlanta → Denver (PD). Atlanta traded a seventh-round selection (235th overall) to Denver in exchange for CB Domonique Foxworth. Denver → Detroit (D). See Round 5: Detroit → Denver.
↑No. 237: Carolina → Miami → Kansas City. Multiple trades: Carolina → Miami (PD). Carolina traded a seventh-round selection (237th overall) to Miami in exchange for QB Josh McCown. Miami → Kansas City (D). Miami traded a seventh-round selection (237th overall) to Kansas City in exchange for a 2010 seventh-round selection.
Supplemental draft selections
One player was selected in the 2009 Supplemental Draft: