The annual event where NFL teams select college players is the NFL Draft. Officially called the Annual Player Selection Meeting, it is the league's primary system for recruiting new players from college football and other eligible backgrounds.
The draft began in 1936, when NFL teams gathered at Philadelphia's Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Its original purpose was to distribute talent more evenly among teams and prevent wealthier or more established clubs from signing every promising player. Draft order is generally based on the previous season's results: the team with the worst record picks first, while the Super Bowl champion selects last. Teams may also trade their selections for other picks or players.
The draft now takes place over multiple rounds across several days and has become one of the NFL's biggest annual media events. A player's selection does not guarantee a starting role or a long career; teams evaluate college production, athletic testing, interviews, medical reports, and positional needs.
The NFL Combine is often confused with the draft. The Combine tests and interviews prospects, while the draft is the event in which teams officially select them.