What is the NFL Supplemental Draft? Explaining the process, how players enter and when it takes place

The NFL is expected to hold its first Supplemental Draft since 2019 after the league granted eligibility for Purdue receiver Milton Wright.

The Supplemental Draft is for draft-eligible players who didn’t enter the NFL Draft but are unable to return to college football the same year.

Here’s everything you need to know about the event:

What is the Supplemental Draft?

The supplemental draft, which is held each summer, was installed in 1977 as an option for draft-eligible players who did not declare for the regular NFL Draft. Normally, players who declare for the supplemental draft do so because of unexpected eligibility issues in college (academic or discipline).

The supplemental draft is not televised and usually takes about 10 minutes. — Brugler

When is it?

The NFL Supplemental Draft usually takes place in the summer. This year’s is scheduled for July 11.

How does it work?

The draft order for the supplemental draft is determined via a lottery system based on the previous season’s win-loss records.

The draft order is divided into three groups:

The order of each group is randomly selected. If a team is interested in drafting a prospect, they place a bid on that player in a certain round. If multiple teams submit bids on a player in the same round, the team picking first in the order is awarded the player.

Once a team drafts a player in the supplemental draft, it must forfeit its pick in that round in the following NFL Draft. For example, in 2019 when the Cardinals selected defensive back Jalen Thompson with a fifth-round pick in the Supplemental Draft, they forfeited a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. — Brugler

How does a player enter the Supplemental Draft?

Prospects looking to enter the Supplemental Draft have to apply with and be approved by the league office for eligibility.

Who is in the Supplemental Draft this year?

Wright, who was ruled academically ineligible for the 2022 season, is the only player who has been approved so far. During the 2021 season, he caught 57 passes for 732 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 12.8 yards per reception.

How many players have been selected in the Supplemental Draft?

The most noteworthy players who entered the NFL via the Supplemental Draft include Bernie Kosar (1985), Cris Carter (1987) and Josh Gordon (2012). Since 1977, 46 players have been selected in the supplemental draft. — Brugler

Who was the most recent player selected this way?

The last player to be selected in the Supplemental Draft was Thompson, who was ruled ineligible by the NCAA for the 2019 season due to the purchase of an over-the-counter supplement, according to The Spokesman-Review. Thompson, who has recorded 307 total tackles, five interceptions and 19 pass breakups over four seasons in Arizona, signed a contract extension with the franchise in September of 2022.

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NFL Supplemental Draft: Safety Jalen Thompson, wideout Marcus Simms lead crop of draft hopefuls

 (Photo of Cris Carter: David Durochik / AP)