The Chicago Bears held the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft thanks to a 3-14 record and a win over the Houston Texans in Week 18 of the 2022 season.
The Bears traded the pick for DJ Moore and three additional picks in the next three drafts, as the Carolina Panthers traded Moore, a first-rounder (No. 9) and a second-rounder (No. 61) this year, The first-round pick in 2024 and a second-round pick in 2025 to Chicago to move up to No. 1. The Panthers can likely pick their quarterback of the future, and the Bears can get more talent to surround quarterback Justin Fields, who had a much improved sophomore season.
So how rare is it for a No. 1 pick to be traded before the NFL Draft? Before Friday, it had happened 12 times since the NFL/AFL merger in 1967, including one pick awarded twice (1984). These next picks include notable players like Michael Vick, Earl Campbell and Jeff George.
It last happened in 2016, when the Tennessee Titans traded the first pick to the Los Angeles Rams two weeks before the draft, with the Rams moving up to No. 15 and giving up several valuable picks. Those Tennessee picks turned into running backs Derrick Henry and Jonnu Smith, among others, while the Rams selected quarterback Jared Goff atop the board.
Here’s a closer look at all 13 trades for the No. 1 pick since 1967, excluding deals that happened after the draft began, such as the Eli Manning/Philip Rivers trade in 2004, Bo Jackson in 1986 and John Elway in 1983.
2023
Player selected at No. 1: TBD
The bears received: WR DJ Moore, 2023 first-round pick (No. 9), 2023 second-round pick (No. 61), 2024 first-round pick and 2025 second-round pick.
Panthers received: 2023 first-round pick (No. 1)
2016
Player selected at No. 1: QB Jared Goff
Titans received: 2016 first-round pick (No. 15, later traded, WR Corey Coleman), 2016 second-round pick (No. 43, DT Austin Johnson), 2016 second-round pick (No. 45, RB Derrick Henry), 2016 third-round pick (No. 76, then traded, OT Shon Coleman), 2017 first-round pick (No. 5, WR Corey Davis) and 2017 third-round pick (No. 100, TE Jonnu Smith)
Aries received: 2016 No. 1 pick (Goff), 2016 fourth-round pick (No. 113, later traded, LB Nick Kwiatkoski) and 2016 sixth-round pick (No. 177, TE Temarrick Hemingway)
2001
Player selected at No. 1: QB Michael Vick
Chargers received: WR Tim Dwight, 2001 first-round pick (No. 5, RB LaDainian Tomlinson), 2021 third-round pick (No. 67, DB Tay Cody) and 2002 second-round pick (No. 48, WR Reche Caldwell) .
Falcons received: 2001 No. 1 pick (Vick)
1997
Player selected at No. 1: OT Orlando Pace
The jets received: 1997 first-round pick (No. 6, later traded, OT Walter Jones), 1997 third-round pick (No. 67, later traded, OL Dan Neil), 1997 fourth-round pick (No. 102, DE Terry Day) and 1997 seventh-round pick (No. 207, then traded, QB Koy Detmer)
The rams received: 1997 No. 1 overall pick (Pace)
1995
Player selected at No. 1: RB Ki-Jana Carter
The Panthers received: 1995 first-round pick (No. 5, QB Kerry Collins) and 1995 second-round pick (No. 36, DE Shawn King)
The Bengals received: 1995 No. 1 pick (Carter)
1991
Player selected at No. 1: DT Russell Maryland
Patriots received: 1991 first-round pick (No. 11, T Pat Harlow), 1991 second-round pick (No. 41, DB Jerome Henderson) and three players (CB Ron Francis, LB David Howard, LB Eugene Lockhart Jr.)
Dallas received: 1991 No. 1 pick (Maryland)
1990
Player selected at No. 1: QB Jeff George
Falcons received: OT Chris Hinton, WR Andre Rison, 1990 fifth-round pick (No. 121, TE Reggie Redding) and 1991 first-round pick (No. 13, WR Mike Pritchard)
They received foals: 1990 No. 1 pick (George) and fourth-round pick (No. 83, WR Stacey Simmons)
1984
Player selected at No. 1: WR Irving Fryar
June 1983 trade: Bengals received 1984 No. 1, Buccaneers received QB Jack Thompson
April 1984 trade: The Patriots received the 1984 No. 1 pick (Fryar). The Bengals received a 1984 first-round pick (No. 16, DE Pete Koch), a 1984 first-rounder (No. 28, OL Brian Blados), a 10th-round pick (No. 265, RB Brent Ziegler) and a fifth 1985 first-round pick (No. 129, DB Lee Davis)
1978
Player selected at No. 1: RB Earl Campbell
Tampa Bay received: TE Jimmie Giles, 1978 first-round pick (No. 17, QB Doug Williams), 1978 second-round pick (No. 44, G Brett Moritz), 1979 third-round pick (No. 78, DE Reggie Lewis) and 1979 fifth-round pick (No. 133, QB Chuck Fusina)
They received oils: 1978 No. 1 pick (Campbell)
1975
Player selected at No. 1: QB Steve Bartkowski
They received foals: 1975 first-round pick (No. 3, G Ken Huff) and OL George Kunz
Falcons received: 1975 No. 1 pick (Bartkowski)
1974
Player selected at No. 1: DE Ed Jones
They received oils: DE Toddy Smith and WR Billy Parks
The cowboys received: 1974 No. 1 pick (Jones) and 1974 third-round pick (No. 53, QB Danny White)
1968
Player selected at No. 1: T Ron Yary
Giants received: QB Fran Tarkenton
The Vikings received: 1 1968 pick (Yary), 1967 first round pick (No. 2, RB Clint Jones), 1967 second round pick (No. 28., WR Bob Grim) and 1969 second round pick (No. 39). , OL Ed White)
1967
Player selected at No. 1: DT Bubba Smith
The Saints received: QB Gary Cuozzo