What happens during the NFL Draft?

The NFL Draft is primarily focused on teams selecting rookie football players. This annual event allows each team to choose eligible players who have declared for the draft, typically coming from college football programs. The order of selection is determined by a combination of team performance in the previous season and a lottery system for teams that did not make the playoffs. This process is crucial for team building as it enables franchises to acquire new talent to refresh their roster and improve their competitive standing.

Other options pertain to different aspects of team management. Signing free-agent players falls under free agency, which occurs after the draft and is a separate process where teams can acquire players who were not under contract with any team. Releasing current players can happen at any time during the offseason but is not a specific function of the draft itself. Negotiating broadcasting rights is part of the business side of the NFL but has no direct connection to player selection during the draft.