| 2009 NFL draft | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Date(s) | April 25–26, 2009 |
| Time | 4:00 pm EDT (April 25) 10:00 am EDT (April 26) |
| Location | Radio City Music Hall in New York City, NY |
| Network(s) | ESPN, NFL Network |
| Overview | |
| 256 total selections in 7 rounds | |
| League | NFL |
| First selection | Matthew Stafford, QB Detroit Lions |
| Mr. Irrelevant | Ryan Succop, K Kansas City Chiefs |
| Most selections (12) | Dallas Cowboys New England Patriots |
| Fewest selections (3) | New York Jets |
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.[1][2] The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day, starting at 4:00 pm EDT, and five rounds on the second day, starting at 10:00 am 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 Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford.[3]
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.[4] It has been referred to as one of the worst drafts in league history. [by whom?] This was the first time that a Mr. Irrelevant went on to win a Super Bowl (Ryan Succop).[5]
As of 2024, the only remaining active players in the NFL from the 2009 draft class are Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and Jets punter Thomas Morstead.
- ^ "NFL Draft Locations". FootballGeography.com. October 2, 2014. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
- ^ Salomone, Dan (October 2, 2014). "NFL Draft headed to Chicago in 2015". Giants.com. New York Giants. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ^ Detroit negotiated a deal with Stafford on April 24, 2009, less than 24 hours before the draft. Maske, Mark (April 25, 2009). "Lions, Stafford Agree to Six-Year Deal". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ "2009 NFL Draft Review". NFL Draft Geek. Archived from the original on August 9, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
- ^ Mays, Robert (May 5, 2014). "Five Years Later, the 2009 NFL Draft May Be the Worst Ever". Retrieved July 16, 2016.