The NFL Supplemental Draft – catch the fever!
In what might be the biggest news of the year…ok I’m lying but the Supplemental Draft is back after several years off. The Athetic’s Dane Brugler reported the NFL is bringing back the specialty draft for next month. And there’s already a player who is eligible to be selected.
Thursday, Brugler tweeted out the details.Â
The last Supplemental Draft took place in 2019. Since, the COVID pandemic obviously impacted things both with the draft process and the players who might be eligible. Under adjusted NCAA guidelines that allowed players extra years to stay in school, it was less likely to find any players even eligible and willing to participate in the draft, leading to its cancellation.
As of now, it sounds like Wright is the only player part of the pool. He had a productive three years at Purdue, most recently playing in 2021 and catching 57 passes for 732 yards and seven scores. But he was ruled academically ineligible for 2022. As CBS Sports outlined at the time, it’s been an ongoing issue for Wright.
“This is not Wright’s first time dealing with academic problems, as he did not play in last season’s Music City Bowl against Tennessee due to eligibility issues from the fall. He skipped spring football to focus on academics, but was unable to become eligible.”
With a deep WR room, it’s doubtful the Steelers will be players for a guy like Wright.
To participate in the Supplemental Draft, teams give up a future corresponding draft pick. For example, to select someone in the fourth round of the draft, the team would give up its 2024 4th round pick. The last player to be selected in the Supplemental Draft came in 2019 when the Arizona Cardinals selected Washington State safety Jalen Thompson with a 5th round selection. He’s turned into an everydown player for the organization.
Most years in which a player is taken, which doesn’t happen every season, teams use a late-round pick. But there are exceptions. In 2018, the New York Giants used a third round pick on CB Sam Beal and in 2012, the Cleveland Browns used a 2nd on WR Josh Gordon. Gordon is one of the best Supplemental Draft picks in recent memory, though his continued off-field issues ruined a promising career.
The most successful such pick in NFL history was WR Cris Carter, taken by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 4th round of the 1987 draft. He was eventually cut by the team but picked up and began a Hall of Fame career with the Minnesota Vikings. Other notable supplemental picks include LB Brian Bosworth and QB Terrelle Pryor.
The next supplemental pick the Pittsburgh Steelers make will be its first. They’ve never used once since the league introduced it in 1977.
