Today news 2025 NFL Draft: NFL awards 35 compensatory picks to 16 teams

On Tuesday, the NFL revealed the compensatory picks that have been awarded to teams for the 2025 NFL Draft, which is set to be held April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Among the 35 compensatory picks are three special selections, one each given to the 49ers, Rams and Lions. These special compensatory picks are awarded to teams that have a minority employee hired to a head coach or primary football executive position by another team. The league began awarding such picks after an amendment was made to the 2020 collective bargaining agreement designed to promote equal employment opportunities within NFL teams.

As for the rest of the compensatory picks, they are awarded by the league to teams that lost more or better compensatory free agents than they signed in the previous year. Picks are positioned from Round 3 to Round 7 based on the value of the compensatory free agents lost. The formula that determines compensatory free agents is based on salary, playing time and postseason honors.

Below is the full list of compensatory picks awarded to teams ahead of this year’s draft (special compensatory picks denoted by an asterisk). NOTE: This list does not account for picks included in agreed-upon trades, which will process when the new league year begins at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 12.

EDITOR’S UPDATE: The NFL Management Council announced on March 14 a recalculation to the 2025 compensatory picks, awarding the Saints a seventh-round selection, removing the second of the Dolphins’ two seventh-rounders and moving the Browns and Chargers’ seventh-rounders down by one pick.