2008 NFL Draft - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The 2008
2008 NFL season
The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the...

NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...

took place at Radio City Music Hall

Radio City Music Hall

Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...

in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN

ESPN

Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....

televised the draft; the NFL Network

NFL Network

NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...

also broadcast the event, its third year doing so. Of the 252 selections, 220 were regular selections in rounds one through seven, and 32 were compensatory selections, distributed among rounds three through seven.
For the first time since the common draft began, no wide receiver

Wide receiver

A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...

was selected in the first round. Also, a record 34 trades were made during the draft itself.

Changes for 2008

The schedule for the draft was changed: day one began at 3:00 PM EDT

Eastern Time Zone

The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...

(1900 UTC

Coordinated Universal Time

Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...

), instead of noon, and consisted of just two rounds. Day two began with round three at 10:00 AM EDT (1400 UTC), instead of 11:00 AM. Moreover, the time limits for day one selections were reduced, from 15 minutes to ten for first-round picks and from ten minutes to seven in the second. The limit remained five minutes for all picks in rounds three through seven.

The draft also marked the official debut of a new NFL shield logo, replacing the old shield logo which had been used since 1970, featuring eight white stars to represent each of the league's eight divisions, and a football rotated to the same angle as the one on the top of the Vince Lombardi Trophy

Vince Lombardi Trophy

The Vince Lombardi Trophy is the trophy awarded each year to the winning team of the National Football League's championship game, the Super Bowl.-History:...

given to the Super Bowl champion.

Player selections

*	= compensatory selection
^†	= Pro Bowl Pro Bowl In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those... er

Notable undrafted players

^†

= Pro Bowl

Pro Bowl

In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...

First round

No. 7: 49ers to Patriots. San Francisco traded its first-round selection in 2008 and a fourth-round selection in the 2007 draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...

(No. 110, traded to the Oakland Raiders for Randy Moss
Randy Moss
Randy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...

, used to select John Bowie
John Bowie
John Bowie is an American football cornerback who is currently a member of the Cincinnati Bengals. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...

), to New England for one of its first-round selections in 2007 (No. 28, used to select Joe Staley
Joe Staley
Joe Staley is an American football offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 2007 NFL Draft. The 49ers traded their first round pick in 2008 for Staley with the New England Patriots. He was the second 49er taken in the...

).
No. 17: Vikings to Chiefs. Minnesota traded its first-round selection and their two third-round selections (No. 73 and 82) to Kansas City for defensive end Jared Allen
Jared Allen
-Kansas City Chiefs:Allen was drafted by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft, and signed for a one-year, $100,000 contract. On May 21, 2007, Allen, as a restricted free agent, signed the Chiefs' one-year tender offer of $2.35 million for the 2007 season. Allen credited his early...

.
No. 22: Browns to Cowboys. Cleveland traded its first-round selection in 2008 and a second-round selection in 2007 (No. 36, later traded to Philadelphia, who selected Kevin Kolb
Kevin Kolb
Kevin Benjamin Kolb is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Houston....

) for Dallas' first-round selection in 2007 (No. 22, used to select Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...

).
No. 29: Colts to 49ers. Indianapolis traded its first-round selection in 2008 and a fourth-round selection in 2007 (No. 126, used to select Dashon Goldson
Dashon Goldson
Dashon Goldson is an American football safety for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Dashon started playing football with the Tri-City Falcons which is a Pop Warner team in Harbor City, California...

) to San Francisco for San Francisco's second-round selection in 2007 (No. 42, used to select Tony Ugoh
Tony Ugoh
Anthony Ike "Tony" Ugoh, Jr. is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arkansas....

).

Second round

No. 34: Raiders to Falcons. Oakland traded its second-round selection in 2008 and its fifth-round selection in 2009 to Atlanta for cornerback DeAngelo Hall
DeAngelo Hall
DeAngelo Eugene Hall is an American football cornerback for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons eighth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft...

.
No. 48: Texans to Falcons. Houston traded its second-round selection in 2008, and its second-round selection in 2007 (No. 39, used to select Justin Blalock
Justin Blalock
Justin Christopher Blalock is an American football NFL player for the Atlanta Falcons. He played college ball as the right tackle for the Texas Longhorns under coach Mack Brown. He stands at 6'3.25" and weighs 320 lbs.-High school career:Blalock attended Plano East Senior High School, playing...

) to Atlanta for quarterback Matt Schaub
Matt Schaub
Matthew Rutledge Schaub is the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia.-College career:...

in a deal in which Houston and Atlanta swapped first-round draft picks (Atlanta selected Jamaal Anderson
Jamaal Anderson
Jamaal Anderson is an American football defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons eighth overall in the 2007 NFL Draft...

with No. 8, Houston drafted Amobi Okoye
Amobi Okoye
-Houston Texans:Okoye signed a five-year deal with the Texans on July 26, which allowed him to begin training camp with his teammates the next day. With his first start, Okoye became the youngest player to appear in an NFL game since 1967....

with No. 10).
No. 56: Browns to Packers. Cleveland traded its second-round selection (used to select Brian Brohm) to the Green Bay Packers for Corey Williams.
No. 57: Chargers to Dolphins. San Diego traded its second-round selection to Miami for wide receiver Chris Chambers
Chris Chambers
Christopher J. "Chris" Chambers is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

.

Third round

No. 67: Jets to Panthers. The New York Jets traded their third-round and fifth-round selections to Carolina for Kris Jenkins
Kris Jenkins
Kristopher Rudy-Charles Jenkins is a former American football nose tackle who played for the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

.
No. 69: Raiders to Patriots. Oakland traded its third-round selection in 2008, and the No. 211 selection in 2007 (used to select Oscar Lua
Oscar Lua
Oscar Lua is former American football linebacker. He was originally drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern California.-Early years:...

) to New England for the No. 91 selection in 2007 (used to select Mario Henderson
Mario Henderson
Mario Henderson is a National Football League offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He spent the first four years of his career with the Oakland Raiders, after being selected from Florida State in the 2007 NFL Draft.- Early life :Henderson originally attended Bishop Verot High School in...

).
No. 70 and 75: 49ers/Bears swap. As penalty for tampering with Bears linebacker Lance Briggs
Lance Briggs
Lance Marell Briggs is an American football linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona.-Early years:A Sacramento native, Briggs attended Elk Grove High...

, Goodell ordered San Francisco to swap its third-round selection with Chicago's, and to forfeit its fifth-round selection.
No. 71: Ravens to Bills. Baltimore traded its third-round selection in 2008, and the No. 92 and 239 selections in 2007 (used to select Trent Edwards
Trent Edwards
Trent Edwards is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft...

and C. J. Ah You
C. J. Ah You
Charles "C. J." Ah You, Jr. is an American football defensive end for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma.-High school:Ah You played high school football at Lone...

, respectively) to Buffalo for Willis McGahee
Willis McGahee
Willis Andrew McGahee III is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft...

.
No. 71: Bills to Jaguars. Buffalo traded its third- and fifth- round selections to Jacksonville for defensive tackle Marcus Stroud
Marcus Stroud
Marcus LaVar Stroud is an American Football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars 13th overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...

.
No. 73: Broncos to Vikings. Denver traded its third-round selection in 2008, and the No. 176 and 233 selections in 2007 to Minnesota for the No. 121 selection in 2007 (used to select Marcus Thomas).
No. 73: Vikings to Chiefs. See No. 17: Vikings to Chiefs above.
No. 82: Vikings to Chiefs. See No. 17: Vikings to Chiefs above.
No. 87: Browns to Lions. Cleveland traded its third-round selection and Leigh Bodden
Leigh Bodden
Leigh Edmond Bodden is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was originally signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at Duquesne....

to Detroit for Shaun Rogers.
No. 90: Chargers to Bears. San Diego traded its third-round selection in 2008, as well as the No. 62, 93, and 167 selections in 2007 (used to select Dan Bazuin
Dan Bazuin
Daniel Bazuin is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round the 2007 NFL Draft. He was drafted at Central Michigan. While at Central Michigan University, he graduated with a bachelors degree in marketing.-College career:Bazuin...

, Garrett Wolfe
Garrett Wolfe
Garrett Wolfe is an American football running back. He was drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played his college football at Northern Illinois. He is currently a free agent.-Personal life:...

, and Kevin Payne, respectively) to Chicago for the No. 37 selection in 2007 (used to select Eric Weddle
Eric Weddle
Eric Steven Weddle is an American football safety for the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League.-Early years:...

).

Fourth round

Dolphins to Cowboys. The Miami Dolphins traded their fourth-round selection in 2008 to the Dallas Cowboys for players Akin Ayodele
Akin Ayodele
Akinola James "Akin" Ayodele is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft...

and Anthony Fasano
Anthony Fasano
Anthony Joseph Fasano is an American football tight end for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame...

.
Redskins to Broncos. The Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...

traded their fourth-round selection in 2008, and their third-round selection in 2007 (used to select Ryan Harris
Ryan Harris (American football)
Ryan Emerson Wilcox Harris is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame....

) to Denver as part of a three-team trade in which Washington received T.J. Duckett and Atlanta received Ashley Lelie
Ashley Lelie
Ashley Jovon Lelie [] is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos 19th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...

. (This was the result of a formula which could have had Denver and Washington swapping 2007 first-round selections.)

Saints to Jets. The New Orleans Saints traded their fourth-round selection to the New York Jets for Jonathan Vilma and a conditional pick in the 2009 draft.

Cowboys to Titans. The Dallas Cowboys traded their fourth-round selection to the Tennessee Titans for suspended defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...

Pacman Jones.

Fifth round

Jets to Panthers. As noted earlier, the Jets traded their third and fifth-round selections to Carolina in the Kris Jenkins deal.
Dolphins to Chiefs. Miami conditionally traded its fifth-round selection to Kansas City for Trent Green
Trent Green
Trent Jason Green is a retired professional American football quarterback. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Indiana University....

. The selection would have been upgraded to a fourth-round selection if Green had met certain performance criteria. However, Green was injured in a game against the Houston Texans and would up on the injured reserve list for the remainder of the season.
Bears to Bills. Chicago conditionally traded their fifth-round selection to Buffalo in exchange for Darwin Walker
Darwin Walker
Darwin Jamar Walker is an American football defensive tackle in National Football League who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft...

. The round of the selection was dependent on Walker's playing time.
Panthers to Bears. Carolina traded their fifth-round selection to Chicago in exchange for Chris Harris
Chris Harris (football player)
For the Denver Broncos player of the same name, see Chris Harris Chris Harris is an American football safety for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League...

.
Raiders to Broncos. Oakland (conditionally) traded their fifth-round selection to Denver in exchange for Gerard Warren.
Bills to Jaguars. As part of the Marcus Stroud trade, Buffalo traded their third- and fifth-round selections to Jacksonville.
Seahawks to Jaguars. The Seattle Seahawks traded their fifth-round selection to Jacksonville for running back Alvin Pearman
Alvin Pearman
Francis Alvin Pearman, II is an American football running back who is currently a free agent, having last played for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...

and the Jaguars' seventh-round pick.

Sixth round

Seahawks to Browns. Seattle traded their sixth-round selection to Cleveland in exchange for Charlie Frye
Charlie Frye
Charles Frye, , is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Akron.-Early years:...

.
Packers to Giants. Green Bay traded their sixth-round selection to the New York Giants in exchange for running back Ryan Grant
Ryan Grant
Ryan Brett Grant is a running back for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2005 but was traded to the Packers shortly before the 2007 season in exchange for a future sixth-round draft pick...

.
Broncos to Rams. Denver traded their sixth-round selection to the St. Louis Rams for defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy. The trade occurred after the Broncos had tried to trade the same pick to Miami for defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson
Dan Wilkinson
Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson is a former defensive tackle who played 13 seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted 1st overall in the 1994 NFL Draft...

; that trade was voided.
Browns to Eagles. Cleveland traded their sixth-round selection to Philadelphia for center Hank Fraley
Hank Fraley
Henry "Hank" F. Fraley is an American football offensive lineman who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football at Robert Morris.Fraley has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, and St...

. The trade was conditional on games started by Fraley, and could have fallen to a seventh-round pick, but Fraley started all 16 games.
Cowboys to Dolphins. Dallas and Miami exchanged their sixth-round selections in a trade with Jason Ferguson
Jason Ferguson
Jason O. Ferguson is a former American football defensive tackle who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League, for the New York Jets—who originally selected in the seventh round of the 1997 NFL Draft—, Dallas Cowboys, and Miami Dolphins...

going to the Dolphins as part of the deal.
Jaguars to Vikings. Jacksonville traded their sixth-round selection to Minnesota for Troy Williamson
Troy Williamson
-Minnesota Vikings:The Vikings needed a receiver with deep speed after trading Randy Moss to Oakland, drafting Williamson with the 7th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft...

.
Texans to Broncos. Houston traded their sixth-round selection to Denver for Chris Myers
Chris Myers (American football)
Chris Myers is an football center for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami...

.
Titans to Seahawks. The Tennessee Titans traded their sixth-round selection to Seattle for defensive end Bryce Fisher
Bryce Fisher
Bryce Alexander Fisher is a former American football defensive lineman. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 7th round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Air Force.-High school years:...

.
Buccaneers to Chiefs. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded their sixth-round selection to Kansas City for nose tackle Ryan Sims
Ryan Sims
Ryan O'Neal Sims is an American Football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. Sims' professional career began in 2002 with the Kansas City Chiefs, for whom he played through the end of the 2006 season...

and running back Michael Bennett.

Seventh round

Steelers to Falcons. The Pittsburgh Steelers traded their seventh-round selection to Atlanta for kick/punt returner Allen Rossum
Allen Rossum
Allen Bonshaca Lamont Rossum is an American football cornerback and return specialist who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft...

.
Seahawks to Eagles. Seattle traded their seventh-round selection to Philadelphia for fullback Josh Parry
Josh Parry
Joshua David "Josh" Parry is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2001...

.
Eagles to Bills. Philadelphia traded their seventh-round selection, and defensive tackle Darwin Walker, to Buffalo for linebacker Takeo Spikes
Takeo Spikes
Takeo Gerard Spikes is an American football linebacker for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals 13th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft...

and quarterback Kelly Holcomb
Kelly Holcomb
Bryan Kelly Holcomb is a former American football quarterback of the National Football League. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 1995...

.
Rams to Vikings. St. Louis traded their seventh-round selection to Minnesota for offensive tackle Adam Goldberg
Adam Goldberg
Adam Charles Goldberg is an American actor, director, producer, and musician.-Early life:Goldberg was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Donna and Earl Goldberg, a former lifeguard. His father is Jewish and his mother is a "lapsed" Roman Catholic of Irish, French, and German descent...

.
Giants to Chiefs. The Giants traded their seventh-round selection to Kansas City for kicker Lawrence Tynes
Lawrence Tynes
Lawrence James Henry Tynes is an American football placekicker for the New York Giants. He was originally signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2001.-Early years:...

.
Vikings to Jets. Minnesota traded their seventh-round selection to the Jets in exchange for Brooks Bollinger
Brooks Bollinger
Brooks Bollinger is a retired American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...

.
Bengals to Rams. Cincinnati traded their seventh-round selection to St. Louis in exchange for Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Joseph Fitzpatrick is an American football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Harvard....
Jaguars to Seahawks. As noted above, the Jaguars exchanged their seventh-round pick along with running back Alvin Pearman to Seattle for the Seahawks' fifth-round selection.
Buccaneers to Broncos. Tampa Bay traded a conditional 2008 draft pick to Denver for the rights to quarterback Jake Plummer
Jake Plummer
Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....

. If Plummer, who is currently retired, had reported to the Buccaneers before the first pick of the 2008 draft was made, Tampa Bay would have sent the Broncos their fourth-round selection. Since Plummer did not report, Denver will receive Tampa's seventh-round selection.