Inside NFL Rookie Contracts: Exploring the Earnings of 1st Round Draft Picks

Inside NFL Rookie Contracts: For college players, this moment represents the culmination of years of hard work and dedication leading up to the NFL Draft.

Introducing the rookie wage scale in 2011 changed the financial landscape for incoming NFL rookies.

Under the rookie wage scale, every team’s rookie class gets a specific salary.

Due to the rookie wage scale, rookies weren’t allowed to sign exorbitant contracts before proving themselves in the NFL. Before the rookie wage scale, top draft picks could sign huge contracts without playing a game.

What is the average salary of a 1st round NFL draft pick?

The first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft is expected to sign a four-year contract worth $38.5 million, including a $24.8 million signing bonus.

Although this is a lot, first-round pick salaries gradually decrease.

A deal worth $12.75 million is expected to be signed by the last first-round pick. First-round picks sign four-year contracts with an option to extend.

How much does a 6th-round NFL draft pick make?

Second-round salaries start at $9.9 million and go down to $6.3 million. Third-round salaries range from $6 million to $5 million.

In the fourth round, players can expect to make around $4.5 million to $4.8 million, and in the sixth round, around $4 million.

When will the NFL Draft be held?

On Thursday, April 25, Rounds 1-2 of the 2024 NFL Draft will take place, followed by Rounds 4-7 on Saturday, April 27.

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