Teams that did not make the playoffs are ordered by their regular-season record with any remaining ties broken by strength of schedule.
Playoff participants are sequenced after non-playoff teams, based on their round of elimination (wild card, division, conference, and Super Bowl).
Before the merger agreements in 1966, the American Football League (AFL) operated in direct competition with the NFL and held a separate draft.
This led to a massive bidding war over top prospects between the two leagues.
As part of the merger agreement on June 8, 1966, the two leagues would hold a multiple round common draft.