THE DRAFT is a relatively recent addition to most major sports, allowing teams to choose from the best up-and-coming players in the hopes that the worst teams will have the greatest chance to improve. These are the histories and experiences of the four major professional leagues:
NFL:
Football's draft dates to 1936, after then-Eagles owner Bert Bell argued within the sport for an alternative to the waiver system created in 1934. Bell contended that the league needed a way to ensure competitive balance - that the worst team in the league would have the best chance to improve by selecting the best available college talent.