How Does the NFL Supplemental Draft Work?

Today's that day of the year where football fans are reminded that the NFL Supplemental Draft exists.

It's an obscure event that doesn't get much coverage, so let's go over the rules and what it means for the teams and players involved.

How Does The Supplemental Draft Work?

The supplemental draft is a way in which underclassmen who became ineligible for the college football season after the deadline to declare for the NFL draft can enter the league. Players who enter for the supplemental draft must be at least three years removed from high school.

Wait is over: NFL Supplemental Draft is today.

Washington State S Jalen Thompson could be mid- to late-round pick.

Last summer, Giants used a third-round pick on CB Sam Beal and Washington used a sixth-round pick on CB Adonis Alexander.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 10, 2019

The draft order is based on a lottery system. Teams are divided into three groups, those being teams with six or fewer wins in 2018, non-playoff teams and playoff teams. The lottery system is then used to establish the draft order within each of those three groups.

Unlike the regular draft in April, teams place bids on the players. The team with the highest bid receives the player, but in the process, they forfeit the pick in the corresponding round of next year's April draft.

In 2 hours, NFL teams will submit bids in the Supplemental Draft.

FS Jalen Thompson is a probable mid-rounder and WR Marcus Simms might be drafted late. Full scouting reports and projections here: https://t.co/DfgGeJANU7
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) July 10, 2019

Players who go undrafted become unrestricted free agents.

Teams generally pass on taking players in the supplemental draft, but it has produced some quality players. Wide receiver Josh Gordon stands out as one of the more recent examples.

Five players are eligible for this year's draft. Whether or not any of the 32 teams believes that they're worth sacrificing a future draft pick remains to be seen.