What is the purpose of the NFL Draft?

The purpose of the NFL Draft is primarily to allow teams to select eligible college players to join the league. Each year, college football players who meet certain eligibility requirements declare for the draft, and NFL teams take turns selecting players to acquire new talent for their rosters. This process helps to maintain competitive balance in the league by giving teams with poorer performance in the previous season higher draft picks, aimed at improving those teams by adding skilled players.

Regarding the other options, trading players among teams does occur in the NFL, but it is not the primary function of the draft. The draft focuses specifically on college players entering the league. The option about players re-signing with their current teams refers to contract negotiations that occur outside the draft process, and assigning veteran players to different teams happens mainly through trades or free agency, not through the draft mechanism. Therefore, selecting eligible college players is the central aspect of the NFL Draft's purpose.