NFL Draft fashion: Best fits and style flops from 1991 through the 2023 draft

Photo by Tim Isbell/Biloxi Sun Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

From Brett Favre’s extremely early ‘90s look to Ikem Ekwonu paying homage to his Nigerian heritage, here are the most memorable draft fits through the 2023 NFL Draft.

We’ve been waiting for months, and the day is finally here. Soon we’ll have answers to the biggest question on the minds of every single NFL fan.

What will players be wearing on draft night?

We’ve seen draft fashion evolve over the years. Here’s a rundown of the most memorable (which sometimes means stylish, original, and meaningful, and sometimes — looking at you, Brett Favre — means hilarious) draft fashion choices over the years, and check back Thursday evening for a running list of the best fits and style flops from the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Brett Favre, 1991 NFL Draft

Photo by Tim Isbell/Biloxi Sun Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Long before he was allegedly defrauding the Mississippi welfare system, Brett Favre was sprawled on a bed in jean shorts and a white pocketed t-shirt chatting with the Falcons on what looks like the very first iteration of a cordless phone during the 1991 NFL Draft.

Somehow the background fashion is nearly as spectacular as Favre’s outfit. The bangs! The spray-painted shirts! But Favre takes the cake.

Leon Sandcastle, 2014 NFL Draft

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

Deion Sanders set a new standard for NFL draft fashion back in 1989 with the black, white and gold track suit and chains he wore when drafted fifth overall by the Atlanta Falcons. Ever the trendsetter, his three-piece black suit with the hot pink shirt for the 2014 draft while cosplaying as “draft prospect” Leon Sandcastle was also pretty slick by 2014 standards.

Ezekiel Elliott, 2016 NFL Draft

Photo by Kena Krutsinger/Getty Images

If you remember watching Ezekiel Elliott dominate opponents at running back during his college career at Ohio State, you likely also remember his signature on-field look wearing his jersey as a crop top (until the NCAA banned it in 2015). It’s a tradition he carried through to the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, when he wore a button-down shirt with subtle checks fashioned into a crop top underneath his baby blue jacket for an unforgettable draft day ensemble.

Lamar Jackson, 2018 NFL Draft

Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images

The Gucci suit, the shoes, the bow tie, and the shirt with UFOs that I believe is a reference to Jackson’s out-of-this-world talent — Lamar Jackson’s draft night look back in 2018 was flawless.

Garett Bolles, 2020 NFL Draft

Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Honestly, I don’t care what you’re wearing: If you walk out onto that NFL Draft stage when your name is called with your adorable little baby dressed like your Mini-Me, you’re a winner in my book. Bolles chose a classic pinstriped gray suit when he was selected by the Denver Broncos back in 2020, and his little one wore a matching suit with a tiny gray vest. A+++++++.

Ikem Ekwonu, 2022 NFL Draft

Photo by Mindy Small/Getty Images

This is one of my all-time favorite draft outfits. First of all, it’s nicely tailored for Ekwonu’s 6’4, 320-pound frame. The green stripe details are unique and really pop against the white suit fabric. And most importantly, the color scheme reflects the Nigerian flag and is an homage to Ekwonu’s Nigerian heritage. It’s a great expression of personal style with significant meaning behind it.

Check back tonight for the style winners and losers of the 2023 NFL Draft.