Question about NFL draft process

[VolFan4Life87]

I don't follow the NFL hardly at all and I was just thinking about the draft process. My question is, if a player is drafted to a particular team, does he HAVE to go to that team? It's essentially a job and if I have multiple companies that wish to hire me, I get to choose where I would like to work. Do they have this option?

What if I was from Nashville, played at UT, and wanted to play for the Titans because I was just a Tennessean through and through; could a highly sought player not choose which company he wants to work for and where he will live?

 

[phowell23]

Short answer, yes. Long answer, maybe.

I think you could request them to trade you during the draft if they did draft you. Such as in the case with Eli Manning. The Chargers drafted him #1, then he was put on the trade block and went to Giants. Archie Manning stated before the draft he didn't want his son going to the Chargers. Archie has friends in high places and so this probably helped them get him on the trade block while someone who doesn't have friends in high places may very well not be traded even though he is unhappy. Yes, it's a "job" but not a normal job and when you sign up for the draft you basically say any team can draft me and agree to those terms.