The NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 25 with the opening round now a major televised event.
Millions of viewers will be tuned in to watch the first 32 players selected in Detroit as the best college players learn where they will ply their trade as professionals.
It’s a fast-paced affair, with teams quickly needing to respond to previous selections, while also fielding trade offers and updating draft boards. Timing, as they say, is everything, so just how long does each side have to make their selections?
Here is all you need to know.
How long do teams have to make a pick in the first round?
The first round of the draft takes place on a Thursday night each year and teams have ten minutes to turn their selections in.
This gives the opportunity for each team to react to the previous selection and potentially pull the trigger on a last-minute trade before they make their final decision.
How long do teams have to make a pick in the later rounds?
After getting ten minutes to make a pick in the opening round, this time is reduced to seven minutes in the second round, five minutes in rounds three through six and then four minutes in the seventh and final round.
What happens if a team runs out of time?
If a team is too slow getting their pick in then the next team can jump in and make their pick when the ten-minute timer expires.
The original team can still catch up and take their pick, but they of course face the risk of missing out on a player they wanted.
The last time this happened saw the 2011 Baltimore Ravens run out of time as they tried and failed to execute a trade with their No. 26 overall pick. That allowed the Kansas City Chiefs to jump in and pick ahead of them, before the Ravens eventually got their card in, one selection later than originally slated.
When is the 2024 NFL Draft?
The draft takes place over three days.
- Round 1: Thursday, April 25 (8 p.m. ET / 1 a.m. BST)
- Rounds 2-3: Friday, April 26 (7 p.m. ET / 12 a.m. BST)
- Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 27 (12 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. BST)
2024 NFL Draft: How to watch
Other regions not listed above will need to check their respective local schedules.