How long does each team have to pick in the NFL Draft?

The 2026 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 23, live on DAZN for Game Pass subscribers, and it promises to be one of the most talented classes in recent memory.

The atmosphere in Pittsburgh will be electric, as 257 of the best college players wait patiently to learn where they will ply their trade at the pro level.

It's a fast-paced affair, with teams having to turn in their selections quickly while also fielding trade offers and updating their draft boards.

Timing, as they say, is everything, so just how long does each side have to make their picks in each round? Here's everything you need to know.

Stream the 2026 NFL Draft live on DAZN

The 2026 NFL Draft begins tonight in Pittsburgh, and fans worldwide can watch every round live on DAZN - for free.*

Round 1 starts at 1am BST / 8pm ET / 5pm PT, where Fernando Mendoza, Jeremiyah Love and Carnell Tate will hear their names called and take their first steps toward NFL stardom.

Days two and three follow on Friday and Saturday, with rounds two through seven producing plenty of their own headline names. Streaming times can be found here.

*Excluding Canada

How long does each team have to pick in the NFL Draft?

• Round 1: 8 minutes per pick, down from 10 minutes in 2025.
• Round 2: 7 minutes.
• Rounds 3-6: 5 minutes for standard and compensatory picks.
• Round 7: 4 minutes.

What happens if the NFL Draft timer expires?

If a team lets the clock run down without picking, the next team will jump ahead of them.

When this happens, the original team doesn't lose its pick, but it risks the player they wanted being taken by the next team.

This situation played out in the 2003 NFL Draft, when the Minnesota Vikings let the clock expire after failing to have a trade sanctioned in time.

It also occurred in 2011, when the Baltimore Ravens ran out of time while trying to execute a trade involving 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. 

How does an NFL Draft pick get made?

Each team has a table at the draft venue. Their representatives stay in constant contact with executives back at club headquarters.

When a decision is made, the player's name, position and college are written on an official card and handed to an NFL staff member known as a runner.

Once the runner has the card, that's it. The pick is locked in, and the clock resets for the next team.

How is the NFL Draft order decided?

The team with the worst record from the previous season picks first in each of the seven rounds, while the team with the best record picks last.

So this year, the Las Vegas Raiders, who finished with a 3-14 record last year, were awarded the first overall selection in each round. The Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks were given the last.

Every other team sits somewhere in between based on their record. Teams that missed the playoffs select between 1st and 20th. Teams that made the postseason pick from 21st and up.

If two teams finished with the same record, it comes down to strength of schedule. If it's still level at that point, various tiebreakers kick in, after which the order can even be decided by a coin toss.

Here's the full 2026 NFL Draft order.

How to watch the 2026 NFL Draft

• Worldwide (excluding the US, China): DAZN
• US: NFL Network, NFL+, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes

What time is the 2026 NFL Draft?

Day one: Round 1

• Date and time (UK): Friday, April 24 at 1am BST
• Date and time (US): Thursday, April 23 at 8pm ET

Day two: Rounds 2 and 3

• Date and time (UK): Saturday, April 25 at midnight BST
• Date and time (US): Friday, April 24 at 7pm ET

Day three: Rounds 4, 5, 6 and 7

• Date and time (UK): Saturday, April 25 at 5pm BST
• Date and time (US): Saturday, April 25 at 12pm ET

Who are the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft?

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love are among the most talked-about names heading into round one.

Ohio State's Sonny Styles, who dominated athletic testing at the NFL Combine, could become the first linebacker selected in the top five since 2019 and one of four Buckeyes to go in the top ten.

Wide receivers Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, and Makai Lemon have also garnered major attention as projected first-round talents.

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is a real wild card, landing anywhere between 16th overall and the second round in mock drafts.