How long is each round in the NFL draft? What to know
The 2024 NFL draft starts Thursday night in Detroit.
All 32 NFL teams will make picks Thursday through Saturday, with Round 1 starting at 8 p.m. ET Thursday.
The process, which first started in 1936, is complicated. It's grown in popularity as a spectator event, with fans around the country tuning in as teams try to select the best new players.
Timing is key when trying to stay informed about draft picks. Here's how much time teams get to make selections in each round, and the first round order for Thursday.
How long does the first round of the NFL draft take?
Teams have 10 minutes to make their picks in the first round. If each team takes the entire 10 minutes, that adds up to 320 minutes, or over five hours. But some selections are made quicker, especially if a team knows who they want.
ABC's coverage of the draft, though, is slated to run from 8-11:30 p.m. ET, so you can likely expect Round 1 to end around there.
How long is each pick in the NFL draft?
Round 1: Teams get 10 minutes to pick.
Round 2: Teams get seven minutes to pick.
Round 3-6: Teams get five minutes for regular or compensatory picks.
Round 7: Teams get four minutes.
The second and third rounds of the draft take place Friday. Rounds 4-7 are Saturday.
If a team doesn't make a selection in time, they can pick later on. However, the player they were considering could get picked by another team.
How does the NFL draft work?
Each team has their own table at the draft venue, which this year will be at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit.
When a team decides on the player they want to select, they communicate their pick to the team's representative at Selection Square. The team representative writes that player's name, position and school on a card and gives it to an NFL staff member, called a runner. This makes their pick official.
The runner shares the selection with an NFL Player Personnel representivate, who enters the player's name in a database, notifying all teams. The selection is also shared with Ken Fiore, vice president of player personnel, who records the pick and shares it with NFL broadcast partners who announce it.
The draft clock is then reset for the next pick. Another runner tells the next team which player has been chosen.
2024 NFL draft first round order
Chicago Bears (from Carolina Panthers).
Washington Commanders.
New England Patriots.
Arizona Cardinals.
Los Angeles Chargers.
New York Giants.
Tennessee Titans.
Atlanta Falcons.
Bears.
New York Jets.
Minnesota Vikings.
Denver Broncos.
Las Vegas Raiders.
New Orleans Saints.
Indianapolis Colts.
Seattle Seahawks.
Jacksonville Jaguars.
Cincinnati Bengals.
Los Angeles Rams.
Pittsburgh Steelers.
Miami Dolphins.
Philadelphia Eagles.
Vikings (from Cleveland Browns via Houston Texans).
Dallas Cowboys.
Green Bay Packers.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Cardinals (from Texans).
Buffalo Bills.
Detroit Lions.
Baltimore Ravens.
San Francisco 49ers.
Kansas City Chiefs.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How long is each pick in the NFL draft? Here's the time for each round
