How Many Rounds and Picks Are in the NFL Draft?

Answers to frequently asked questions about the NFL Draft can be found on this page, particularly how many picks and rounds are in the NFL Draft.

There are currently seven rounds in the NFL Draft. There have been seven rounds in every single NFL draft since 1997. There were eight rounds of the NFL Draft between 1993 and 1996. Before 1993, there were 12 rounds in the NFL Draft. Rather than have eight rounds of more, there is now a UDFA signing process, with UDFA standing for “undrafted free agent.” During the UDFA signing process, teams can sign players who weren’t drafted.

As for the number of picks in the NFL Draft, it varies from year to year, depending on the number of compensatory selections. There will be 259 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. This is three fewer than there were in 2022. There were also 259 selections in the 2021 NFL Draft. There were even fewer the prior year, with teams having only 255 picks. The last time there were fewer than 250 picks in an NFL Draft was 2001 when there were just 246 selections.

There are currently three days of the NFL Draft. The first round – picks one through 31 – is on Thursday. Rounds 2 and 3 – picks 32 through the early 100s – is on Friday. Rounds 4-7 is all day Saturday with the rest of the picks.

We have tons of 2023 NFL Draft content that will be posted ahead of April 27. This includes our 2023 NFL Mock Draft that is comprised of several rounds.

We will be grading every single pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, minutes after each selection. We also have the most accurate mock drafts, as Charlie Campbell nailed his first 10 picks the prior year. Furthermore, we’ll have stock reports, big boards, and draft prospect rankings. For other 2023 NFL Draft articles, check out the menu at the very top of the page.

















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