Why NFL teams have less time than ever to make Round 1 draft picks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Each year, the NFL Draft draws in millions of viewers. However, not every fan can stay up late to watch all 32 names called in the first round, and the NFL may have helped viewers out this year.
This past December, the league announced that it would shorten the maximum time limit for each first-round selection from 10 minutes to eight. This change should shorten the first draft night by 64 minutes.
Typically, the first day of the draft would end after 11:30 p.m. ET. Now, if all goes to plan, viewers can be in bed by 11 p.m. after watching the entirety of the first round.
Here's an inside look at why the league opted to change the time limit, and how long the other rounds will take at this year's draft in Pittsburgh.
In December 2025, Adam Schefter reported that the NFL was shortening the first-round pick limit from 10 minutes to eight. The league was looking to shorten the duration of the first round, which was ending just before midnight in most years.
Two-minute warning: The NFL notified teams today that it will shorten the time between picks in the first round of the draft from 10 to 8 minutes starting with the 2026 draft in Pittsburgh.This will shorten the length of the first round, which had been finishing around 11:45p… pic.twitter.com/yMsym354PY
At a minimum, the change will save 64 minutes while shortening every first-round selection period by two minutes. With coverage starting at 8 p.m. ET, the NFL is hoping to conclude the opening round by 11 p.m. ET.
This is the first time the league has changed the duration of the first round since 2008, when the first-round pick time was shortened from 15 minutes to 10.
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After the first round, where teams will have eight minutes per selection this year, the draft will have the same time periods to draft as last year, according to the NFL. Here is a breakdown of time limits per round.
Teams will always need the most time to pick in the first round, as the importance of selecting the right player is paramount. Along with this, it is important for them to monitor draft trends and other team movement in the draft that can impact landing their desired star player. After the first round, teams will look to address roster needs in the ensuing rounds.
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In years prior, the NFL Draft's first round took just under four hours. The first-day event typically starts at 8 p.m. ET and would end around 11:45 p.m., according to Schefter. Last year's draft ended at roughly 11:30 p.m.
After the first round, the second and third rounds will ensue on Friday night. The second round will have a pick limit of seven minutes, while the third round will take five minutes per pick. Day 2 will start at 7 p.m. ET and last until roughly 10 p.m., according to the draft's event operations page.
On Saturday, coverage from Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET and last until 6 p.m. The fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds will all have five minutes per pick, while the seventh round will have a pick limit of four minutes.
The fastest first round in NFL Draft history took place in 1972, according to the Raiders' 2014 draft notes page. The league was able to get through 26 picks in just two hours.
For the modern seven-round format, which began in 1994, the fastest total draft time came at the 2012 draft. Across three days, teams made all their draft picks in a lightning-fast 14 hours and five minutes.
This year's draft will most likely break that 2012 record, with pick limits being shortened by two minutes per selection.