How Does The Nfl Draft Work?

ByBen Collins

BBC Sport journalist

NFL draught 2026

Venue: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Dates: Thursday, 23 April - Saturday, 25 April Start: 20:00 EDT (01:00 BST, Friday)

The NFL features much than 2,200 players crossed nan league's 32 teams and astir are recruited via nan NFL draught each April.

Every twelvemonth thousands of players successful nan US collegiate strategy go eligible for nan draught but nan full number of selections is constricted to astir 250.

Although players who spell undrafted tin still beryllium signed later, astir early stars are picked up during nan three-day event.

But early draught picks tin often flop successful nan NFL while immoderate chosen precocious go greats - Tom Brady was selected 199th wide successful 2000 yet went connected to triumph a grounds 7 Super Bowls.

The draught is divided into 7 rounds - nan first taking spot connected a Thursday, rounds 2 and 3 connected Friday and 4 to 7 connected Saturday.

All 32 teams person 1 prime successful each round, going successful nan reverse bid of nan erstwhile season's standings, unless they person agreed trades.

There person already been trades for 7 first-round draught picks this year, meaning six teams will get 2 first-round picks and six others will person none.

The Las Vegas Raiders had past season's worst grounds truthful they will spell first pinch nan Super Bowl winners, nan Seattle Seahawks, going last.

Instead of paying transportation fees, NFL teams waste and acquisition early draught picks and/or existent players to get players from different teams aliases move up successful nan draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs, for example, traded distant 3 picks successful 2017 to climb into position to prime current prima backmost Patrick Mahomes.

In 2023, nan Carolina Panthers traded up to return nan first prime from nan Chicago Bears and select backmost Bryce Young.

In this year's draft, nan New York Jets will person nan 2nd prime owed to their mediocre grounds successful nan 2025 season, positive nan 16th prime via a trade.

Teams whitethorn discuss trades astatine immoderate clip earlier and during nan draft.

The number of players selected varies somewhat each twelvemonth and this twelvemonth location will beryllium 257 picks.

NFL teams scout players astatine assemblage and past measure them during nan NFL Combine, a week-long arena successful February featuring beingness and intelligence tests wherever teams tin besides question and reply prospects.

Each college/university holds a Pro Day, wherever draught hopefuls person different chance to showcase their skills, and they whitethorn besides sojourn teams for much tests and interviews.

Then comes nan draft.

Each prime will not needfully beryllium nan champion subordinate still available, they whitethorn beryllium nan subordinate which that squad feels champion suits their needs.

The full number of picks varies each twelvemonth arsenic teams are awarded compensatory picks for players they mislaid successful free agency.

They are besides rewarded pinch picks for processing number candidates for caput coach/general head positions, while teams whitethorn person to forfeit picks for breaching NFL rules.

This article is nan latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.