The 2023 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and if last year’s draft was any indication, it pays to watch until the very end. Brock Purdy, named “Mr. Irrelevant” as the final selection in the 2022 draft, took over as the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback and helped lead them to the NFC title game.
While teams no longer have to sift through 20 or 30 rounds as they did in the middle of the 20th century, there are still plenty of potential selections. How many picks are in the NFL Draft?
How Many Picks Are in the 2023 NFL Draft?
There will be 259 picks made in the 2023 NFL Draft. At present, the Carolina Panthers hold the No. 1 overall pick after acquiring the selection from the Chicago Bears in a pre-draft trade. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans currently own the final pick in the draft.
All 32 NFL clubs are allotted seven draft picks each year: One in each round, based on the reverse order of the final standings of the recently completed season. However, because teams are allowed to trade picks and move up and down the board, many clubs end up with more or fewer than their seven original picks.
Teams also can receive compensatory picks if their free agents are signed by other clubs or if their minority front office/coaching candidates are hired by other organizations. This year, the 49ers will lead the league with seven comp selections.
MORE: FREE Mock Draft Simulator With Trades
In terms of total picks in 2023, the Texans and Raiders currently have the most selections (12), while the Dolphins have the least (four).
Speaking of the Dolphins, Miami threw a wrench into the draft festivities by being docked their first-round pick for tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton from 2019 to 2021. As such, there will only be 31 picks in the first round of the draft.
Meanwhile, the defending champion Chiefs have stockpiled 11 picks. However, it should be noted that they have only two of the first 90 selections, with a majority of their picks coming in the latter stages of the draft.
How Many Picks Are in Each Round?
Compensatory picks are slotted at the end of the third through seventh rounds, so those rounds will naturally be longer than the first two. Here’s how many picks will occur in each round.
- Round 1: 31 picks
- Round 2: 32 picks
- Round 3: 39 picks
- Round 4: 33 picks
- Round 5: 42 picks
- Round 6: 40 picks
- Round 7: 42 picks
How Long Does Each Team Have To Pick?
The time between picks decreases as the draft proceeds. In Round 1, teams have 10 minutes to make their selection. That shifts to seven minutes in the second round. In Rounds 3-6, clubs receive five minutes to make their pick. Then, in the seventh round, teams get just four minutes.
MORE: When Is the 2023 NFL Draft?
If a team doesn’t make its pick or orchestrate a trade before its time expires, the next team in the draft order gets to make its selection. This occurred most recently in 2011 when the Ravens missed their pick at No. 26 overall before eventually taking Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith at No. 27.
Complete Round 1 Draft Order
For more on the 2023 NFL draft order, check out PFN’s list of 2023 NFL draft picks by team.
1. Carolina Panthers (From CHI)
2. Houston Texans
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. Seattle Seahawks (From DEN)
6. Detroit Lions (From LAR)
7. Las Vegas Raiders
8. Atlanta Falcons
9. Chicago Bears (From CAR)
10. Philadelphia Eagles (From NO)
11. Tennessee Titans
12. Houston Texans (From CLV)
13. New York Jets
14. New England Patriots
15. Green Bay Packers
16. Washington Commanders
17. Pittsburgh Steelers
18. Detroit Lions
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. Seattle Seahawks
21. Los Angeles Chargers
22. Baltimore Ravens
23. Minnesota Vikings
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. New York Giants
26. Dallas Cowboys
27. Buffalo Bills
28. Cincinnati Bengals
29. New Orleans Saints (From DEN via SF via MIA)
30. Philadelphia Eagles
31. Kansas City Chiefs
Listen to the PFN Scouting Podcast
Listen to the PFN Scouting Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Scouting Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Scouting Podcast on our Scouting YouTube channel.
FAQs
Currently, each of the 32 clubs receives one pick in each of the seven rounds of the NFL Draft (the number of teams drafting has changed over time, and there have been as many as 30 rounds in a single draft). The order of selection is determined by the reverse order of finish in the previous season.
How many players will be picked in the NFL draft? ›
We will be tracking all 257 picks for Rounds 1-7, and you also can check out all the best available draft prospects. The draft continues with Rounds 2-3 on Friday (7 p.m. ET) and concludes with Rounds 4-7 on Saturday (noon ET).
Why are there 256 picks in the NFL draft? ›
Why are there more than 32 picks in some rounds of the NFL Draft? The extra picks are called compensatory picks, which are awarded to teams between rounds three and seven of the NFL draft.
How many rounds of draft for the NFL? ›
NFL draft shifted to seven rounds in 1994. Whether it is the scouting combine, training camp or international games the NFL has been ahead of the curve — compared to its competing professional leagues (MLB, NHL and NBA) — in taking a traditional event and turning it into a fan event.
How many picks are in the round 4 NFL draft? ›
Here's how the NFL draft will shape up during Saturday's final day: The fourth round will feature 35 picks, while the fifth will have 41, the sixth will have 44 and the seven will have 37, ending with the 257th and final selection.
How much does a 2nd round NFL Draft pick make? ›
Key Facts. Some of the first picks in the second round of the draft can expect to make nearly $10 million in their four-year rookie contracts, according to Spotrac, which estimates the first pick of the second round will pull in just under $10 million, while the next eight players picked will make north of $9 million.
How much does a 3rd round NFL Draft pick make? ›
Third-round salaries range from $6 million to $5.5 million.
Has a player ever declined a draft pick? ›
Peter Skoronski was the only player to decline NFL draft invite. His life story explains why. Long before the NFL became a reality, little Peter Skoronski dreamed big about being a lot of things — a lifeguard, a crossing guard, an airport worker. And a musher.
Who is the #1 NFL draft pick in 2024? ›
NFL draft 2024 first round picks selected as Caleb Williams gets No. 1 spot: Highlights.
Who was the #1 draft pick in 2024? ›
The worst kept secret in the NFL finally came to fruition Thursday as the Chicago Bears selected highly-touted USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. But the theme of the first round was the run on quarterbacks.
2024 NFL draft grades: Every pick in first round
- Chicago Bears (from Carolina Panthers): Caleb Williams, QB, USC - Grade: A. ...
- Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU - Grade: B. ...
- New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina - Grade: B+ ...
- Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State - Grade: A.
What was the 2024 NFL draft order for the first round and which players were selected?
- Chicago Bears (from Carolina Panthers): Caleb Williams.
- Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels.
- New England Patriots: Drake Maye.
- Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr.
- Los Angeles Chargers: Joe Alt.
- New York Giants: Malik Nabers.
Former Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy, the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, led the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance this past season. The 2020 Mr. Irrelevant, Tae Crowder, has played in 43 games the past four seasons.
How many Cowboys draft picks? ›
How many picks do the Cowboys have? By virtue of winning the NFC East last year, the Cowboys were slated to pick 24th in the 32-selection first round but moved down to 29th after a trade to Detroit. That means they have seven more picks spread across the next two days.
Who picks first in the NFL Draft? ›
With their first No. 1 pick in 77 years, the Chicago Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams, hoping to finally find their franchise QB. Williams set off a record run of six quarterbacks over the first 12 picks, including Jayden Daniels (Commanders, No. 2), Drake Maye (Patriots, No. 3), Michael Penix Jr.
What picks do the Lions have in the 2024 NFL Draft? ›
Detroit Lions draft picks 2024
- Round 1, Pick 24 overall: Terrion Arnold, defensive back, Alabama.
- Round 2, Pick 61 overall: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., defensive back, Missouri.
- Round 4, Pick 126 overall:Giovanni Manu, offensive tackle, University of British Columbia.
- Round 4, Pick 132 overall: Sione Vaki, running back, Utah.
How much money will first-round draft picks make? The first overall pick of the 2024 draft will sign a four-year deal worth around $38.5million, including a signing bonus of $24.8million. This is up slightly from the deal that last year's No. 1 pick Bryce Young signed, which was worth $37.9million.
Does every player in the draft get picked? ›
Every year, thousands of college football players across the United States dream of hearing their name called during the NFL Draft. However, only a small fraction of those players actually get selected by one of the 32 teams in the league. So what happens to the players who don't get drafted?
Who is the #1 draft pick for 2024? ›
The 2024 NFL draft
The first round of the draft gave players a chance to flaunt their style on the red carpet. The Bears are banking on Caleb Williams after taking the 2022 Heisman winner with the top pick.
