We’ve got all your questions answers, from how to watch to when undrafted free agents can be signed.
The 2019 NFL Draft gets underway Thursday and a new generation of stars begin their professional careers. College football’s top prospects will descend on Nashville, Tennessee as they wait to see which franchises will be the backdrop of what they hope will be Hall of Fame careers. There will be 256 picks made as teams reload their rosters in hopes the work done in April leads to a Super Bowl victory next February.
But there’s more to the NFL Draft then just a laundry list of picks. You’ve got questions about the draft — its history, its schedule, and its rules. We’ve got answers. Here’s a look at some of the most common queries that come up each year once draft season begins.
When does the NFL Draft start?
The 2019 NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday night and will conclude on Saturday evening.
How long does each round of the NFL Draft last?
It’s a three day affair, starting with Round 1 on Thursday, then Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday. Everything concludes with Rounds 4-7 on Saturday, at which point Mr. Irrelevant is crowned and teams begin snapping up undrafted free agents.
Round 1 begins at 8 p.m. ET and is scheduled to last until 11:30 p.m., though it could go over that time slot. Each team in the first round has 10 minutes to make their pick, and at 32 picks that could mean 320 minutes — five hours and 20 minutes — of draft time. History suggests Day 1 won’t take that long; in the past three years the event has lasted anywhere from 3:20 to 3:40.
Day 2 kicks off at 7 p.m. ET and is scheduled for four hours of broadcast time. Day 3 is scheduled for seven hours of programming, running from noon until 7 p.m. ET., though the actual draft itself will likely close up shop before that.
Where is the 2019 NFL Draft?
The NFL’s traveling road show hits Nashville this spring, home of the Tennessee Titans. This year’s draft will take place downtown at the intersection of 1st and Broadway — a mere drunken crawl from the honky tonks that line both sides of the city’s most famous street. The main stage will also play host to concerts from country stars like Tim McGraw and Dierks Bentley.
Is the NFL Draft on TV?
Yes, and you can watch it on bunch of channels. ABC and ESPN are pairing up to provide 360 degree coverage of the event for all three days. ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, and the NFL Network will also be broadcasting live from the draft as well.
Can you stream the draft online?
Yes, you can stream the draft on FuboTV. It’s also available on NFL.com and WatchESPN.
Are NFL Draft tickets free?
Yep! And unlike last year there’s no limit to the number of attendees, so this one won’t sell out. You will have to download a ticket using the NFL Draft - Fan Mobile Pass app. You’ll also need a unique ticket for each day you plan to attend.
The Draft
How does the NFL Draft work?
Every team in the NFL gets one selection per round over the course of seven rounds to reload their rosters with the best available talent. Pick order is determined in reverse order of the previous season’s standings; this year, the 3-13 Arizona Cardinals pick first and the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots will pick 32nd in the first round. That doesn’t mean every team will make a pick in each round, however; teams can trade up or down the draft ladder as they see fit.
How do NFL Draft trades work?
Teams can trade picks for players, other current-year picks, or future selections. Teams traditionally surmise the value of draft picks through either Jimmy Johnson’s famous draft value chart or through more recent variations that place greater value on mid-round picks than Johnson’s table.
How long does a team have to make a selection?
The first round allows teams the most time to make the decisions that could build a dynasty or sink a general manager’s career. The first 32 picks are separated by 10 minutes each. Teams will only have seven minutes to burn between picks in Round 2, five in Rounds 3-6, and just four in Round 7.
Can NFL teams draft players out of high school?
Nope. Any player that’s exhausted his NCAA eligibility (four years of playing games, with a few injury exceptions) is automatically entered into the draft pool. Otherwise, prospects can declare for early entry as long as they are three years removed from their last year of high school. That’s why you’ll see some juniors and redshirt sophomores in the mix, but no freshmen or high school stars.
Can NFL Draft picks decline being picked?
No, but they can decline to sign a contract with the team that drafted them. It doesn’t happen often, but players unhappy with their likely landing spots can effectively force a trade to another team, like Eli Manning did when he was drafted by the Chargers No. 1 overall in 2004 and then shipped to the Giants in exchange for Philip Rivers, a third-round pick, and a future first-rounder. Or they can sit out the start of their season in a standoff with the team that holds their draft rights.
What are NFL Draft compensatory picks?
The league rewards teams who have lost important players in free agency by giving them compensatory picks — selections outside the normal 32 selections per round — in rounds three through seven. The formula for awarding these picks hasn’t been publicly disclosed, but typically hinges on performance and salary; a team losing a player who signed for $2 million during the offseason could bring back a seventh round pick, while a team losing someone who signed for $10 million per year could yield a third rounder, depending on whether or not the club signed a similarly expensive replacement in his stead.
When did NFL Draft go to seven rounds?
1994 was the first year the draft was cut down to seven rounds.
After the draft
Can NFL Draft picks be cut?
Yes. You typically won’t see many players selected on Days 1 or 2 wind up on the chopping block, but Day 3 picks and beyond typically dot transaction ledgers once teams begin making adjustments to squeeze their roster under the 53-man limit at the start of the regular season.
When can undrafted free agents be signed?
As soon as the final pick of the draft has been made.
Is there a limit to how many undrafted free agents a team can sign?
There are no limits as to how many UDFAs teams can sign — they only have to stick to the 90-man offseason roster size.