The NFL Draft consists of seven rounds, with each of the 32 teams initially allotted one pick per round, totaling 224 standard picks. However, the actual number of picks in a given year varies due to compensatory picks and trades. For the 2025 NFL Draft, there are a total of 257 selections across all seven rounds. This includes 35 compensatory picks awarded to teams based on free agency losses and other league rules. These compensatory picks are added at the end of rounds 3 through 7, making those rounds longer than the first two. Teams can also trade picks, leading to some teams having more or fewer than seven picks in total
. In summary:
- Total picks in 2025 NFL Draft: 257
- Rounds: 7
- Picks per round: 32 standard picks plus compensatory picks in rounds 3-7
- Compensatory picks in 2025: 35
- Teams can trade picks, so the number of picks per team varies
This structure has been consistent since 1994 when the draft was set to seven rounds. The draft order is based on the reverse order of the previous season's team records, with the worst team picking first and the Super Bowl champion picking last in each round
