The NFL Draft currently consists of seven rounds. Each of the 32 teams typically receives one pick per round, making a base total of 224 picks, but the actual number of picks can be higher due to compensatory selections awarded to teams for losing free agents or other league rules
. The seven-round format has been in place since 1994, after the league experimented with eight rounds in 1993. Prior to that, the draft had many more rounds—up to 32 rounds in the 1940s, and 12 rounds as recently as the late 1970s
. In summary:
- Number of rounds: 7
- Teams: 32
- Typical picks per team: 7 (one per round)
- Total base picks: 224, plus compensatory picks that increase the total (e.g., 257 picks in 2025)
- Seven-round format since: 1994
This structure helps balance competitive parity by allowing teams with worse records to pick earlier in each round
