The NFL will trim the interval between first‑round picks by two minutes, starting with the 2026 draft, a league source told The Athletic on Wednesday. Teams will now have eight minutes to decide their first‑round selections, down from ten. This change shortens the overall first round, which historically runs close to four hours, and tightens teams’ window for negotiating trades.
This marks the first adjustment to the draft’s first‑round timing since 2008. After the 2007 first round stretched to a record six hours and eight minutes, the league reduced the gap between picks from 15 minutes to 10.
For context, first‑round selections still enjoy the most cushion. If there are no additional changes, rounds 2 and beyond will operate with seven minutes for picks in round 2, five minutes for regular or compensatory picks in rounds 3–6, and four minutes for round 7.
The 2026 NFL Draft is slated to take place in Pittsburgh from April 23–25. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 1 slot, though the top pick race could shift in the final weeks of the regular season.
