The NFL Draft currently consists of seven rounds. Each of the 32 NFL teams receives one pick per round, making for a standard total of 224 picks, although the actual number can be higher due to compensatory picks awarded to teams that lost more or better free agents than they gained. These compensatory picks are added at the end of rounds 3 through 7, so the total number of selections typically ranges from about 250 to 260 in a modern draft

. Historically, the number of rounds in the NFL Draft has varied significantly. The first draft in 1936 had nine rounds, which expanded to as many as 32 rounds in the 1940s. After the AFL-NFL merger, the draft was reduced to 12 rounds in 1977 and then further reduced to seven rounds starting in 1994, which remains the format today

. The draft is held over three days: the first round on Thursday, rounds 2 and 3 on Friday, and rounds 4 through 7 on Saturday

. Teams pick in reverse order of their previous season's record, with the worst team picking first in each round unless trades alter the order

. In summary:

• Current NFL Draft format: 7 rounds
• Number of teams: 32
• Typical total picks: ~250-260 (including compensatory picks)
• Draft held over 3 days: Round 1 on Day 1, Rounds 2-3 on Day 2, Rounds 4-7 on Day 3
• Historical rounds ranged from 9 to 32 before settling on 7 in 1994