The NFL Draft is a highly anticipated annual event for football fans, teams, and aspiring players alike. If you’re wondering “What Time Is The Nfl Draft?”, you’re likely also interested in understanding how this crucial event unfolds. While pinpointing the exact start time is key, knowing the process behind player selections, trades, and the clock itself enhances your viewing experience.
The NFL Draft traditionally takes place towards the end of April each year. While the specific dates and times can vary slightly year to year, the event is generally held over three days, with the first round typically kicking off in primetime on a Thursday evening. Subsequent rounds follow on Friday and Saturday. To find the precise “what time is the NFL Draft” for the current year, a quick online search closer to April will provide the most up-to-date schedule. Official NFL sources and sports news websites are your best bet for accurate timing.
Beyond just knowing the time, understanding the mechanics of the draft process makes watching it far more engaging. Here’s a breakdown of how NFL teams make their selections and manage the clock during the draft:
The Player Selection Procedure
Each NFL team has a designated draft room, often at their headquarters, where crucial decisions are made. When it’s their turn to pick, the team communicates their selection via phone to their representatives present at the official Draft site – typically in a designated area like “Selection Square.”
These team representatives then play a vital role in formalizing the pick. They write down the selected player’s name, position, college, and the overall pick number on an official selection card. This card is more than just a formality; it’s the key to making the selection official.
A “runner,” an NFL official assigned to each team’s table, is crucial to this process. Once the completed selection card is handed to the runner, the selection becomes official and irreversible. There’s no turning back once that card is in the runner’s hands!
The runner then immediately signals the selection. Holding the card high in the air, they notify the league official at the main stage, or dais. This visual cue is important for everyone following the draft.
Upon receiving this signal, the league official at the dais announces the pick to the world. They’ll say something like, “With the [Number] pick in the NFL Draft, the [Team Name] select [Player Name], [Position], [College].” Simultaneously, the draft clock is reset, and the next team is officially on the clock.
While a team representative could walk the selection card directly to the dais, using the runner system is far more efficient and ensures a smooth, timely draft process.
What Happens When a Team “Passes”
Time is of the essence in the NFL Draft. Each team has a limited amount of time to make their selection. If a team fails to make a pick within their allotted time, they are declared to have “passed.”
In the event of a pass, the runner assigned to the next team in the draft order is immediately ready. This next team is then given the opportunity to make their selection. They can do so by handing their official selection card to their assigned runner.
It’s important to note that even if a team passes, they don’t lose their right to participate in the draft entirely. The team that passed can still “re-enter” the draft at any point. If the team that passed submits a selection card to their runner before the next team makes their pick, their selection is considered valid.
In these scenarios where timing is critical, league officials at the dais carefully monitor both teams’ tables to determine which selection was made first. The league officials’ decision in these close-call situations is final, ensuring fairness and order in the draft. The moment the runner receives the card is the defining moment, not when a representative reaches the dais.
Navigating Draft Day Trades
Trades are a common and exciting element of the NFL Draft. Teams often trade draft picks to move up or down the draft order to target specific players or accumulate more assets.
Trade information is communicated to the NFL Player Personnel department via telephone. A crucial rule comes into play when a trade involves the pick that is currently on the clock. In such cases, no selection from the team acquiring the pick is valid until the trade is officially approved by the league.
If a trade involving the active pick isn’t approved within the allotted time for that pick, and no selection is made, the team that was originally supposed to make the pick is deemed to have passed.
Once a trade is approved, the team that acquired the pick gets whatever time was remaining on the clock (if any) to make their selection. If no time is left on the clock when the trade is approved, the rules regarding passing immediately apply to the team that now holds the pick.
To manage trades efficiently, when league officials at the dais are informed that a trade is in progress, a runner is dispatched to the table of the team that is acquiring the draft pick. This ensures that as soon as the trade is approved, the team can quickly and smoothly make their selection and keep the draft moving.
Understanding these procedures provides a deeper appreciation for the NFL Draft beyond just knowing “what time is the NFL Draft.” It reveals the strategic and logistical elements that make this event so captivating for football enthusiasts.
