What changes in Day 2 of Draft, how much time for picks, how many rounds, how many picks in each round 

Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft started with a bang. There was a packed house in Pittsburgh with a reported 300,000+ people that attended the opening day according to Roger Goodell. Now we turn our attention to Day 2 of the Draft.

Tightening up the first round

For the first time ever the first round of the Draft was held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and fans did not disappoint. Hundreds of thousands engulfed the draft stage to watch the worst kept secret in this year’s draft get taken with the first overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders.

Fernando Mendoza was selected with the top pick on a night that we saw a first for the NFL Draft. The time to make selections for each team in the first round was slashed from 10 minutes to 8 minutes. That sped the first round up significantly, especially when you take into account that once teams put their pick in, the clock started to tick for the next team on deck.

The first round wrapped up in just about three hours, which was much quicker than drafts of the past. For quite a while the first round gave teams 15 minutes, but those marathons are over, and now the NFL is interested in a quicker, more efficient selection show.

Two rounds coming in Day 2

Now we head into Day 2 with Round 2 and Round 3 coming up. There will be 32 picks scheduled for the second round and 36 picks in the third round. How can there be more 32 picks in a round? Good question, this is due to a combination of penalties and compensatory picks that teams get from years previous.

The time between picks gets shorter and shorter as the rounds go on. Tonight the second round of the draft will give teams seven minutes between picks, while the third round will only give teams five minutes. The five minute allotment will carry over into Day 3 for rounds 4, 5 and 6.

The Day 2 festivities begin at 7 p.m. ET, and should roll into deep in the night as 68 names will be called tonight, which will close out the first 100 picks of the 2026 selection show. Saturday will feature rounds 4-7, and then we will return to our football abyss until OTAs in May.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.