How does the 2021 NFL draft work? Rules, Draft Order and Rounds

The 2021 NFL Draft will start this Thursday and run till Saturday. The first round will be presented on Thursday at 8 PM. Rounds two and three will take place on Friday, while rounds four through seven will be on Saturday.

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How does the 2021 NFL draft work, and what are the rules?

NFL Draft

During the first round of the draft, each NFL team will have ten minutes to make their pick. T

eams are given seven minutes to make their selection during the second round, and through rounds three to six, teams have five minutes to make their selection. In the seventh and final round, teams are given four minutes to announce their pick.

So we're supposed to believe that the 49ers gave up two first-round picks plus a swap of this year's firsts -- more than teams gave up for Khalil Mack or Laremy Tunsil or Jalen Ramsey -- and they did so not knowing who they were going to take with the pick? Please.

— Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) April 26, 2021

What happens if a team runs out of time during their selection?

If an NFL team runs out of time during their pick, they do have the option to select a player later on. However, a fallout of that is another team could draft the player they were looking for.

Also check out: What channel is the NFL Draft on today?

How does the NFL Commissioner receive the team's pick?

Every NFL team sends representatives to the NFL Draft. Those representatives are at their assigned tables and have direct contact with the team's headquarters. Once a team makes a pick from their headquarters, they tell their representatives at the draft and write it down for the commissioner.

How do trades work in the NFL Draft?

Trades are a little different. Once two teams agree on a trade, whether it's for picks or a player, they must relay the message to their representatives at the Draft. After that, the representatives must share the information with the NFL to get the trade approved. After the trade is approved, the representative will give the details to the broadcast partners to announce the trade to the media and fans.

How does a player's eligibility work for the NFL draft?

For a player to be eligible for the NFL Draft, they must be out of high school for at least three years and used up their college eligibility. If an underclassman who is a freshman or sophomore graduate before their eligibility is up, they must apply to enter the draft early.

Before a player can be drafted, the NFL Player Personnel staff must confirm the eligibility of that prospect. If underclassmen want to enter the draft early, they must send their application to the NFL no later than seven days after the NCAA national championship game. Once the player becomes draft-eligible, the NFL Player Personnel will go over all the league rules for Pro Days and private workouts.

Why does the NFL have a Supplemental Draft?

At times, the NFL does hold a supplemental draft. The NFL does this because some of the athletes experience changes in their eligibility. College athletes cannot bypass the NFL Draft to be eligible for the supplemental draft, though.

8 days until the #NFLDraft! No. 8 Steve Young is one of three Hall of Famers to be selected in the Supplemental Draft. Although Young was expected to have been the first overall pick, he instead spent his first year in the USFL.Seems like a mistake, but it worked out for him! pic.twitter.com/V5MW3PcxNJ

— TIGERAIRE (@tigeraire) April 21, 2021

An NFL team doesn't have to participate in the supplemental draft. If they do choose to participate, they are able to bid for the player they want. Let's say multiple teams bid on the same player. That player will go to the highest bidder, and the losing teams will lose out on that draft pick.

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NFL Draft 2021: Draft Order by Round

2021 NFL Draft

NFL Draft Round 1: Picks 1-32

1) Jacksonville Jaguars

2) New York Jets

3) San Francisco 49ers (from HOU through MIA)

4) Atlanta Falcons

5) Cincinnati Bengals

6) Miami Dolphins (from PHI)

7) Detroit Lions

8) Carolina Panthers

9) Denver Broncos

10) Dallas Cowboys

11) New York Giants

12) Philadelphia Eagles (from SF through MIA)

13) Los Angeles Chargers

14) Minnesota Vikings

15) New England Patriots

16) Arizona Cardinals

17) Las Vegas Raiders

18) Miami Dolphins

19) Washington Football Team

20) Chicago Bears

21) Indianapolis Colts

22) Tennessee Titans

23) New York Jets (from SEA)

24) Pittsburgh Steelers

25) Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR)

26) Cleveland Browns

27) Baltimore Ravens

28) New Orleans Saints

29) Green Bay Packers

30) Buffalo Bills

31) Kansas City Chiefs

32) Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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NFL Draft Round 2: Picks 33-64

33) Jacksonville Jaguars

34) New York Jets

35) Atlanta Falcons

36) Miami Dolphins (from Houston Texans)

37) Philadelphia Eagles

38) Cincinnati Bengals

39) Carolina Panthers

40) Denver Broncos

41) Detroit Lions

42) New York Giants

43) San Francisco 49ers

44) Dallas Cowboys

45) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Minnesota Vikings)

46) New England Patriots

47) Los Angeles Chargers

48) Las Vegas Raiders

49) Arizona Cardinals

50) Miami Dolphins

51) Washington Football Team

52) Chicago Bears

53) Tennessee Titans

54) Indianapolis Colts

55) Pittsburgh Steelers

56) Seattle Seahawks

57) Los Angeles Rams

58) Kansas City Chiefs (from Baltimore Ravens)

59) Cleveland Browns

60) New Orleans Saints

61) Buffalo Bills

62) Green Bay Packers

63) Kansas City Chiefs

64) Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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NFL Draft Round 3: Picks 65-105

65) Jacksonville Jaguars

66) New York Jets

67) Houston Texans

68) Atlanta Falcons

69) Cincinnati Bengals

70) Philadelphia Eagles

71) Denver Broncos

72) Detroit Lions

73) Carolina Panthers

74) Washington Football Team (from SF)

75) Dallas Cowboys

76) New York Giants

77) Los Angeles Chargers

78) Minnesota Vikings

79) Las Vegas Raiders (from AZ)

80) Las Vegas Raiders

81) Miami Dolphins

82) Washington Football Team

83) Chicago Bears

84) Philadelphia Eagles (from IND)

85) Tennessee Titans

86) New York Jets (from SEA)

87) Pittsburgh Steelers

88) Los Angeles Rams

89) Cleveland Browns

90) Minnesota Vikings (from BAL)

91) Cleveland Browns (from NO)

92) Green Bay Packers

93) Buffalo Bills

94) Kansas City Chiefs

95) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

96) New England Patriots (compensatory selection)

97) Los Angeles Chargers (compensatory selection)

98) New Orleans Saints (compensatory selection)

99) Dallas Cowboys (compensatory selection)

100) Tennessee Titans (compensatory selection)

101) Detroit Lions (from LAR; compensatory selection)

102) San Francisco 49ers (compensatory selection)

103) Los Angeles Rams (compensatory selection)

104) Baltimore Ravens (compensatory selection)

105) New Orleans Saints (compensatory selection).

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NFL Draft Round 4: Picks 106-144

106) Jacksonville Jaguars

107) New York Jets

108) Atlanta Falcons

109) Houston Texans

110) Cleveland Browns (from PHI)

111) Cincinnati Bengals

112) Detroit Lions

113) Carolina Panthers

114) Denver Broncos

115) Dallas Cowboys

116) New York Giants

117) San Francisco 49ers

118) Los Angeles Chargers

119) Minnesota Vikings

120) New England Patriots

121) Las Vegas Raiders

122) New England Patriots (from AZ through HOU)

123) Philadelphia Eagles (from MIA)

124) Washington Football Team

125) Minnesota Vikings (from CHI)

126) Tennessee Titans

127) Indianapolis Colts

128) Pittsburgh Steelers

129) Seattle Seahawks

130) Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR)

131) Baltimore Ravens

132) Cleveland Browns

133) New Orleans Saints

134) Minnesota Vikings (from BUF; conditional)

135) Green Bay Packers

136) Kansas City Chiefs

137) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

138) Dallas Cowboys (compensatory selection)

139) New England Patriots (compensatory selection)

140) Pittsburgh Steelers (compensatory selection)

141) Los Angeles Rams (compensatory selection)

142) Green Bay Packers (compensatory selection)

143) Minnesota Vikings (compensatory selection)

144) Kansas City Chiefs (compensatory selection).

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NFL Draft Round 5: Picks 145-184

145) Jacksonville Jaguars

146) New York Jets

147) Houston Texans

148) Atlanta Falcons

149) Cincinnati Bengals

150) Philadelphia Eagles

151) Carolina Panthers

152) Denver Broncos

153) Detroit Lions

154) New York Jets (from NYG)

155) San Francisco 49ers

156) Miami Dolphins (from DAL through PHI)

157) Minnesota Vikings

158) Houston Texans (from NE)

159) Los Angeles Chargers

160) Arizona Cardinals

161) Buffalo Bills (from LV)

162) Las Vegas Raiders (from MIA)

163) Washington Football Team

164) Chicago Bears

165) Indianapolis Colts

166) Tennessee Titans

167) Las Vegas Raiders (from SEA)

168) Minnesota Vikings (from PIT through BAL)

169) Cleveland Browns (from LAR)

170) Jacksonville Jaguars (from CLE)

171) Baltimore Ravens

172) San Francisco 49ers (from NO)

173) Green Bay Packers

174) Buffalo Bills

175) Kansas City Chiefs

176) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

177) New England Patriots (compensatory selection)

178) Green Bay Packers (compensatory selection)

179) Dallas Cowboys (compensatory selection)

180) San Francisco 49ers (compensatory selection)

181) Kansas City Chiefs (compensatory selection)

182) Atlanta Falcons (compensatory selection)

183) Atlanta Falcons (compensatory selection)

184) Baltimore Ravens (compensatory selection)

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NFL Draft Round 6: Picks 185-228.

185) Los Angeles Chargers (from JAX through TEN)

186) New York Jets

187) Atlanta Falcons

188) New England Patriots (from HOU)

189) Philadelphia Eagles

190) Cincinnati Bengals

191) Denver Broncos

192) Dallas Cowboys (from DET)

193) Carolina Panthers

194) San Francisco 49ers

195) Houston Texans (from DAL through NE)

196) New York Giants

197) New England Patriots

198) Los Angeles Chargers

199) Minnesota Vikings

200) Las Vegas Raiders

201) New York Giants (from AZ)

202) Cincinnati Bengals (from MIA through HOU)

203) Houston Texans (from WAS through LV and MIA)

204) Chicago Bears

205) Tennessee Titans

206) Indianapolis Colts

207) Kansas City Chiefs (from PIT through MIA)

208) Chicago Bears (from SEA through MIA; conditional)

209) Los Angeles Rams

210) Baltimore Ravens

211) Cleveland Browns

212) Houston Texans (from NO)

213) Buffalo Bills

214) Green Bay Packers

215) Tennessee Titans (from KC)

216) Pittsburgh Steelers (from TB)

217) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (compensatory selection)

218) New Orleans Saints (compensatory selection)

219) Atlanta Falcons (compensatory selection)

220) Green Bay Packers (compensatory selection)

221) Chicago Bears (compensatory selection)

222) Carolina Panthers (compensatory selection)

223) Arizona Cardinals (from MIN; compensatory selection)

224) Philadelphia Eagles (compensatory selection)

225) Philadelphia Eagles (compensatory selection)

226) New York Jets (from CAR; compensatory selection)

227) Dallas Cowboys (compensatory selection)

228) Chicago Bears (compensatory selection).

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NFL Draft Round 7: Picks 229-259

229) New Orleans Saints (from JAX)

230) San Francisco 49ers (from NYJ)

231) Miami Dolphins (from HOU)

232) Tennessee Titans (from ATL through MIA)

233) Houston Texans (from CIN)

234) Philadelphia Eagles

235) Cincinnati Bengals (from DET through SEA)

236) Buffalo Bills (from CAR)

237) Denver Broncos

238) Dallas Cowboys

239) Denver Broncos (from NYG)

240) Philadelphia Eagles (from SF)

241) Los Angeles Chargers

242) New England Patriots

243) Arizona Cardinals

244) Washington Football Team (from LV)

245) Pittsburgh Steelers (from MIA)

246) Washington Football Team

247) Arizona Cardinals (from CHI through LV)

248) Indianapolis Colts

249) Jacksonville Jaguars (from TEN)

250) Seattle Seahawks

251) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from PIT)

252) Los Angeles Rams

253) Denver Broncos (from CLE)

254) Pittsburgh Steelers (from BAL)

255) New Orleans Saints

256) Green Bay Packers

257) Cleveland Browns (from BUF)

258) Miami Dolphins (from KC)

259) Tampa Bay Buccaneers.