All signs point to the Bears selecting Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick when the 2024 NFL draft finally begins on Apr. 25. But even though the entire world seemingly knows what’s going to happen at the top of the board, the pick might not be official at 7 p.m. when the draft starts. That’s because the Bears have a set amount of time “on the clock” to turn in their draft card and make the pick official.
Here’s what you need to know about the timing of the NFL draft.
HOW LONG DOES EACH NFL TEAM HAVE TO PICK IN THE NFL DRAFT?
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The amount of time NFL teams have to decide on their picks varies by round. In the first round, every team is allotted 10 minutes per pick. From there the league picks up the pace. Teams get seven minutes per pick in the second round, then five minutes per pick for rounds three through six. For round seven, teams only get four minutes to make their picks. As soon as a team hands in its draft selection card to an NFL runner, the clock resets for the next pick.
WHAT HAPPENS IF A TEAM RUNS OUT OF TIME BEFORE MAKING DRAFT PICK?
If a team allows the clock to expire without making a pick, the next team in line has the opportunity to turn in their card for the next pick instead. However, the team that ran out of time doesn’t forfeit the pick entirely. They can still make their pick later, whenever they turn in their card.
HOW LONG IS THE NFL DRAFT?
NFL
The draft takes three days, beginning on Thursday, Apr. 25 and ending on Saturday, Apr. 27. The first round takes place on Thursday evening. Rounds two and three are on Friday. The draft concludes with a marathon session on Saturday when NFL teams go through rounds four through seven.
HOW MANY PICKS DO THE BEARS HAVE IN THE 2024 NFL DRAFT?
As things stand the Bears have four selections this year: the Nos. 1, 9, 75 and 122 picks.
Poles got this year’s No. 1 overall pick in the deal that sent last year’s No. 1 overall pick to Carolina. He acquired the No. 122 overall pick from Philadelphia when they swapped places with the Bears last year to draft Jalen Carter. The Bears ended up with Darnell Wright after that move.
The Bears’ second-round pick belongs to the Commanders thanks to the move that brought Montez Sweat to Chicago. The Chargers have their fourth-rounder due to the Keenan Allen trade. The Bears sent their fifth-round pick to Buffalo for versatile interior offensive lineman Ryan Bates and their sixth-round pick to Miami for fellow interior o-lineman Dan Feeney. In 2022, the Bears traded away their seventh-round pick to the Dolphins for wide receiver N’Keal Harry.
Poles is no stranger to trading draft picks, so their list of selections could change anytime between now and the end of the draft.
WHAT IS THE 2024 NFL DRAFT PICK ORDER?
Here’s the exact order for the first round of this year’s draft. As mentioned above, this order can change at any time with a trade.
- Bears (via CAR)
- Commanders
- Patriots
- Cardinals
- Chargers
- Giants
- Titans
- Falcons
- Bears
- Jets
- Vikings
- Broncos
- Raiders
- Saints
- Colts
- Seahawks
- Jaguars
- Bengals
- Rams
- Steelers
- Dolphins
- Eagles
- Vikings (via CLE)
- Cowboys
- Packers
- Buccaneers
- Cardinals (via HOU)
- Bills
- Lions
- Ravens
- 49ers
- Chiefs