The 2007 draft included the longest first round in history, at six hours and eight minutes. It also had the longest first day, with the first three rounds stretching 11 hours, four minutes.
As a result, the times allotted for each team to make their picks has been adjusted.
Those changes include:
» Only Rounds 1 and 2 will take place on Saturday. Previously, the first three rounds of the draft were conducted on Saturday.
» The draft will start at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, three hours later than the previous start time.
» The time allocated for each pick in Round 1 will be 10 minutes. Previously, the first round time was 15 minutes.
» The time allocated for each pick in Round 2 will be seven minutes. Previously, it was 10 minutes.
» Round 3 will be moved to Sunday and remain at five minutes per selection. (Rounds 4-7 will also remain at five minutes per pick.)
» Sunday, the draft starts at 10 a.m. ET, rather than 11 a.m. ET.
This year marks the first time in 13 years that the draft has undergone such a significant change in its format. Here is a break down of significant dates and changes in the history of the draft:
Feb. 8, 1936: First NFL Draft is held in Ritz-Carlton in Philadelphia.
1938: Number of Rds is increased to 20.
1943: Number of Rds is increased from 20 to 30.
1947: NFL adds "bonus pick" to be made by randomly selected team (lottery) before 1st round (lasts through 1958).
1960: NFL holds "Secret Draft" to prevent new AFL from signing players (also number of rounds is decreased to 20 from 30).
1967: Implementation of the Common Draft –- joint NFL/AFL draft for the next three years (number of rounds dropped from 20 to 17).
1977: Number of rounds dropped from 17 to 12.
1984: NFL holds all-inclusive Scouting Combine, replacing the three that had existed for 13 seasons.
1993: Number of rounds dropped from 12 to eight.
1993: Compensatory picks first awarded.
1994: Number of rounds dropped from eight to seven.
1995: NFL adopts a Saturday-Sunday format.
2008: NFL moves Round 1 and 2 to Saturday, Round 3 is moved to Sunday; start time is moved three hours later to 3 p.m. ET; time allotted for Round 1 is 10 minutes (down from 15); time allotted for Round 2 is seven minutes (down from 10); start time on Sunday is moved to 10 a.m. ET (was 11 a.m. ET).
