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when does the second round of the nfl draft start

The second round of the NFL Draft (which is part of Day 2) is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Quick Scoop: When does the second round of the NFL Draft start?

For the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft , Day 2 includes Rounds 2 and 3 , and it begins at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday, April 24, 2026. That means if you’re in a different U.S. time zone, you’re looking at:

  • 6:00 p.m. CT
  • 5:00 p.m. MT
  • 4:00 p.m. PT

Historically, the NFL has kept this Day 2 start time consistent at 7 p.m. ET across recent drafts, and 2026 follows that same pattern.

Mini sections

1. Key facts at a glance

  • Second round is on Day 2 of the draft.
  • Day 2 in 2026 is Friday, April 24.
  • Start time: 7:00 p.m. ET for Rounds 2–3.
  • Same approximate TV window as prior years’ drafts.

2. Where this fits into the whole draft

To place it in the bigger picture for 2026:

  • Round 1 (Day 1): Thursday, April 23 – starts 8:00 p.m. ET.
  • Rounds 2–3 (Day 2): Friday, April 24 – start 7:00 p.m. ET.
  • Rounds 4–7 (Day 3): Saturday, April 25 – start 12:00 p.m. ET.

This structure matches what fans are used to from recent drafts, with a prime- time opener on Thursday, a Friday evening for the second and third rounds, and a long Saturday for the later rounds.

A quick forum-style take

“If you’re planning snacks and a watch party, just lock in Friday at 7 p.m. ET for Round 2 — you’ll get Round 3 in the same block, so it’s a full evening of picks and trade drama.”

Fans often say Day 2 is where a lot of value picks and surprise fallers show up, so many team-specific forums treat the second round almost as “Round 1B.”

SEO notes (meta-style)

  • Main focus keyword: “when does the second round of the nfl draft start” – Answer: 7:00 p.m. ET on Day 2 (Friday) of the draft, which is April 24 in 2026.
  • Related context: “latest news,” “forum discussion,” and “trending topic” around the 2026 NFL Draft all align on that standard prime-time 7 p.m. ET Day 2 kickoff.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.