The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday night, and the Detroit Lions hold the No. 17 overall pick. To help Lions fans gauge what time the Lions might make their selection, we\u2019ve looked at the last few years of data to estimate the anticipated time frame.<\/p>\n
However, our estimations need to be met with some grace this year, as the NFL has reduced the time allotted for teams to make their selections once \u201con the clock,\u201d from 10 to 8 minutes in the first round. Here\u2019s the full statement from the NFL Football Operations<\/a>:<\/p>\n \u201cThe time between first-round selections has been shortened from 10 minutes to eight minutes. It\u2019s the first timing adjustment since 2008, when the allotment dropped from 15 minutes to 10 minutes. The timing for Rounds 2-7 remains unchanged from last year.\u201d<\/p>\n With these new pick times in place, the Lions should make their pick no later than 10:16 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n That being said, not every team uses their entire time allotment, and on average, teams typically take roughly seven minutes to make their selection. We can see that pattern unfold when we examine when pick No. 17 was made in previous drafts:<\/p>\n Therefore, if this pattern holds\u2014even despite the lowered time allotment\u2014and the Lions stay at pick No. 17, they\u2019ll likely be picking between 9:59 and 10:09 pm ET.<\/p>\n