The 2026 NFL Draft is almost here!
College football's elite players are set to find their new homes with one of the league's 32 franchises.
Here is everything you need to know before the first pick is made at the draft in Pittsburgh.
How to watch the 2026 NFL Draft:
You can watch the draft live on NFL Network, NFL+, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes. Tune in at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 23 to catch all the Day 1 draft action live. Coverage of Rounds 2-7 will be available in the subsequent days on the same platforms.
When and where is the 2026 NFL Draft:
This year's draft will take place at Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Below are the dates and times for each day.
- Thursday, April 23: Round 1, 8 p.m. ET
- Friday, April 24: Rounds 2-3, 7 p.m. ET
- Saturday, April 25: Rounds 4-7, Noon ET
What to expect from the 2026 NFL Draft:
Each draft is different, but all of them bring big surprises -- some that pan out for the positive and some that don't. In all, more than 250 players will be drafted over the course of three days.
Our NFL Media analysts have produced multiple mock drafts to give fans a preview of how the draft might play out. Standouts such as Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State LB Sonny Styles and Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey are expected to be among the first players taken off the board, while top performers from the 2026 NFL Combine, like Arkansas QB Taylen Green and UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence, could be draft day surprises. To dive deeper into these expert predictions, check out the mock drafts page.
For deep-dive analysis on the top quarterback prospects of this class, check out Kurt Warner's QB Insider videos on NFL+, including Alabama's Ty Simpson and LSU's Garrett Nussmeier.
The NFL also recently rolled out NFL IQ, which allows fans a glimpse into the front office of their franchise and how they make draft-day decisions.
Learn more about the 2026 NFL Draft:
- How to attend the 2026 NFL Draft in person -- Check out event information, ticket packages, and registration details.
- Latest draft news -- Get the most up-to-date draft and player information.
- 2026 NFL Draft tracker --Track every pick made during the draft.
- Full 2026 NFL Draft order -- Subject to change pending pick swaps and trades.
