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Gilberto Manzano’s NFL Mock Draft 2026: Cardinals, Titans Prioritize Playmakers |
2026 NFL Draft Needs for Every AFC Team After Free Agency | 2026 NFL Draft Needs for Every NFC Team After Free Agency
The 2026 NFL draft is just over two weeks away.
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A total of 257 players will be selected over the course of the seven-round draft, as numerous top collegiate players watch their NFL dreams become a reality. The best players in the class will be invited to attend the draft in person, where they will have the opportunity to walk the red carpet, shake commissioner Roger Goodell’s hand and pose with the jersey and cap of their new team.
Here is a full schedule and guide for this year’s NFL draft:
When is the NFL draft? Full schedule:
The 2026 NFL draft takes place over three days from April 23-25. Here is the schedule and start times:
Round 1: Thursday, April 23 (8 p.m. ET)
Rounds 2–3: Friday, April 24 (4 p.m. ET)
Rounds 4–7: Saturday, April 25 (12 p.m. ET)
Where is the NFL draft?
This year’s NFL draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pa. for the first time and will be split across the Allegheny River. According to the team website, the Draft Theater and Main Stage will be on the North Shore. The event will use the area outside of Acrisure Stadium as a natural amphitheater.
How to watch the NFL draft
The 2026 NFL draft will air on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and NFL Network. The event can also be streamed through NFL+, NFL Game Pass International or the ESPN app.
The draft will additionally be broadcasted over the radio on SiriusXM, WestwoodOne Sports and ESPN radio.
More:NFL Compensatory Draft Picks Explained and Why They’re So Important
How much time is there in between draft picks?
Round 1: eight minutes
Round 2: seven minutes
Rounds 3-6: five minutes
Round 7: four minutes
This year, teams will get eight minutes to make their first-round picks. This is a change from previous years, as teams were allotted 10 minutes to make their pick in the first round from 2008 to ‘25. Prior to ’08, teams received 15 minutes to make their first-round draft selections. Teams will now have less time to execute first-round draft trades, and as a result, the first night of the draft should be shorter as well.
What is the order of the NFL draft?
The Raiders hold the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft and are expected to kick off the event by selecting Fernando Mendoza. The full draft order for all seven rounds can be found here.
There are several teams that have multiple first-round picks in this year’s draft, including the Jets, Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins and Cowboys. The Falcons, Jaguars, Colts and Packers do not have any picks in the first round this year.
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EVA GEITHEIM
Eva Geitheim is an NFL writer at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor’s in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or rewatching Gilmore Girls.
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