NFL draft: What time it starts, who has the first pick

WASHINGTON — Two months after the confetti fell at the Super Bowl and Kansas City won their 3rd title in five seasons, the NFL draft is set to get underway in Detroit. 

Fans are anxiously waiting to find out who their team will select across the three-day event. 

While everyone seems to know what Chicago has planned for the No. 1 pick, there’s lots of questions (and potential for trades) after that. 

The first round begins around 8 p.m. Eastern on Thursday night. 

Rounds 2-3 will take place on Friday night also starting at 8 p.m. Eastern. 

Rounds 4-7 are on Saturday and will begin around noon Eastern. 

ESPN and ABC will air all three days of the NFL draft. For the first two nights, Thursday, April 25, and Friday, April 26, ABC and ESPN will have different broadcasts. 

The 2024 draft will also be televised on NFL Network and streamed live on the NFL’s digital properties. ESPN+ will also be streaming “The Pat McAfee Show Draft Spectacular” at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, which will also be available on YouTube. 

On day three of the draft, Saturday, April 27, ESPN’s broadcast will be simulcast on ABC. 

The Chicago Bears have the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft and are widely expected to select University of Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams. 

After that…things could get very interesting. 

The record of 19 offensive players taken in the first round could fall this year. Many draft experts are predicting more than 20 offensive players will go in the first round and some have up to 25.

The AP’s final mock draft had 22 going in the first round, including 10 offensive linemen, six wide receivers, five quarterbacks and one tight end. Only once in the past 57 years have the first seven picks all been offensive players. That happened in 2021.

1) Chicago Bears (from Carolina)

23) Minnesota Vikings (from Cleveland through Houston)

27) Arizona Cardinals (from Houston)