NFL Draft 2026: Start time, order, how to watch, top prospects

The three-day 2026 NFL Draft event is all set to begin in Pittsburgh tonight. All 32 National Football League (NFL) teams will select eligible college players to join their rosters.

Here’s a look at start time, dates, location, draft order, how it works and top prospects.

What time does the NFL Draft start tonight?

The 2026 draft is scheduled to take place from April 23-25, 2026 in Pittsburgh outside of Acrisure Stadium. The event is divided into seven different rounds.

• Round 1 will take place on Thursday, beginning at 8 p.m. ET or 7 p.m. CT.
• Round 2-3 are scheduled for Friday. It begins at 7 p.m. ET or 6 p.m. ET.
• Round 4-7 will take place on Saturday, starting at 12 p.m. ET or 11 a.m. CT

Where to watch the 2026 NFL Draft?

The draft will be broadcast on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, and ESPN Deportes, and streamed on NFL+ and ESPN+.

Draft order for the first round:

Teams get limited time to pick and it usually works in reverse order of their previous season's record. Here’s the order for first round picks:

1. Las Vegas Raiders
2. New York Jets
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. New York Giants
6. Cleveland Browns
7. Washington Commanders
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Cincinnati Bengals
11. Miami Dolphins
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Los Angeles Rams
14. Baltimore Ravens
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. New York Jets (via trade)
17. Detroit Lions
18. Minnesota Vikings
19. Carolina Panthers
20. Dallas Cowboys (via trade)
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
22. Los Angeles Chargers
23. Philadelphia Eagles
24. Cleveland Browns (via trade)
25. Chicago Bears
26. Buffalo Bills
27. San Francisco 49ers
28. Houston Texans
29. Kansas City Chiefs (via trade)
30. Miami Dolphins (via trade)
31. New England Patriots
32. Seattle Seahawks

Top prospects for NFL Draft 2026:

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza of Indiana is widely viewed as the top prospect. The Indiana quarterback has been the consensus number one prospect for months, and the Las Vegas Raiders are widely expected to make it official tonight. 

Offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa has been one of the most talked-about prospects in the top ten, drawing attention from multiple teams who need to protect their quarterbacks.