The NFL draft blends strategy, scouting and spectacle into an event that shapes franchises for years. But behind the high-stakes decisions, dramatic trades and intense fan engagement lies a process that follows specific rules and structure.
This year’s NFL draft is held in Green Bay and will run Thursday through Saturday, with the first round taking place on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. Each of the 32 teams has one pick in each of the seven rounds by default (barring trades), starting with the team that finished last in the regular season and ending with the Super Bowl champion.
Cam Ward, the 6ft 2in quarterback from Miami, is widely expected to be the top pick in the opening round but don’t be surprised if Shedeur Sanders or Quinn Ewers follow him off the board at No. 1.
As for the rest of the draft, each team has a table at Selection Square where representatives stay in constant communication with their respective offices. When a team decides on a player, the representative writes the name, position and school down on a card that gets submitted to an official known as a runner. The runner then goes to the team up next in the draft order and lets them know who was selected.
The NFL also invites players expected to be drafted early on in the first few rounds to attend draft night so they can shake hands with the commissioner, go through additional media rounds and meet fans in person. There is no requirement that these prospects attend but many do, including 2025’s Mr. Irrelevant, who is a longtime tradition that began in 1976 and is named for former NFL player Paul Salata.