NFL Draft 2025: Dates, UK times, how it works, top picks & players to watch (2025)

Published

22 April 2025

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NFL Draft 2025

Venue: Green Bay, Wisconsin Dates: Thursday, 24 April - Sunday, 26 April Start: 20:00 EDT (01:00 BST, Friday)

Coverage: Live text commentary via the BBC Sport website and app (from 23:45 BST)

The wait is almost over for thousands of NFL hopefuls.

After beginning to reshape their rosters during the free agency period, NFL teams will now select from the latest batch of players to emerge from the college game.

They have been scouting the top prospects for months, with fans and media speculating over who will pick who.

Now dreams will come true this weekend as 257 players hear their name being called out at this year's NFL Draft.

All 32 teams have one pick in each of the seven rounds - unless they have agreed trades - and they go in the reverse order of last season's standings, so the team with the worst record gets the first pick and the Super Bowl winners go last.

Going into the final game of last season, the New England Patriots were set for the first pick of the 2025 draft, but victory over a weakened Buffalo means they now have the fourth pick.

That left three teams on three wins from the 2024 season so the draft order was determined by the strength of their schedule - the record of their opponents.

The Tennessee Titans were therefore given the first pick, while the Cleveland Browns will choose second and the New York Giants third.

Will Levis has failed to establish himself as Tennessee's starting quarterback and last season's back-up Mason Rudolph rejoined Pittsburgh in free agency, so the Titans are expected to go for a QB.

There were a record six quarterbacks taken in the first 12 picks of last year's draft but a repeat is very unlikely.

Only two quarterbacks are among the highest-rated prospects in this year's draft class, namely Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward.

Sanders was the initial favourite to be the first overall draft pick but was replaced by Ward in January, after he led Miami to a 10-3 season.

The 22-year-old racked up the most touchdown passes in college football (39) and the second-most passing yards (4,313) as he wrapped up a five-year college career, which included two-year stints with Incarnate Word and Washington State.

Ward, who is 6ft 2in, is now the clear favourite although Sanders could soon follow as the Giants also need a quarterback.

Shedeur Sanders is the youngest son of former NFL star Deion Sanders, who was his head coach throughout his college career, which included two years at Jackson State followed by two at Colorado.

The 23-year-old's pass completion rate of 74.0% was the best in college football and helped Colorado to a 9-4 record.

Yet Ward and Oregon's Dillon Gabriel were the two quarterbacks among the four Heisman Trophy finalists, for the best college player, which was won by Sanders' team-mate Travis Hunter.

The 21-year-old has been dubbed a 'unicorn' as he is a genuine two-way player - he plays significant time on both defence and offence, as a cornerback and wide receiver.

The last player to do that in the NFL was Deion Sanders in the 1990s, which is partly why Hunter played under him at Jackson State and Colorado, but NFL teams seem unsure how best to utilise him at the top level.

Hunter edged out Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty to win the Heisman while Penn State's Abdul Carter is the top-rated pass rusher.

Mason Graham (defensive tackle), Jalon Walker (linebacker) and offensive linemen Will Campbell and Armand Membou are also expected to be early picks, while Jalen Milroe and Jaxson Dart are seen as the next best quarterbacks.

For the first time the NFL draft will be held in Green Bay, Wisconsin, home to the league's most successful franchise.

The Green Bay Packers have won the most championships (13) during the NFL's 105-year history and the city became known as 'Titletown' during the 1960s.

This year's draft events will be staged in and around the Packers' iconic Lambeau Field and the mixed-use development next to the stadium, which is called Titletown.

Green Bay is the smallest market in the NFL but 240,000 fans are expected to attend the draft this weekend - more than double the city's population.

The first round of the draft will take place on Thursday, 24 April, with Tennessee 'on the clock' from 20:00 ET (01:00 BST, Friday).

Each team has 10 minutes to get their pick in during the first round, which is held entirely on day one.

Rounds two and three are held on Friday, with rounds four to seven on Saturday.

You can follow live text coverage of the first round on the BBC website and app from 23:45 BST on Thursday.

There will also be news updates on any notable stories from days two and three on the BBC website and app.

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