2026 NFL Draft: Date, location, how to watch, top prospects

The 2026 NFL Draft will mark the 91st edition of the event, and, for the second time in history, be hosted in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The Steel City, home to one of the NFL’s most iconic franchises in the Pittsburgh Steelers, will welcome hundreds of thousands of fans, NFL personnel, coaches, scouts and draft prospects in April 2026.

You’d have to go back more than three-quarters of a century for the last time Pittsburgh hosted the NFL Draft. In December 1947, the draft was held at Fort Pitt Hotel and saw halfback Harry Gilmer chosen by Washington as the top overall pick. At that time, the draft consisted of 32 rounds and 300 total selections.

The 2026 draft will look and feel much different, as the event has blossomed into one of the most anticipated fan experiences on the sports calendar. More than 775,000 fans attended the 2024 draft in Detroit, with another 50 million viewers watching across the globe.

After being held in New York City each year from 1965 to 2014, the draft has gone to a new city each year since 2016, with Pittsburgh joining the list following fellow rust-belt cities Detroit (2024) and Green Bay (2025).

Let’s get into all you need to know about the 2026 NFL Draft.

2026 NFL Draft date

The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled to begin on Thursday, April 23, 2026, and run over three days until Saturday, April 25.

2026 NFL Draft location and venue

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

While an exact venue for the draft has not been announced, the event is "expected to incorporate elements of Pittsburgh's North Shore and Point State Park, as well as Acrisure Stadium," according to Visit Pittsburgh.

How to watch 2026 NFL Draft, TV channel and streaming

The 2026 NFL Draft will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC and NFL Network.

2026 NFL Draft top prospects

The below list of some of the top prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft is expected to change throughout the 2025/26 college football season.

• QB Arch Manning (Texas)

• S Caleb Downs (Ohio State)

• QB Nico Iamaleava (UCLA)

• DE Keldric Faulk (Auburn)

• DE T.J. Parker (Clemson)

• OT Kadyn Proctor (Alabama)

• OT Francis Mauigoa (Miami)

• RB Justice Haynes (Alabama)

• QB Drew Allar (Penn State)

• QB LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina)

• WR Zachariah Branch (USC)

• OG Rodrick Kearney (Florida)