Plot Synopsis

Each year since 1936, the National Football League (NFL) has hosted its annual player selection meeting, during which teams select eligible amateur football players. First televised in 1980 on ESPN, the event has been held at the New York Sheraton (1980-1985), The Marriott Marquis (1986-1989), the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden (1990-1994), WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden (1995-2005), Radio City Music Hall (2006-2014), and Chicago's Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University (2015 & 2016). ESPN has televised the event every year since 1980, and the NFL-owned NFL Network has been televising its own coverage of the draft since 2006. Since 2010, the draft has taken place over three days, with the first round being held in primetime on Thursday, the second and third rounds on Friday, and the remainder of the draft on Saturday. Each team has 10 minutes to make its selection in Round 1, seven minutes in Round 2 and five minutes in Rounds 3-7.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 2025 NFL Draft airs across ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes and ESPN's social media platforms, as the NFL heads to Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI (April 24-26). ESPN's long-standing NFL Draft tradition reaches 46 consecutive years, dating back to 1980. Mel Kiper Jr., Booger McFarland, Louis Riddick, Molly McGrath and Adam Schefter (ESPN) and Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Field Yates, Laura Rutledge and Pete Thamel (ABC) are Among the Many Voices of the NFL Draft Presentation; Mike Greenberg (ESPN) and Rece Davis (ABC) Host.

For the first round on Thursday, April 24 at 8pm ET/5pm PT, ESPN and ABC provide fans two uniquely different presentations. ESPN's presentation will focus on the specific NFL team and the draftee's on-field performance, highlighting their athletic accolades and impact on the field. Conversely, for the seventh consecutive year, ABC's presentation will emphasize storytelling and the draftee's road to the NFL Draft, highlighting their lesser-known stories. Adding to the all-encompassing first round coverage, and live from Green Bay, The Pat McAfee Show Draft Spectacular, available across YouTube, TikTok, the ESPN App and streaming on ESPN+, will cover all 32 picks on Thursday night, building on the success of the 2024 inaugural on-location edition.

Friday's coverage of rounds two and three on April 25 on ESPN2 and ABC will follow the same format as Thursday's presentation, with round two beginning at 7pm ET/4pm PT. On the third and final day of the NFL Draft, Saturday, April 26 (Noon ET/9am PT), ESPN's nearly seven-hour-presentation of rounds 4-7 will be simulcast on ABC.

The entire 2025 NFL Draft will also be televised on NFL Network and streamed live via NFL digital properties.