2024 NFL Draft start time, location and how to watch

The LA Rams are about to change the lives of 11 young men this week. And with that, the lives of their families and friends will be swept up in the changes as well. The NFL is about to add rookie prospects from college football to the ranks of the pros. And in the process, all NFL teams hope to emerge from the event more competitive than ever.

The NFL Draft has quite a bit of history that is worth catching up to. After all, it was not until the new fledgling Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) approached the NFL to broadcast the event that it was finally shared with NFL fans. And it was not the primetime event that it has become without NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. who turned the strategy of selecting players from a gut-feeling into a data-driven evidence-based process.

Those innovations have resulted in a three-day event that keeps the NFL relevant despite being months away from the first kickoff of the the season.

Well, this is it. The 2024 NFL Draft has nearly arrived. By the time you are reading this, the event is a matter of hours away. And the draft is loaded with talent, drama, and worthwhile entertainment for NFL fans worldwide. This is an annual event that allows NFL teams to instantly upgrade their rosters with 257 rookies who will be named to 32 NFL teams.

The LA Rams are currently on track to add as many as 11 new players during the three day event. That number could shrink or grow throughout the draft, but the team will welcome a number of promising players to the roster. So what do you need to know about the draft?

When is the draft?

The 2024 NFL Draft is scheduled to run for three days, from  Thursday, April 25 through Saturday, April 27.

Schedule:

• Thursday, April 25 at 5:00 pm PT -- Round 1
• Friday, April 26 at 4:00 pm PT -- Rounds 2-3
• Saturday, April 27 at 9:00 am PT -- Rounds 4-7

Where is the 2024 NFL Draft taking place?

The location for the 2024 NFL Draft is Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza, in Detroit, Michigan

How to watch

You can follow the 2024 NFL Draft via live broadcast on the NFL Network, NFL+, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes

Round 1 Order

The current order for Round 1 is cited below. Team needs are supplied by the NFL.com draft tracker.

1. Chicago Bears (from Carolina) - Teams needs: QB • WR • OL • DL
2. Washington Commanders - Team needs: QB • OL • CB • WR
3. New England Patriots - Team needs: QB • OL • CB • WR • DL
4. Arizona Cardinals - Team needs: WR • CB • RB • OL
5. Los Angeles Chargers - Team needs: WR • CB • OL • RB
6. New York Giants - Team needs: WR • CB • RB • QB
7. Tennessee Titans - Team needs: OL • DL • WR • LB
8. Atlanta Falcons - Team needs: CB • DL • QB
9. Chicago Bears (see above)
10. New York Jets - Team needs: TE • WR • LB • CB
11. Minnesota Vikings - Team needs: QB • OL • WR • DL
12. Denver Broncos - Teams needs: QB • CB • DL • OL
13. Las Vegas Raiders - Team needs: QB • CB • OL • WR
14. New Orleans Saints - Team needs: OL • WR • CB • DL • LB
15. Indianapolis Colts - Team needs: CB • WR • RB • OL
16. Seattle Seahawks - Team needs: DL • LB • OL • TE
17. Jacksonville Jaguars - Team needs: CB • DL • OL
18. Cincinnati Bengals - Team needs: OL • DL • CB • WR • TE
19. Los Angeles Rams - Team needs: DL • CB • OL • S
20. Pittsburgh Steelers - Team needs: OL • WR • CB • DL
21. Miami Dolphins - Team needs: OL • DL • TE
22. Philadelphia Eagles - Team needs: CB • OL • WR
23. Minnesota Vikings (from Cleveland through Houston) (see above)
24. Dallas Cowboys - Team needs: OL • RB • DL • WR
25. Green Bay Packers - Team needs: DL • LB • OL • CB
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Team needs: OL • CB • LB
27. Arizona Cardinals (from Houston) (see above)
28. Buffalo Bills - Team needs: WR • DL • RB
29. Detroit Lions - Team needs: CB • WR • OL
30. Baltimore Ravens - Team needs: OL • WR
31. San Francisco 49ers - Team needs: CB • OL • WR • LB
32. Kansas City Chiefs - Team needs: WR • OL • CB • RB

Teams without a Round 1 pick

1. Cleveland Browns - Team needs: OL • LB • DL • WR • TE
2. Carolina Panthers - Team needs: WR • TE • CB • DL
3. Houston Texans - Team needs: CB • TE • LB • OL • DL

Keep in mind that while each team has multiple needs, the 2024 NFL Draft is not the end of the roster-building process. Immediately following the 2024 NFL Draft, all 32 teams will scramble to sign collegiate free agents to round out their rosters.