NFL Draft 2025 Begins in Green Bay as Teams Make Key Selections

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The NFL Draft 2025 kicks off Thursday, April 24, in Green Bay, where thousands of aspiring players will discover their professional destinies. The action unfolds at 8:00 p.m. EDT (1:00 a.m. BST) at Lambeau Field, with live text commentary available on the BBC Sport website and app starting at midnight.

This weekend, a total of 257 players will be selected by all 32 teams, each armed with one pick in seven rounds, unless trades have been agreed upon. The selection order is determined by last season’s standings, placing the team with the worst record first and the Super Bowl champions last.

For the 2025 draft, the New England Patriots were in line for the first pick going into the final game of the previous season. However, after a surprising victory over the Buffalo Bills, they fell to fourth place in the draft order. The Tennessee Titans secured the top pick based on their record, followed by the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants.

With Will Levis struggling as the Titans’ starting quarterback and last year’s backup Mason Rudolph signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Nashville is expected to target a quarterback in this draft. While last year’s draft saw a record six quarterbacks chosen in the first 12 picks, expectations for a similar outcome this year are low.

Among the two top-rated quarterbacks are Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, both vying for the coveted first overall pick. Ward gained the spotlight after leading Miami to a 10-3 season, posting impressive stats including 39 touchdown passes and 4,313 yards over his collegiate career. Meanwhile, Sanders, the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, holds the highest pass completion percentage in college football at 74.0% and led Colorado to a successful 9-4 season.

Ward, standing at 6 feet 2 inches, is currently favored for the Titans’ pick, but Sanders remains a strong contender as both the Browns and Giants are also in need of a quarterback. Additionally, Hunter, a two-way player recently declared the Heisman Trophy winner, is among other top prospects, though NFL teams are still figuring out how to effectively utilize players like him.

This year marks the first time the NFL Draft is held in Green Bay, known as “Titletown” for its rich football history and legacy, with the Green Bay Packers holding the record for the most championships in NFL history. Despite being the smallest market in the league, Green Bay anticipates over 240,000 fans to attend the draft, more than double its population.

First-round selections are scheduled for Thursday evening, with each team allotted ten minutes per pick. Rounds two and three will occur on Friday, followed by rounds four to seven on Saturday. Fans can keep up with live updates and notable stories throughout the draft on the BBC website and app.