The Draft is the highlight of the lengthy NFL offseason. Yes, free agency can be dramatic at times, but it is rarely as franchise-altering as Draft night. This is when front offices can cement their places in NFL history - for positive or negative reasons.
Nailing the Draft can elevate a franchise. Swinging and missing can cost jobs and leave a franchise in the doldrums. Before you bet on NFL outright markets, it’s a good idea to have an understanding of the Draft.
The outcome of a specific Draft pick will not necessarily impact live betting markets, but it’s important to keep an eye on the upcoming Draft throughout the year while monitoring the current rookies.
Where is the 2025 NFL Draft?
The 2025 NFL Draft will take place at Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, and Titletown campus. This decision was made in May 2023.
This is the first time ever Wisconsin has hosted the Draft. The event has been moving around the country since 2014, following almost five decades of the Draft being held in New York.
Prior to Green Bay, Detroit, Kansas City, and Paradise were the last three host locations.
When is the 2025 NFL Draft?
The 2025 NFL Draft begins on 24th April and finishes on the 26th April.
Round one is scheduled for the Thursday. The 2024 NFL Draft began at 1am UK time (early hours of Friday morning). Rounds two and three took place on Friday, with a midnight start time in the UK.
At 5pm on Saturday (UK time), the remaining four rounds were carried out. A similar schedule can be expected for the 2025 NFL Draft.
How To Watch The 2025 NFL Draft In The UK
The 2025 NFL Draft is accessible on DAZN with NFL Gamepass or Sky Sports’ dedicated NFL channel. Alternatively, you can listen to the Draft on TalkSport.
There are a variety of options to follow the NFL Draft for fans in the UK. If you don’t fancy staying up all night, there are plenty of reaction podcasts and talk shows to catch up with the overnight action.
Who Are The Top Prospects For The 2025 NFL Draft?
Offence dominated the top of the 2024 NFL Draft with a historically long wait for the first defensive player. The 2025 class is very different with elite prospects in the secondary and along the defensive line.
A lot can change during the college football season, but at the time of writing, these are the top prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft.
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James Pearce Jr., Edge
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Carson Beck, QB
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Mason Graham, DT
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Mykel Williams, Edge
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Will Campbell, OT
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Will Johnson, CB
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Travis Hunter, CB/WR
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Benjamin Morrison, CB
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Luther Burden III, WR
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Nic Scourton, Edge
Picks Forfeited in the 2025 NFL Draft
The San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons have each forfeited their fifth-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
San Francisco was found to have made administrative payroll accounting errors. Atlanta violated the league’s anti-tampering policy in their pursuits of Kirk Cousins, Darnell Mooney, and Charlie Woerner.
Which Team Has The Most Picks In The 2025 NFL Draft?
The Pittsburgh Steelers have the most picks in the 2025 NFL Draft with 10, according to Pro Football Network’s most recent list. The Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, and Philadelphia Eagles have nine each.
The Minnesota Vikings have the fewest picks in the 2025 NFL Draft with three, two of which are in the fifth round.
How Is The Draft Order Decided?
The NFL Draft order is decided by team record. The team with the worst record ‘wins’ the first pick in each round of the Draft.
The second-worst record picks second, and so on. Teams who qualified for the playoffs will have their Draft position decided by when they were eliminated, so the Super Bowl winners will pick last.
If regular-season records are tied, strength of schedule will then determine Draft order. If the strength of schedule is level, it will go to divisional and conference records. If the teams are still tied, the following steps are taken, according to the NFL website:
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Head-to-head, if applicable
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Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games (minimum of four)
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Strength of victory in all games
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Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games
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Best net points in all games
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Best net touchdowns in all games
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Coin toss
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
