When Is the 2023 NFL Draft? Dates, Draft Order, Location, and More

The 2023 NFL Draft is almost upon us. This year’s draft will span three days and 259 picks. Each of the NFL’s 32 teams will work diligently to plug roster holes and find the next big thing. So, when is the 2023 NFL Draft, what city is hosting it this year, what time does it start, and how can you watch it on TV?

When Is the NFL Draft in 2023?

• Draft Dates: Thursday, April 27 (Round 1) | Friday, April 28 (Rounds 2-3) | Saturday, April 29 (Rounds 4-7)
• Start Time: 8 p.m. ET (Thursday) | 7 p.m. ET (Friday) | Noon ET (Saturday)
• TV Channels: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network
• Live Stream: ESPN and NFL apps

The first day of the NFL Draft takes place on April 27. During Day 1, NFL fans will get to see who their favorite teams select in the first round of the draft. On April 28, the second and third rounds will take place, with the final four rounds being featured on Saturday, April 29.

Where Is the 2023 NFL Draft?

Kansas City, Missouri, home of the Super Bowl champion Chiefs, will host the 2023 NFL Draft. It will be held downtown in the area surrounding Union Station and the National World War I Museum and Memorial.

What Time Does the 2023 NFL Draft Start?

The NFL Draft will commence at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 27. Thursday night will consist of only the first round. The Carolina Panthers hold the first overall pick after acquiring it from the Chicago Bears via trade.

The second day of the 2023 NFL Draft is the following day, April 28. It starts an hour earlier at 7 p.m. ET. Day 2 consists of the second and third rounds.

MORE: 100% FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator (With Trades)

Day 3, the longest day, will kick off at Noon ET on April 29. It consists of the remaining four rounds.

Once the draft is over, any undrafted players are eligible to be signed as undrafted free agents (UDFAs). Those players are free to sign with any team at any time. Immediately following the conclusion of the draft, a bunch of UDFAs will sign.

First-Round NFL Draft Order

For more on the complete 2023 NFL Draft order, check out PFN’s list of 2023 NFL Draft picks by team.

1. Carolina Panthers (From Chicago)
2. Houston Texans
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. Seattle Seahawks (From Denver)
6. Detroit Lions (From LA Rams)
7. Las Vegas Raiders
8. Atlanta Falcons
9. Chicago Bears (From Carolina)
10. Philadelphia Eagles (From New Orleans)
11. Tennessee Titans
12. Houston Texans (From Cleveland)
13. New York Jets
14. New England Patriots
15. Green Bay Packers
16. Washington Commanders
17. Pittsburgh Steelers
18. Detroit Lions
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. Seattle Seahawks
21. Los Angeles Chargers
22. Baltimore Ravens
23. Minnesota Vikings
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. New York Giants
26. Dallas Cowboys
27. Buffalo Bills
28. Cincinnati Bengals
29. New Orleans Saints (From SF via MIA via DEN)
30. Philadelphia Eagles
31. Kansas City Chiefs

Top Prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft

As is common in most drafts, the most highly sought-after prospects are the quarterbacks. This year’s class has two players guaranteed to go in the first round and two more considered near-locks to hear their names called on the draft’s first day.

Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Alabama’s Bryce Young, Florida’s Anthony Richardson, and Kentucky’s Will Levis can all be found inside the top 10 of Pro Football Network’s Consensus Big Board.

NFL fans have been spoiled in recent years with some truly spectacular wide receiver classes. The 2022 class will likely go down as one of the best of all time.

This year’s group is nowhere near as high-quality, but there are still several interesting prospects who should be starting NFL receivers for years to come.

PFN has four wide receivers listed as top-30 players in the 2023 draft: Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba (No. 18), TCU’s Quentin Johnston (No. 19), USC’s Jordan Addison (No. 25), and Boston College’s Zay Flowers (No. 27).

In recent years, NFL teams have grown wise to the frequent replaceability of running backs. We haven’t seen a running back selected in the top half of the first round since Saquon Barkley in 2018. Last year, Breece Hall, one of the best prospects of the past decade, was the first running back off the board. He went in the second round.

MORE: The Worst First-Round Draft Pick for All 32 NFL Teams Since 2000

The 2023 NFL Draft will put that theory to the test as Texas running back Bijan Robinson, who managed 35 touchdowns and more than 3,200 total yards over his final two collegiate seasons, may be the most talented offensive player in the draft.

Will the devaluation of the running back position continue? Or will one team become so enamored with Robinson’s skill set that they just can’t pass him up?

I still expect Robinson to know his NFL team by the end of Thursday night, but it would be a surprise if he became the first running back in five years to go in the front half of the first round.

On the defensive side of the ball, Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. and Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter stand above the rest of the class. But Carter’s draft stock could fall after he was involved in a fatal crash that killed Georgia recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy and offensive lineman Devin Willock.

Other defensive prospects like edge rushers Tyree Wilson (Texas Tech) and Myles Murphy (Clemson) could also sneak into the top 10, but the most intriguing position group might be the cornerback class.

Christian Gonzalez (Oregon), Devon Witherspoon (Illinois), Kelee Ringo (Georgia), Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State), and Deonte Banks (Maryland) all profile as potential first-rounders, while Gonzalez and Witherspoon could come off the board in the top 10.