Honestly, if you're looking for the NFL Draft 2025 today time, you might be a little ahead of the curve or perhaps just caught in the whirlwind of the off-season hype. It’s one of those things where the league calendar feels like it’s constantly shifting, but the big show in Green Bay has a very specific rhythm. We’re talking about three days where the "Frozen Tundra" turns into the center of the football universe.
For anyone who spent the last few months arguing over whether the Tennessee Titans made the right call or if Travis Hunter is actually a human highlight reel, the schedule is the only thing that matters. You don't want to be the person tuning in at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday only to realize you missed the entire draft.
The Master Clock: When to Tune In
The NFL doesn't do "simple" when it comes to timing. They want prime time, they want morning coffee viewers, and they want everything in between. If you are marking your calendar for the actual dates—April 24 through April 26, 2025—here is exactly how the clock runs.
Thursday, April 24 (Round 1)
The "Big Night." This is when the Titans officially took Cam Ward with the first overall pick, setting the tone for the rest of the weekend.
- Start Time: 8:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. local CT in Green Bay).
- Duration: Expect this to run late, usually wrapping up around 11:30 p.m. ET. Teams get 10 minutes per pick here. It's slow, it's tense, and it's full of Commissioner Roger Goodell getting booed (a tradition like no other).
Friday, April 25 (Rounds 2-3)
This is where the real value is found. Most GMs will tell you their roster is built on Friday night.
- Start Time: 7:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. local CT).
- The Pace: It moves faster. Seven minutes for Round 2, and then it drops to five minutes for Round 3. You’ve gotta keep up because trades happen fast here.
Saturday, April 26 (Rounds 4-7)
The "Marathon." It’s a daylight start for the grinders.
- Start Time: 12:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. local CT).
- The Finish: Usually wraps up by 7:00 p.m. ET with the crowning of "Mr. Irrelevant." This year, that was Kobee Minor heading to the Patriots.
NFL Draft 2025 Today Time: Watching vs. Being There
If you’re watching from your couch, you’re basically looking at a triple-cast. ESPN and ABC usually have different "vibes"—ESPN is for the stat nerds and film junkies, while ABC tends to focus more on the human interest stories, the families, and the tears. NFL Network is the middle ground.
But being in Green Bay? That’s a whole different animal. The "NFL Draft Experience" at Titletown and Lambeau Field opens way before the first pick is ever announced.
The Draft Experience typically opens at noon on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, they get the doors open by 9:00 a.m. local time because, well, Wisconsinites like their tailgating early. Honestly, the logistical feat of moving 250,000 people through a town of 100,000 is something nobody talks about enough. It’s basically a three-day outdoor festival where football is just the excuse to eat cheese curds.
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The Breakdown of the Selection Clock
A lot of people think the draft is just a long meeting. It’s not. It’s a choreographed race against a timer. If a team doesn't get their pick in, the next team can jump them. It’s happened before (shoutout to the 2003 Vikings).
- Round 1: 10 minutes. This is for the trades, the phone calls, and the drama.
- Round 2: 7 minutes. The urgency starts to kick in.
- Rounds 3-6: 5 minutes. This is the rapid-fire section.
- Round 7: 4 minutes. Basically, "pick a guy and let's go home."
Why Green Bay Changed the Vibe
Most drafts lately have been in big, flashy cities like Las Vegas or Nashville. Green Bay is... different. It’s the smallest market in the league. Holding the draft at Lambeau Field meant the "NFL Draft 2025 today time" was dictated by the local flavor.
We saw a drone show on Friday night. We saw a bike parade for kids on Saturday—a nod to the Packers' training camp tradition where players ride kids' bikes to practice. It made the whole event feel less like a corporate gala and more like a neighborhood block party that just happened to have multi-million dollar implications.
Where Most People Get Confused
The biggest mistake fans make is forgetting the time zone difference. Green Bay is in the Central Time Zone. If you see a schedule saying 7:00 p.m., make sure you know if that's "Draft Time" (local) or "Broadcast Time" (Eastern).
Also, the "start time" is rarely when the first pick happens. There’s always about 15 minutes of intro, highlights, and Roger Goodell welcoming everyone. If you want to see the first pick, you can usually wait until 8:15 p.m. ET on Thursday and still be safe.
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Key Takeaways for the Future
The 2025 draft is now in the books, with the Titans taking their swing at a franchise QB and the Jaguars snagging a generational talent in Travis Hunter at No. 2.
Next Steps to Stay Ahead:
- Sync your calendar: If you're looking forward to the 2026 event in Pittsburgh, expect a similar Thursday (8pm) / Friday (7pm) / Saturday (Noon) ET split.
- Review the 2025 Class: Keep an eye on the "undrafted" list from this year. Players like Barryn Sorrell, who showed up to Green Bay without an invite and got drafted anyway, are the stories that define the weekend.
- Watch the OTA schedules: Now that the draft is over, teams move into Organized Team Activities (OTAs). This is where those draft picks actually have to prove they can play.
The draft isn't just a weekend; it's the start of the "hope" season. Whether you were there in person at Titletown or just catching the highlights on your phone, the timing is everything. Keep your alerts on for the 2025 season schedule release, which usually hits the web around mid-May.