Look, trying to keep track of every sports draft is like trying to catch a greased pig at a county fair. One week you’re looking for football, the next you’re wondering when the basketball kids are getting picked. If you've been asking what time is the draft 2025, you're probably realizing that "the draft" isn't just one event. It’s a whole season of hope, over-analysis, and people wearing suits that cost more than my first car.
In 2025, the draft calendar is spread across the spring and summer. Whether you’re waiting to see who the Green Bay Packers snag on their home turf or if Cooper Flagg is actually the next NBA savior, timing is everything. Missing the first ten minutes usually means missing the biggest trades.
The Big One: 2025 NFL Draft Start Times
The NFL doesn't just hold a draft; they throw a three-day block party. For 2025, the whole circus headed to Green Bay, Wisconsin. If you were looking for the "main event" feel, this was it.
Thursday, April 24 (Round 1)
This is when the drama happens. The clock officially started at 8 p.m. ET. Teams have 10 minutes per pick here, so expect it to run late into the night. It’s basically a primetime television show with more crying and fewer commercial breaks.
Friday, April 25 (Rounds 2-3)
The second day usually moves a bit faster. It kicked off at 7 p.m. ET. They give teams 7 minutes for Round 2 and 5 minutes for Round 3. Honestly, this is where the real "draft nerds" find the gems that end up winning Super Bowls five years later.
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Saturday, April 26 (Rounds 4-7)
Grab your coffee. This is a marathon, not a sprint. The final rounds began at Noon ET. It’s a rapid-fire session where the picks fly by every 4 or 5 minutes. By the time they get to Mr. Irrelevant, most of us have finished our second lunch.
Where to Watch the NFL Action
You basically couldn't avoid it if you tried.
- ABC (The "human interest" version)
- ESPN (The "stat-heavy" version)
- NFL Network (The "hardcore fan" version)
- ESPN Deportes (For Spanish-language coverage)
NBA Draft 2025: Two Nights in Brooklyn
The NBA finally realized that trying to cram 60 picks into one night was exhausting for everyone involved. They stuck with the two-night format for 2025 at the Barclays Center.
Wednesday, June 25 (Round 1)
The first round started at 8 p.m. ET. This was the Cooper Flagg show. Everyone knew the Dallas Mavericks had the top spot after the lottery, and the vibe in Brooklyn was electric.
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Thursday, June 26 (Round 2)
Round 2 also started at 8 p.m. ET. It’s shorter, punchier, and usually broadcast on ESPN while Round 1 got the big ABC treatment. The NBA gives teams more time between picks in the second round now—four minutes instead of two—which sounds small but makes a huge difference for GMs trying to trade second-rounders for a bag of chips and a future swap.
NHL Draft 2025: West Coast Vibes
The hockey world descended on Los Angeles this year. Specifically, the Peacock Theater.
- Friday, June 27 (Round 1): The puck dropped (metaphorically) at 7 p.m. ET. The New York Islanders were the big winners here after jumping up in the lottery to grab Matthew Schaefer.
- Saturday, June 28 (Rounds 2-7): A bright and early Noon ET start for the remaining rounds.
If you were watching in the U.S., ESPN and ESPN+ were your best friends for this one. In Canada, Sportsnet and TVA Sports handled the heavy lifting.
MLB Draft 2025: All-Star Midsummer Madness
Baseball does things differently. Their draft happens right in the middle of All-Star Week, which makes sense because everyone is already in town. In 2025, it went down in Cumberland, Georgia (near Atlanta).
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- Sunday, July 13 (Day 1): Started at 6 p.m. ET. This covered the first few rounds and was the only part aired on major TV networks like ESPN and MLB Network.
- Monday, July 14 (Day 2): Kicked off at 2 p.m. ET.
- Tuesday, July 15 (Day 3): Wrapped up starting at 2 p.m. ET.
The Washington Nationals had the first pick this year, taking Eli Willits. If you wanted to see the later rounds, you had to go to MLB.com because the big networks don't usually show Round 18 of the baseball draft.
Making Sense of the Time Zones
The biggest mistake people make is forgetting that "8 p.m." usually means Eastern Time. If you're on the West Coast, you're looking at a 5 p.m. start for most of these. There is nothing worse than tuning in at 8 p.m. PST only to realize your team already picked their future star three hours ago.
Actionable Steps for the Next Draft Cycle:
- Sync your calendar: Most leagues announce the official start times about 2-3 weeks before the event. Use a dedicated sports app like the Action Network or ESPN to set "start of event" alerts.
- Check the "True" Start: "Coverage begins" usually means 30 minutes of talking heads before the first pick is actually made. If it says 8 p.m., the first pick is likely submitted around 8:15 p.m.
- Verify the Streaming Rights: In 2025, several rounds moved exclusively to streaming (like ESPN+ for the NHL's second day). Make sure your login works before the clock starts ticking.