2024 NFL Draft: Here's what to watch for

Adam Hunger/AP

NFL teams will look to shape the future of their franchises when Round 1 of 2024 NFL Draft gets underway Thursday night in downtown Detroit.

Heading into the night, the draft order is determined by reverse order of how all 32 teams finished last season, with the worst teams making their picks earlier in the night and the best teams choosing later. Three teams — the Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, and Cleveland Browns — don't currently have a first-round pick this year due to trades they've made in previous years.

Nonetheless, some big college stars are expected to hear their names called early on night one. That includes USC star quarterback Caleb Williams, who is widely projected to go No. 1 overall to the Chicago Bears, and last year's Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels of LSU.

However, draft-day trades are not uncommon, and we could see several selection spots trade hands once the clock starts ticking Thursday night. Here's a look at what fans can watch for as their favorite teams look to acquire the players they need to contend for a Super Bowl.

When is the draft?

  • April 25: 8 p.m. ET to 11 p.m. ET (Round 1)

  • April 26: 7 p.m. ET to 11 p.m. ET (Rounds 2 and 3)

  • April 27: 9 a.m. ET to 6 p.m. ET (Rounds 4 through 7)

How to watch

All seven rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft will air on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network. It will also be streamed live on NFL+, ESPN+, fuboTV, and Hulu for subscribers with the live TV add-on.

First round draft order
(barring any trades)

  1. Chicago Bears (via trade with Carolina)

  2. Washington Commanders

  3. New England Patriots

  4. Arizona Cardinals

  5. Los Angeles Chargers

  6. New York Giants

  7. Tennessee Titans

  8. Atlanta Falcons

  9. Chicago Bears

  10. New York Jets

  11. Minnesota Vikings

  12. Denver Broncos

  13. Las Vegas Raiders

  14. New Orleans Saints

  15. Indianapolis Colts

  16. Seattle Seahawks

  17. Jacksonville Jaguars

  18. Cincinnati Bengals

  19. Los Angeles Rams

  20. Pittsburgh Steelers

  21. Miami Dolphins

  22. Philadelphia Eagles

  23. Minnesota Vikings (from Cleveland via Houston)

  24. Dallas Cowboys

  25. Green Bay Packers

  26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  27. Arizona Cardinals (from Houston)

  28. Buffalo Bills

  29. Detroit Lions

  30. Baltimore Ravens

  31. San Francisco 49ers

  32. Kansas City Chiefs

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