When is the 2027 NFL Draft? Thursday, April 29–Saturday, May 1, 2027 in Washington, D.C. — Round 1 Thursday on the National Mall facing the Capitol; first D.C. Draft since 1941.
Current target date: Thursday, April 29, 2027 (Round 1 night). We update this page when Nfl draft publishes schedule changes.
NFL Draft Round 1 Thu Apr 29 2027 in D.C. — Mall theater by the Capitol; Experience on Pennsylvania Ave 3rd–7th. R2–3 Fri, R4–7 Sat. First capital Draft since 1941. ≠ Kickoff September.
Round 1 night
Thursday, April 29, 2027
April 29, 2027 — Round 1 night on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The 2027 NFL Draft runs Thursday, April 29 through Saturday, May 1, in Washington, D.C. Round 1 walks across the stage Thursday; Friday carries rounds 2–3; Saturday finishes rounds 4–7. The league posted the dates with the Commanders and Events DC as local partners.
Mark April 29 if you only care when the first pick hears his name. The free outdoor fan footprint is the other half of the product — and it is not a stadium tunnel Draft.
Confirmed: Apr 29–May 1 on the Mall — not RFK stadium, not Minneapolis 2028
Confirmed: three-day Draft April 29–May 1, 2027; theater anchored on the National Mall facing the Capitol; Draft Experience on Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 7th; free interactive fan programming. Not confirmed as exact pick-clock times, rain plans, or which prospect goes No. 1. Fake “Draft inside Commanders stadium only” stubs invent a venue map the league already published for outdoor Mall sites. Minneapolis owns 2028 — a different countdown.
How to watch the picks vs how to stand on the Mall
TV still splits across ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network for the three nights — same national Draft package pattern as recent years. Being there is different: the Draft Experience is free public programming (interactive exhibits, Lombardi Trophy photo ops, and Mall-adjacent activations), separate from any credentialed theater seating.
Plan Metro / security screening for the Capitol–Pennsylvania Avenue corridor. Spring cherry-blossom season may overlap travel weeks — hotel demand spikes long before Round 1.
Three nights in the capital — what each day actually is
- Apr 29 2027 (Thu) — Round 1 night; this countdown.
- Apr 30 (Fri) — Rounds 2–3.
- May 1 (Sat) — Rounds 4–7 close the board.
- Daytime all three days — free Draft Experience / Mall footprint programming.
- 2028 — Draft moves to Minneapolis (separate page).
First Washington Draft since 1941 — and the stage faces the Capitol on the National Mall
The NFL’s last Draft in D.C. was 1941 at the Willard Hotel. Eighty-plus years later the league brings the modern outdoor festival back to the capital: Draft Theater on the National Mall in front of the Capitol, fan corridor on Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 7th.
That combination — historic return plus a literal Capitol backdrop — is why 2027 cannot share copy with Green Bay, Pittsburgh, or any stadium-plaza Draft. April 29 is Round 1 night in a city that has not hosted this product in living memory.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about this release date.
1When is the 2027 NFL Draft?
Thursday, April 29 through Saturday, May 1, 2027, in Washington, D.C. Round 1 is Thursday night — the clock this page counts to. Rounds 2–3 are Friday; rounds 4–7 are Saturday.
2Where is the Draft theater in D.C.?
On the National Mall, staged in front of the U.S. Capitol. The free NFL Draft Experience runs along Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 3rd and 7th Streets, with more fan elements around the Mall footprint.
3Has Washington hosted the Draft before?
Not in the modern outdoor era. The league’s last D.C. Draft was 1941 at the Willard Hotel — more than eighty years before this National Mall stage. 2027 is the capital’s first Draft as a citywide festival host.
4Is April 29 the same as NFL Kickoff?
No. Kickoff Game 2026 is a September Thursday night. The Draft is late April’s prospect stage — different product, different searches.
Explore more hubs
Jump into another category — anime, games, movies, sport, and events calendars.