What time does the NFL draft start? Date, start time, order and more to know for 2024

Smokescreen season is almost over.

After months of speculation, athletic testing and rumors, the 2024 NFL draft comes your way this week, and so will a bevy of new, young quarterbacks.

The Bears are on the clock, and there's very little mystery as to who will go No. 1 overall to try and remedy Chicago's quarterback conundrum. After trading Justin Fields to the Steelers in March, it seems to be all but a lock that Caleb Williams is heading to the "Windy City."

After that, the mystery is rekindled: UNC's Drake Maye, LSU's Jayden Daniels, Michigan's J.J. McCarthy and Washington's Michael Penix Jr. could all hear their names called on Thursday night, but in what order is the question.

Here's what to know about the 2024 NFL draft, the start time, order and more:

NFL DRAFT HUB: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis.

What time does the NFL draft start?

• Date: Thursday, April 25 (Round 1)
• Start time: 8 p.m. ET

The event officially kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday. The Bears should make their first pick around 8:15 p.m. ET.

When is the 2024 NFL draft?

• Dates: April 25-27

The 2024 NFL draft begins on Thursday, April 25 and runs through Saturday, April 27 at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit.

How many rounds are in the 2024 NFL draft?

There are seven rounds in the NFL draft, spread over a three-day period. In total, 257 selections will be made.

How to watch the 2024 NFL draft

Live coverage of the NFL draft can be found on ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes and the NFL Network.

Streaming coverage is also available on ESPN+, YouTube TV, Hulu+ Live TV, Fubo TV and Sling TV. 

• Round 1: Thursday, April 25, 8 p.m. ET
• Rounds 2-3: Friday, April 26, 7 p.m. ET
• Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 27, noon ET

NFL draft order

Here is the current draft order for Round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft (as of April 22):

1. Chicago Bears (from 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 through 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

➤ Complete, seven-round order for 2024 NFL draft

USA TODAY's Steve Gardner contributed to this piece.