The World Cup has taken over DC, but today the big news is centered around football, not fútbol. The NFL officially announced the dates for the 2027 NFL draft, set to take place in Washington, and gave us more information about what the week will look like.
The draft will begin on the night of Thursday, April 29, and run through the afternoon of Saturday, May 1. Round one will take place on Thursday, rounds two and three will happen on Friday, and rounds four through seven will wrap up the draft on Saturday.
The last time that DC hosted the draft was in 1941 at the Willard Hotel. This time, the draft will take place at iconic places across the District, with the “Draft Theater” in front of the Capitol building anchoring the television coverage.
“We are thrilled to welcome the 2027 NFL Draft to the Sports Capital,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a press release. “We saw the enthusiasm from fans at this year’s Draft, and so, we want people to start planning their trips to D.C. now. We have world-class hotels and restaurants, spring is a beautiful time to be in D.C., and we’re a city that loves to celebrate sports. So, mark your calendars for April 29, and we’ll see you in D.C.”
The NFL also announced today that the “NFL Draft Experience,” which will include pop-ups and activations for fans, will take place on Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 7th streets, NW. There will be a youth-focused Play 60 Zone, exclusive NFL merch for sale, and chances to pose with the Vince Lombardi trophy. Bud Light will also host the Draft Entertainment Series nearby, with additional activities spread across the National Mall.
DC can likely expect huge crowds. The 2025 draft in Green Bay drew 600,000 attendees, and the 2026 draft in Pittsburgh had 800,000. Both set attendance records. During last year’s announcement of the draft location at the White House, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell projected over a million attendees at the DC draft.
While the NFL might have used a photo of the cherry blossoms in their announcement, the draft craze is unlikely to coincide with DC’s cherry blossom season, which also draws huge crowds. This past spring, peak bloom was from March 26 to April 2.
It’s early, but top prospects for the draft likely include University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, and University of Oregon quarterback Dante Moore. We won’t know the Commanders’ draft position until after their NFL season concludes (hopefully with a Lombardi trophy), but as the host team, they’re sure to be the stars of the show regardless.
