Everything you need to know for the NFL Draft in Detroit

Posted by author April 18, 2024 Football

Headed to Detroit for the NFL Draft and completely overwhelmed? You’re in the right spot.

First and foremost, we’re excited to welcome you. Detroit has been waiting for this moment.

If your visit will be your first time in the city, welcome — it is the best city on Earth, an opinion so true it eclipses being a judgement at all, instead becoming provable fact.

There’s a lot to see and do while you’re in Detroit. Here’s the guide you need to keep track of it all:

What is the NFL Draft?

It’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like — it’s when the 32 teams of the NFL choose their newest players from the latest generation of football phenoms.

When is the NFL Draft?

Officially, it starts April 25 at noon and runs through 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. But you can find draft-themed attractions and events before and after. The NFL shop, for example, located at 1001 Woodward Ave., opens for business April 20 at 10 a.m. It’ll run for four days before opening again April 25.

Round one of draft picks begins at 8 p.m. The second and third round begins at 7 p.m. on April 26. Rounds four through seven start at noon on April 27.

How long has that countdown clock been up on Woodward?

It went up in 2022. Don’t need to get ready if you stay ready.

Can I still get tickets to the draft?

At this point, most ticket packages, particularly for Thursday, are sold out. You might still be able to find some for Friday, April 26, but they’re pricey — packages through the NFL’s official provider start at $950 per person.

But that’s not to say that if you don’t have tickets, you’re done.

How else can I watch the draft?

Many downtown events are entirely free! There will be a variety of locations around the city where you can see what’s happening. There’s the outdoor theater in Campus Martius, but also the NFL Draft Experience in Hart Plaza. That said, it’s possible those spaces may hit capacity, at which point people will be turned away. Organizers encourage people to download the NFL OnePass app before they go for maps and more. (The app is required to participate in anything interactive on site.) You need one registration per adult, but each adult can register up to five kids.

If you’d prefer to watch from the comfort of your own home, it’ll air on NFL Network, ABC and ESPN, as well as their respective streaming apps. You can listen on the radio through SiriusXM, Westwood One Sports and ESPN Radio.

How many people are expected to come to Detroit for the draft?

Organizers are expected as many 400,000 people to converge on the city for the draft. Given Detroit’s proximity to Chicago and Cleveland, expect big contingents from elsewhere in the Midwest.

What roads are going to be closed?

The full answer is “by next week, most of the ones downtown.” To see a map, check here.

From March 29 to May 7, Farmers, Monroe, and Bates streets, as well as Randolph Street between Macomb and Fort will all be closed for the theater build. More of Campus Martius and Cadillac Square are closed from April 8 to May 5.

Jefferson Avenue as well as Bates and Atwater streets will be closed from April 15 to May 6 for the Hart Plaza build. Starting April 20, you’ll see big closures on Woodward from Larned to State streets until April 30. On April 24, many streets — an extended part of Woodward, Larned, Griswold, Congress, State Street, part of Gratiot and more.

Roads will be closed around Comerica Park on April 26 and 27 for Tigers games.

More: Driving to the draft? Here are your parking options for NFL’s Detroit extravaganza

OK, so where am I supposed to park for the NFL draft?

If you can park further out and utilize public transit such as the People Mover (which is free!), that might be your best bet.

Mayor Mike Duggan has also pointed people to other transit options, including the QLine, SMART shuttle, DDOT buses and more. As The Detroit News reported last week, the QLine will offer a park-and-ride program that allows people to park for $5 at Wayne State’s Parking Lot 12 and take the QLine in. That lot has 129 spaces, so it’s likely to fill up quickly. Other $5 parking garages include 116 Lothrup St. in New Center, with 1,300 spaces near the Grand Boulevard QLine stop. 6540 Cass Ave. has 500 spaces near the Baltimore Street stop, while 6230 John R St. has 475 spaces near the Amsterdam Street stop.

You can also take shuttles, including:

$10 per car at WSU structures 1, 5, and 2 at 450 W. Palmer Ave. Access is first-come, first-served.
$15 per car at Bagley Mobility Hub, 1501 Wabash St. Prepay through LAZ Parking is recommended.
$15 per car at River East Garage, 214 Rivard St. Prepay is recommended.

If you must park: Check out the city’s Park Detroit app for public parking and garages around the city. Prepay for your space if an option is available for your selected garage. Be prepared to pay a lot — on SpotHero, an app that lets you reserve your spots early, spaces range from $50 to $100 near the draft events as of Wednesday afternoon. That is likely to rise.

When are the Lions up in the draft?

The Lions have seven total picks, including the 29th overall pick in the first round. From there, it’s No. 61 in Round 2, No. 73 in Round 3 (which they got from the Minnesota Vikings), No. 164 in Round 5, No. 201 (from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and No. 205 in Round 6, and No. 249 in Round 7.

These can change, though. Teams can trade at any time, including during the draft itself.

More: NFL Draft Theater continues to take shape, is designed to channel Detroit’s ‘spirit’

What kind of free stuff can I find?

So much will be free! That includes the NFL Draft Experience, which will have immersive exhibits, according to Visit Detroit. That includes a chance to take photos with the Vince Lombardo Trophy (which is given each year to the team who wins the Super Bowl), an autograph stage featuring “current NFL players and legends” (who will be announced by April 20) and more. Prepare for “airport level screening” for entry, according to the NFL’s website.

The Downtown Detroit Partnership will have parties and events in other DDP-parks, including Grand Circus Park, Beacon Park (where there will be cornhole tournaments, big screens and more), Capitol Park (where you can see a variety of interactive art installations) and Paradise Valley Beatrice Buck Park (where you can visit a cigar rolling station). You can see a map of all locations here.

Other options, per the NFL website, include a 40-year dash and vertical jump, photo opportunities including a mock draft stage and NFL locker room, and more.

Will there be entertainment?

Yes! Detroit native Big Sean will headline a series of free concerts tied to the NFL Draft.

And our city’s beloved Detroit Youth Choir also will perform, along with Canton-raised singer Bazzi.

The concerts will be held on the Draft Theater stage and are standing room only, and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

More: Big Sean leads NFL Draft concert series lineup

What kind of food will be available at the NFL Draft?

No matter what you like to eat, you will probably be able to find something at the “Taste of the Town” tailgate. A small collection of the many local restaurants featured, according to the NFL

Waka by Baobab Fare
Detroit 75 Kitchen
Haraz Coffee House
Mom’s Spaghetti (yes, this is Eminem’s restaurant)
El Parian Taco
Louisiana Creole Gumbo
Kuzzo’s Chicken and Waffle
Bangkok 96 Street Food

And many, many more options.

Will I see famous people?

Well, it depends who you consider famous. You probably aren’t going to see a bunch of head coaches or general managers, as Christopher Moyer of Visit Detroit said earlier this month. They’re more likely to be in their war rooms making their selections and trading with others.

But some future NFL players will be in attendance. Those likely to go in the first round are often invited, leading to those moments where the player holds up their new jersey on TV. The only one confirmed to attend from a Big Ten school is Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr.

What else should I check out while I’m here?

Oh, so many things. Visit Belle Isle, which is just a short drive from downtown. Visit any of the wonderful museums in downtown Detroit — the Detroit Institute of Arts, for example, is free if you live in Wayne, Oakland or Macomb counties (and well worth the $18 cost of admission if you don’t). There are Tigers home games on April 26 and 27. If you’re willing to travel a little further out, you can visit the Arab American National Museum or the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn.

There are also plenty of restaurants around the city to investigate, although there will be plenty of food at the draft itself. Detroit is famous for our various Coney Islands (everyone has a preference, although American and Lafayette are particularly famous) and we have some incredibly Greek food around the city. Some of my favorites a little out of the way from downtown are Urban Soul and Bai Mai Thai, both down Lafayette. Honestly, most food you try will be pretty solid. It’s hard to go wrong in the best city on earth.