The United Football League will bring all eight head coaches together to conduct its 2027 UFL Draft on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026 at Ballpark Village in St. Louis, Missouri. The event, delivering an all-access look at the decisions behind who will be the newest additions to the eight teams across the league, will be free and open to the public. The first two rounds of the UFL Draft will be presented live on NFL Network beginning at 8 p.m. ET, and will also be available on the ESPN App for Unlimited plan subscribers.
“As we look ahead to the 2027 season, bringing our Draft to St. Louis is a great opportunity to celebrate and recognize the city and its passionate Battlehawks faithful who have helped make this league what it is today,” said UFL President and CEO Russ Brandon. “We wanted to create an experience that thanks fans for their support while bringing them closer to the game than ever before. By opening the doors to our Draft and putting our coaches and their decision-making on full display, we're giving fans a chance to be part of an important moment for the league as we build on our momentum toward next season.”
For the first time, the UFL will provide an inside look at the league’s draft process as the backstage is brought front and center with coaches providing real-time insight into the rationale behind their selections as they are made for the first two rounds. Fans in St. Louis will have the opportunity to experience the UFL Draft in person at Ballpark Village, the entertainment district adjacent to Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis. The free two-hour public event will bring fans into the atmosphere of the live draft, with team pods and the main stage at the center of the action, immersed amongst the fans, producing an unprecedented all-access experience for fans on site and watching from home.
The draft will be hosted by ESPN commentator Joe Tessitore, with ESPN’s Michelle Smallmon reporting from the Draft floor. Tessitore, one of most well-known and respected play-by-play voices in sports and a signature part of ESPN’s UFL coverage the last two seasons, brings his expertise to fans in-venue and the national audience watching at home. Smallmon, a St. Louis native, former Battlehawks in-stadium host, and co-host of ESPN Radio’s Unsportsmanlike, brings a direct connection to the local football community as the city takes center stage for the live draft. Additional special guests will be announced in the coming weeks, building out an event roster that will be sure to excite fanbases from all eight UFL teams.
Supplemental draft content will also be available throughout UFL league and team social and website channels, taking fans even deeper into the day.
The Season Ticket Member Draft Experience:
Fans who purchase UFL season tickets through November 1 will be entered into a sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to St. Louis from their team's home market to attend the UFL Draft at Ballpark Village.
St. Louis fans who purchase season tickets by November 1 will also be entered for a chance to announce the Battlehawks second-round draft pick live. Sweepstakes information for all eight teams can be found at www.theufl.com/promotions.
St. Louis Battlehawks season ticket holders will also have the added benefit of being able to attend the draft with the following special perks (space limited, first-come first served):
Access to the VIP hospitality area with dedicated merchandise stand
Meet and greet with Head Coach Ricky Proehl
Exclusive Draft Day credential
Photo opportunity with the United Bowl trophy
2027 UFL Draft Details
The 2027 UFL Draft will consist of 15 total rounds with the first two rounds, featuring 16 marquee selections televised during the one-hour live special airing on NFL Network at 8 p.m. The Columbus Aviators hold the first overall pick in the draft, with the selection order determined by the reverse of the 2026 UFL standings. Colorado, Dallas, and Rhode Island will rotate their draft position based on tie-breakers as they finished with the same final record. Each team will have three minutes to make each of their selections during the televised portion of the draft.
2027 UFL Draft Order | ||
Pick # | Round 1 | Round 2 |
1 | Columbus Aviators | Columbus Aviators |
2 | Colorado | Rhode Island |
3 | Rhode Island | |
4 | Dallas Renegades | Colorado |
5 | St. Louis Battlehawks | St. Louis Battlehawks |
6 | Orlando Storm | Orlando Storm |
7 | DC Defenders | DC Defenders |
8 | Louisville Kings | Louisville Kings |
UFL Draft Eligibility and UFL Rosters
Teams can select players at any position, pass on a single round selection, or opt out of the draft at any point. Trades are only allowed for current UFL players or picks in this year’s draft. Future picks cannot be traded.
The UFL Draft pool will include rookies eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft, regardless of whether they were picked or signed an NFL contract, as well as players from 2023-2026 NFL Draft eligible classes who have been on an NFL roster at any point since the United Bowl Championship Game on June 13, 2026.
The UFL has a 64-man camp roster limit. Players selected in this draft or alumni currently playing in the NFL do not count against that roster limit until they sign a contract.
The only other players eligible to join UFL team rosters until the completion of the 2027 UFL Draft are those participating in UFL Showcases. The UFL Showcase program gives athletes an opportunity to demonstrate their skills in front of UFL personnel and earn a chance to play professionally. Two additional Showcases will take place before the draft - Nov. 8 in Orlando and Nov. 15 in Louisville - followed by Showcase events in Los Angeles on Nov. 21 and Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 5. Registration and additional information are available at showcases.theufl.com. Following the completion of the 2027 UFL Draft, teams will be able to sign additional free agent players to their 64-man camp roster.
Modern Spring Football Draft History
The UFL Draft continues a tradition of spring football serving as a launching point for professional careers. The 2020 XFL Draft established the initial rosters for the league's eight franchises, with quarterbacks Luis Perez, Brandon Silvers, and Jordan Ta’amu among the players selected.
Both the XFL and USFL conducted drafts in 2023 to establish their respective rosters, with players from those drafts continuing to make an impact in the UFL and beyond. XFL selections Daniel Whelan and Hakeem Butler are among those to build their professional careers. Whelan earned All-XFL honors with the DC Defenders before signing with the Green Bay Packers, while Butler has earned NFL opportunities and twice been named UFL Offensive Player of the Year with the St. Louis Battlehawks.
Following the merger of the XFL and USFL, the UFL conducted an internal dispersal draft before the start of the 2024 season to distribute players from disbanded rosters. A College Draft was held in July of 2024 to add new talent to the league, which included offensive tackle Gottlieb Ayedze, a DC Defenders pick and UFL Showcase participant who went on to play for the Houston Gamblers in 2026 before earning another NFL opportunity. Ayedze is currently on the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad.
In January 2026, the UFL held a dispersal draft that incorporated its rookie drafting cycle and free agents while helping establish competitive balance as the Columbus Aviators, Louisville Kings and Orlando Storm joined the league. Among the players selected were wide receiver Tay Martin of the Columbus Aviators and defensive back Ameer Speed of the Houston Gamblers, both of whom went on to earn NFL training camp opportunities and secure spots on active rosters with the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys, respectively.
The 2027 UFL Draft will continue that tradition, bringing together the league's eight teams to select the next group of players who will have an opportunity to compete at the professional level and pursue their football careers through the UFL.
For more information on the UFL and its teams, please visit, www.theufl.com.