The clock is ticking down towards judgment day: on Thursday night, the 2026 NFL Draft will kick off in Pittsburgh.
For all 32 teams, it serves as a crucial opportunity to right the wrongs of last season and add new pieces to their expensive rosters.
For the brightest prospects in football, it represents the first day of the rest of their lives.
More than a dozen players have travelled to Pittsburgh for the ceremony, which caps a long few months of workouts and interviews and assessments.
So how will they spend their final 24 hours as an NFL hopeful? What was the most bizarre moment of the pre-draft process? And what is the best advice they received along the way?
The Daily Mail asked them.
Many of the top NFL prospects are in Pittsburgh ahead of the draft, which kicks off Thursday
Ex-Miami quarterback Cam Ward was selected by the Titans with the No 1 overall pick in 2025
How will you spend the final 24 hours before draft night?
CALEB DOWNS (DB, Ohio State) – I will spend time with the family. Everybody came out and supported me so I’ll spend time with the people that have been there for me. We are going for a meal – but I’m on a fast right now, so I don’t think I’m eating today!
TY SIMPSON (QB, Alabama) – I’m going to hang out in my room with all my best friends and my family. We are going to just laugh and giggle – we might play PlayStation or talk about funny stories. We’ll just enjoy it.
KAYDEN MCDONALD (DT, Ohio State) – Just laugh it up with my cousins and my brother. Be with the family. We’re gonna go out and just walk the strip – I might not even leave here… so it might be crazy.
DAVID BAILEY (Edge, Texas Tech) – I’m going to go home, take a nap and watch some Netflix – I just started Beef because they came out with the new season so I’m actually re-watching that. And then when all my people come in, I’ll probably go hang out with them and just take it in. It’s going to go by fast – 24 hours. It’s going to be here before we know it.
RUEBEN BAIN JR. (Edge, Miami) Nothing special tonight… I’ll just try and keep it the same way I have been these last couple of weeks – I don’t even know if I’ll be able to sleep tonight but we’re going to see!
Ohio State star Caleb Downs, who is likely to go in the first round, is fasting ahead of the draft
David Bailey (left) and Ty Simpson (right) spoke to the Daily Mail ahead of the 2026 draft
What was the weirdest question or challenge you were given by a team?
DILLON THIENEMAN (DB, OREGON) – One team said: go into your phone, you have 30 seconds, pick out an image or a photo and then explain its significance to you. I picked a photo of me and my girlfriend because we started dating at Purdue and then I went to Oregon – so across the country – she was able to come out for some games.
KADYN PROCTOR (T, Alabama) – It’s all been the same – about the weight [he is 6ft 7ins and 352lbs]… that’s probably the biggest thing. Can I keep it in check?
CALEB DOWNS – What’s wrong with you? What’s your flaw? I said I am a perfectionist.
DAVID BAILEY – The Dallas Cowboys had hired a professional psychologist and an army guy… they were interviewing me and you could tell that they were really staring into my soul. They were really drilling me… I’m a little bit interested in psychology and you could tell he was watching my movements and the way I was interacting with them. It was interesting, I liked it.
They were asking questions that deviated from the norm of football questions… you could tell they wanted to understand your personality traits.
Kayden McDonald was advised to remember: ‘God is in control and football is football’
Did you speak to any NFL stars about this process and what was their best advice?
DILLON THIENEMAN – A lot of people I’ve talked to said: once you get to a team, find that veteran that’s doing everything right and just follow them around, see what they do. Just observe them, maybe talk to them a little bit… they’re a vet for a reason.
TY SIMPSON – I talked to Bryce Young, Jalen [Milroe], Tyler Booker, Jihaad Campbell – guys who I played with – and they all said the same thing: just enjoy it, be process-oriented, be where your feet are. But understand it goes by fast.
ARVELL REESE (Edge, Ohio State) – I talked to a bunch of my former teammates and they just all just told me: put your head down and work. That’s how you should approach a rookie year.
SONNY STYLES (LB, Ohio State) – Almost every team you talk to, they tell you: make sure you’re ready to play for minicamp and OTAs. They said that a lot of rookies get in the building not ready, because they’ve been doing so much traveling. So I’ll just make sure I’m still working out and get my body ready.
DAVID BAILEY – The Defensive Coordinator of the Titans told me that the best thing that you can do is be a great teammate: come in humble, ready to work, but also celebrate when your other teammates have success. Obviously wherever I go, there’s gonna be other guys that are trying to out-compete me and take the starting spot. But no matter what… always be happy for other people’s success.’
KAYDEN MCDONALD – God is in control and football is football.
