For the third and final day, football fans are readying to flock to the North Shore and Point State Park for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Gates open at 9 a.m. and teams will make their picks in rounds four through seven starting at noon.
The lineup of activities also includes a Picksburgh Draft Day 5K race and a performance by Kane Brown.
8:01 a.m.: Runners, take your mark
Runners lined up along General Robinson Street from the intersection of Mazeroski Way at PNC Park to just outside of the draft entrance for the PicksBURGH Draft Day 5K.
P3R, the group that does the Pittsburgh Marathon, is hosting the run that will move through the heart of draft festivities from the North Shore to Downtown.
“I just wanted to come down and have a good time,” said Michael Keuch, 36, of West View. “Everything doesn’t have to revolve around the bars.”
He’s skipped other draft-related events. He’s more of a soccer fan than a football fanatic.
But Keuch said he felt the atmosphere around the draft morning 5K was enjoyable.
“It seems good,” he said. “Everyone’s happy.”
The race started on time at 8 a.m. As a reminder, the David McCullough (16th Street) Bridge will be closed from 7-10 a.m. for the race.
— Julia Burdelski
7:55 a.m.: Ready for the rain
Diane Grimm, 62, of Baden, Patricia Pacey, 82, of Avalon and Leigh Riemer, 71, of Economy wore plastic ponchos as they prepared to join a 5K starting near the draft footprint Saturday morning.
The trio said they often do 5Ks together and plan to return to Pittsburgh to participate in one as part of marathon weekend next week.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with the draft,” Riemer said.
The setup, Pacey said, is “beautiful.” “Except for the weather,” Grimm interjected.
The three said they were trying to make the best of it despite the light rain.
“We’ll be OK,” Riemer said. “We’re ready for it.”
Riemer said she enjoyed taking in draft events Friday during the day — but they left before crowds got too big later in the evening.
— Julia Burdelski
7:44 a.m.: Umbrellas at the draft?
In a morning push, NFL OnePass says small, travel-sized umbrellas are allowed into the Draft Experience — but not golf-sized ones.
That’s a change from the previous days.
Be sure to check with the OnePass app before heading down to refresh yourself on what is and isn’t allowed.
7:41 a.m.: A little more
Short lines were forming to enter the draft on the North Shore by 7:30 a.m., about an hour and a half before gates open.
Mackenzie Gamrat, 26, of Monroeville was near the front of the line. She and her husband, Gregory, got here around 6:30. They thought there would be longer lines and more hassle getting into the city.
“It’s not as busy,” Mackenzie Gamrat said. “It was really easy to get in. I thought it would be harder.”
The pair skipped the first two days of the draft because they had to work and feared the first day would be “madness.”
“It looks like it’s going to be fun,” Gamrat said.
She wanted to get here early enough to ensure she should check out all of the fan activities and the football card displays her husband was eager to see.
“I did want to be rushed for time,” she said.
— Julia Burdelski
Players expected to make an appearance include Ryan Shazier, James Harrison, Joey Porter Jr., Lynn Swann, Heath Miller, Damar Hamlin, Jack Sawyer, Troy Fautanu, Roosevelt Nix, Vince Williams and Jaylen Warren.
Already, hundreds of thousands of fans have taken in the spectacle. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced a record crowd of 320,000 attendees Thursday and another record for a second day of the draft, 260,000, on Friday.
Steelers fans hope their second round pick, Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard, has half the career of the man who called his name Friday night, hall-of-famer John Stallworth. Bernard’s selection was followed by a trio of third round picks: former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, hoping to rebound from a season-ending injury, Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette and Iowa guard Gennings Dunker.
Barring further trades — always a possibility — the Steelers will have five more picks today. If you need to take a break from the draft, skip the sixth round — the Steelers don’t have a pick. But hurry back for the seventh, because they have three.
How to get there
Road closures have made navigating Downtown and the North Shore a bit tricky. Closures stared weeks ago, with more roads blocked off as the event drew closers.
Officials have urged people to use public transit to curb traffic.
Four special “Football Flyer” express bus routes, running roughly every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., will drop people of near Point State Park and the North Shore.
The T and Monongahela Incline are offering free rides throughout the draft.
The Gateway Clipper Fleet is ferrying people between North Shore and Station Square for $10 per trip.
A full list of road closures and public transit routes is available here.
Looks like rain
The forecast for Saturday called for intermittent rain. Pack accordingly if you plan on attending.
Remember that umbrellas are not permitted.
What to take — or not — to the draft
Fans heading to the draft should have their registration through the NFL’s OnePass app.
Various items are prohibited within the draft footprint.
People can bring only clear bags or bags no larger than 4 1/2 by 6 1/2 inches. Even clear bags are capped at 12-by-6 inches. They can have logos on only one side.
Other banned items include: alcohol; animals except service animals; banners, flags or signs larger than 22-by-28 inches; bottles, cans, thermoses, coolers, glass containers, cups and cans; chairs or stools; drones; firearms, weapons, knives and explosives; fireworks; footballs, Frisbees and other balls; illegal substances; laser pointers; motorized scooters and skateboards; noisemakers; whistles or horns; sticks and missile-like objects; tripods; and umbrellas.
Strollers are allowed but bags and blankets will be inspected.
Small cameras and binoculars are permitted, but professional-grade recording equipment is not.
More details are available here.
What else is happening around the draft?
Though the draft itself may be the main attraction, there are plenty of other activities around the event.
The Picksburgh Draft Day 5K will run through North Shore and Downtown, starting at 8 a.m.
Fan activities are set up in Market Square and Arts Landing.
The NFL Maker’s Market — which runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. next to Acrisure Stadium — will give visitors a chance to buy goods from local vendors.
At the NFL Museum inside the Sportsworks Building, people can see a replica NFL locker room, busts of Hall of Famers and various trophies.
A musical performance from 2 Chainz is scheduled for 6 p.m.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Steelers legends James Harrison and Joey Porter Sr. and Gov. Josh Shapiro will join Topps Collector Celebration Day, a family-friendly, on-field fan experience at Acrisure Stadium.
Additional information on events is available here.
