NFL Draft 2016: Official Dates Announced, Location Still Undetermined

With the NFL less than two months away from the start of its regular season, the league released its schedule of important dates, including the draft, as NFL Vice President of Football Communications Michael Signora tweeted on Wednesday:

While it is still almost nine months until football fans could see the likes of Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook or Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott walking across the stage and into the NFL, the league and its teams have their season completely laid out.

But before we can even get to the draft, there's the little matter of the entire 2015 NFL season.

The preseason begins in four weeks on Aug. 13, with teams having to finalize 53-man rosters by Sept. 5. Opening kickoff is on Sept. 10.

The first of three international games to be played in 2015 takes place on Oct. 4 with the New York Jets playing the Miami Dolphins from London. The Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars face off across the pond on Oct. 25, and a week later on Nov. 1, the Detroit Lions play the Kansas City Chiefs there as well. 

Two days after the International Series' final game, the league has its trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 3 with the regular season ending two months later on Jan. 3. 

Postseason play beginning a week later leads to Super Bowl 50 from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday, Feb. 7.      

Leading up to the draft, the NFL combine will be from Feb. 23-29 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where teams will be able to take a look at the best players the NCAA has to offer.