Draft Night Is the Biggest Night in Football Cards

Where Draft Season Never Really Ends

The NFL Draft isn't just one night — it's a months-long event that moves the football card market at every stage. Combine workouts shift prices. Pro day performances create new buzz. Mock drafts reshape consensus. And when the picks finally come in, cards that were sitting for months can spike in minutes. On Mantel, you'll find collectors who follow every stage of the draft cycle, from Senior Bowl week through the final round.

Connect with collectors who have been scouting prospects since the college season, debating landing spots, and positioning themselves in the market before the rest of the hobby reacts. Whether you're speculating on a projected top-5 pick or hunting for a day-three sleeper — the draft community on Mantel is where serious collectors prepare.

See What Collectors Are Pulling and Buying

Post your pre-draft pickups and see what the community is positioning on. Which college prospects are collectors targeting before their names get called? Who's stacking Bowman University cards on combine risers? What are veteran draft speculators buying that the rest of the hobby hasn't noticed yet?

After picks are announced, the conversation shifts instantly. Mantel keeps you connected to collectors who react in real time — sharing their reads on landing spots, offensive systems, and what each pick means for card values.

Live Marketplace Listings in One Feed

Search real-time football card listings from eBay and Fanatics Collect for every prospect and rookie in one feed. Find Bowman University cards for pre-draft speculation, then pivot to Prizm, Optic, and National Treasures once rookie cards drop post-draft. Filter by player, set, grade, and price — all in one place.

Connect your eBay seller account and reach the draft-season collectors on Mantel who are actively buying before and after every pick.

Comps That Tell the Real Story

Listed prices lie. Comps don't. A projected first-round pick's Bowman card might be listed at $100 the week before the draft, but what is it actually selling for? Mantel shows you real comps and current asking prices side by side — so you know whether the market has already priced in a top-10 selection or if there's still room to move.

Track Price Movements Over Time

Draft season creates some of the sharpest price movements in the hobby. Combine invites, pro day numbers, mock draft risers, and actual draft picks each trigger distinct waves. Mantel's market trends track every phase — so you can identify when a prospect's cards are peaking on pre-draft hype versus building genuine post-draft momentum.

Advanced analytics reveal what's happening beneath the price. Is a prospect's card actually trading, or are sellers just raising ask prices based on mock draft buzz? See liquidity, demand depth, and real volume before you commit.

SLAM Scores: One Number, Real Market Signal

Draft hype is loud. Every year, projected first-round picks get talked up as generational talents. But which prospects actually have sustained market demand? SLAM scores combine sales volume, price direction, and liquidity into a single number that cuts through mock draft noise and combine-week excitement. High SLAM score? Real collectors are backing that prospect with real money — not just retweets.

What Makes NFL Draft Cards Unique

Bowman University — The pre-draft product that lets collectors speculate on college prospects before they're officially NFL rookies. Prices on Bowman cards can swing dramatically based on combine performance and draft position.

Panini Prizm — The flagship rookie product that drops after the draft. Prizm Silver rookies are the first true NFL cards for every draft class, and their prices immediately reflect landing spot, draft capital, and perceived opportunity.

National Treasures RPA — Rookie Patch Autographs that arrive later in the product cycle but carry the most long-term weight. On-card signatures, game-worn patches, and low print runs make these the cards that define a draft class years later.

Optic Rated Rookie — A clean, consistent product that gives every draft pick a collectible card. Holo parallels are the sweet spot for collectors who want exposure to a rookie class without premium-tier prices.

Start Collecting Smarter

1. Join Mantel — Connect with collectors who scout draft prospects and track every market shift from combine to pick
2. Search live listings — Browse eBay and Fanatics Collect for prospect and rookie cards in one feed
3. Check comps before the pick — See what draft prospects are actually selling for, not what they're listed at
4. Track the full draft cycle — Follow prices from Senior Bowl week through post-draft rookie card releases
5. Set alerts — Add your target prospects to your Wish List and move the moment their cards hit the market