Why You Can Trust CNET NFL Draft 2023: How to Watch, Stream the Picks Live Today
The NFL draft will be live from Kansas City on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network starting tonight. You can watch it all live, no cable TV required.
Will Bryce Young go first? Where will C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson end up? Could Will Levis get drafted in the top 10? Quarterbacks are expected to go early and often in the 2023 NFL Draft, with as many as four finding their NFL homes early in the proceedings on Thursday night. The NFL draft is a three-day event that starts tonight with the first round on Thursday, April 27, at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT).
Here's everything you need to know to watch all the action without cable.
Despite concerns about his size, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is expected to be the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
When is the NFL draft?
The NFL draft will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes and NFL Network. Here's the TV schedule:
- Round 1: Thursday, April 27, 8 to 11:30 p.m ET (5 to 8:30 p.m. PT)
- Rounds 2 to 3: Friday, April 28, 7 to 11:30 p.m. ET (4 to 8:30 p.m. PT)
- Rounds 4 to 7: Saturday, April 29, noon to 7 p.m. ET (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT)
On ESPN, Mike Greenberg will serve as host for the first two nights of the draft alongside Mel Kiper Jr., Louis Riddick, Booger McFarland and Chris Mortensen. On ABC, Rece Davis will host with Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Todd McShay from one set, and Sam Ponder and Robert Griffin III reporting from another set. For day three of the draft on Saturday, ABC and ESPN will combine forces with Davis, Kiper, McShay and Riddick covering rounds four through seven.
On the NFL Network, Rich Eisen will lead coverage featuring Daniel Jeremiah, Charles Davis, Kurt Warner, Joel Klatt, Ian Rapoport and Melissa Stark.
ESPN Deportes will have Spanish-language coverage of the 2022 NFL draft, featuring Eduardo Varela and Pablo Viruega from Monday Night Football.
What's the order of the draft picks?
The Carolina Panthers traded with the Chicago Bears and now hold the first pick. Here's the draft order for the first 10 picks:
1. Carolina Panthers (from Chicago)
2. Houston Texans
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver)
6. Detroit Lions (from L.A. Rams)
7. Las Vegas Raiders
8. Atlanta Falcons
9. Chicago Bears (from Carolina)
10. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans)
You can track all of the picks with ESPN's DraftCast.
How can I watch the draft live?
Watch live for free: ABC will air all three days of the draft. If you have an over-the-air antenna hooked up to your TV and get your local ABC station, you can watch for free.
Subscription options: The NFL draft will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes and the NFL Network. There will also be a livestream on the WatchESPN app or the NFL Mobile app (or ESPN.com or NFL.com). One caveat: You will need to prove you have a TV subscription (from a cable or satellite provider or live TV streaming service) that includes ESPN or the NFL Network in order to watch live on either app.
Cable TV cord-cutters have a number of options for watching the draft via a live TV streaming service, detailed below.
Sling TV's $55-a-month Orange and Blue plan features ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes. You can add ESPN Deportes for an extra $6 a month. It's the cheapest option to watch the draft, but Sling TV carries ABC in only eight markets. If you wanted to just watch one channel, you can get ESPN with the $40-a-month Orange plan or NFL Network with the $40-a-month Blue plan.
Hulu with Live TV costs $70 a month and includes ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. ESPN Deportes is part of the $5-a-month Español Add-on. Click the "View channels in your area" link on its welcome page to see which local channels are offered in your ZIP code.
YouTube TV costs $73 a month and includes ABC, ESPN and NFL Network, but not ESPN Deportes. Plug in your ZIP code on its welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area.
Fubo costs $75 a month and includes ABC, ESPN, NFL Network and ESPN Deportes. Click here to see which local channels you get.
DirecTV Stream's basic $75-a-month package includes ABC and ESPN, the $110-a-month plan includes ESPN Deportes, but none of its plans include NFL Network. You can use its channel lookup tool to see which local channels are available where you live.
All of the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live-TV streaming services guide.
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