There is less than one week before Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft kicks off in Kansas City. With all 32 teams ready to go through seven rounds of selections, let’s see how to watch the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday Night, including start times, TV channels, and live stream options.
How To Watch the NFL Draft | TV Channel, Start Times, and More
- Start time: Thursday, April 27, 8 p.m. ET through Saturday, April 29
- Channel: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network
- Live Stream Options: fuboTV (free trial), CBS App, ESPN App, NFL App
When Is the 2023 NFL Draft?
The NFL Draft descends upon the streets of Kansas City, Missouri, in 2023. The three-day event kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday night. The Day 2 action begins at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, April 28, and Day 3 selections start at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 29.
How Does the NFL Draft Work?
The NFL Draft consists of 259 picks within seven rounds split across the three-day event. While every round typically consists of 32 selections (plus compensatory picks in later rounds), 2023 is an exception. In 2022, the NFL determined the Miami Dolphins and owner Stephen Ross broke the league’s anti-tampering policy when conducting conversations with QB Tom Brady and HC Sean Payton beginning in August 2019.
As a result, the Dolphins forfeited a 2023 first-round draft pick and a 2024 third-round pick. This means Round 1, and the first night of the 2023 NFL Draft, will only have 31 selections. Day 2 features Rounds 2 & 3 for a total of 71 picks.
Barring any trades on Day 1, the Dolphins will not be the only team making their first selection on Day 2. The Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers are all without a first-round draft pick in 2023 due to trades.
MORE: FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator With Trades
Day 3 features the most selections (157) as teams will complete Rounds 4-7. Given that there will be double the action compared to Day 2, Day 3 begins at Noon ET. From Round 3 on, there are compensatory draft picks following the standard 32.
Teams are awarded compensatory picks based on how many unrestricted or compensatory free agents they lose in the offseason compared to how many they bring in.
If a team loses more players than they sign, they will be awarded picks between Rounds 3-7. All the selections will be available on the ESPN and ABC simulcast of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Top Storylines To Watch for During the 3-Day Event
The 2023 NFL Draft class is full of questions ahead of the Carolina Panthers being on the clock for the first overall pick in Round 1. While it seems likely that new head coach Frank Reich and the Panthers are set to select Alabama QB Bryce Young with the first overall pick, the picture from there is wide open.
Will rookie HC DeMeco Ryans and a brand new Houston Texans coaching staff draft one of C.J. Stroud or Will Levis to take over the reins under center or find the next dominant defensive piece to play under Ryans? When will Florida QB Anthony Richardson be drafted, and will he be forced to start right out of the gate? While there is a consensus surrounding the top four QBs in the 2023 class, will another sneak in at the end of Round 1?
MORE: 2023 NFL Draft Big Board
Another topic to watch is how teams diagnose the RB position in 2023. Since 2018, only one RB has been selected within the first 20 picks of the NFL Draft when the New York Giants selected RB Saquon Barkley second overall in 2018.
Until Texas RB Bijan Robinson this year, no RB has come close to being a comparable prospect to Barkley. Well worthy of the selection, will a franchise be ready to make Robinson a top-20 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft? There are a few first-round RB suitors, and in a draft class thin on first-round talent, anything is possible.