To no one's surprise, the Chicago Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. 2024 NFL Draft. Two other quarterbacks followed in the next two picks, with LSU's Jayden Daniels going to the Washington Commanders and North Carolina's Drake Maye going to the New England Patriots. Six quarterbacks went in the first 12 picks, with the most shocking being the Atlanta Falcons selecting Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick after signing veteran QB Kirk Cousins last month.
More players will find their homes in the NFL tonight when the NFL Draft resumes with Rounds 2 and 3 in 7pm ET (4pm PT). Here's everything you need to know to watch all the action without cable.
The Chicago Bears made USC quarterback Caleb Williams the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
How can I watch the NFL draft live?
Watch live for free: ABC will air all three days of the draft. If you have an over-the-air antenna connected to your TV and have your local ABC station, you can watch for free.
Subscription options: The NFL draft will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and NFL Network. There will also be a live stream on the WatchESPN app or the NFL Mobile app (or ESPN.com or NFL.com). One caveat: You'll need to prove you have a TV subscription (from a cable or satellite provider or live TV streaming service) that includes ESPN or NFL Network to watch live on either app.
Cable TV cord cutters have several options for watching the draft via a live TV streaming service, detailed below.
When does the NFL draft start?
The NFL draft continues tonight on ABC, ESPN2 and NFL Network. Here's the TV schedule (all times ET):
Friday, April 26th
- Rounds 2 and 3: 7pm to 11:30pm on ABC, ESPN2 and NFL Network.
Saturday, April 27th
- Rounds 4 to 7: Noon to 7pm on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network.
At ESPN, Mike Greenberg will host the first two nights of the draft alongside Mel Kiper Jr., Louis Riddick, Booger McFarland, Adam Schefter and Molly McGrath.
On ABC, Rece Davis will host with Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Field Yates from one set, and Sam Ponder and Robert Griffin III reporting from another set. For Day 3 of the draft on Saturday, ABC and ESPN will join forces with Davis, Kiper, Riddick and Yates covering rounds 4 through 7.
At NFL Network, Rich Eisen will lead coverage with Daniel Jeremiah, Charles Davis, Kurt Warner, Joel Klatt and Ian Rapoport.
What is the draft order for the second round?
After 32 players dropped off the board in the first round last night, the Bills are on the clock and picking first tonight with the 33rd overall selection. Here is the preliminary order for the top 10 picks in round 2:
33. Buffalo Bills (from Carolina)
34. New England Patriots
35. Arizona Cardinals
36. Washington Commanders
37. Los Angeles Chargers
38. Tennessee Titans
39. Carolina Panthers (from NY Giants)
40. Washington Commanders (from Chicago)
41. Green Bay Packers (from NY Jets)
42. Houston Texans (from Minnesota)
You can track all choices with ESPN DraftCast.
What are the draft grades so far?
The Bears earned high marks for selecting Caleb Williams with the first overall pick and then pairing him with Washington receiver Rome Odunze, who got him with the ninth pick. The draft's other top pass catchers also earned high marks for their new teams, including the Cardinals selecting Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth pick, the Giants selecting LSU's Malik Nabers with the sixth pick and the Las Vegas Raiders snagging Georgia tight end Brock Bowers with the 13th pick.
The first defensive back in the draft wasn't chosen until UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu went to the Colts with the 15th pick, a pick that was generally rated positively.
Both the Falcons' pick of Penix Jr. with the eighth pick and the Broncos' option for Oregon's Bo Nix four selections later received low grades, with most draft experts considering each pick a reach.
For more information, check out the notes from the first round of The bell, PFF, Bleacher Report It is NFL.com.
YouTube TV costs $73 per month and includes ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and NFL Network for the draft. Enter your zip code into your welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area.
Read our YouTube TV review.
Hulu with Live TV costs $77 per month and includes all four channels that show the NFL Draft. Click the “See channels in your area” link on your welcome page to see which local channels are offered in your zip code.
Read our Hulu with Live TV review.
Fubo's basic $80 per month Pro package includes ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and NFL Network, but Fubo charges an RSN fee ($12 per month if you get one RSN or $15 per month if you have two or more in your area) this increases the monthly charge to $92 or $95. Click here to see which local channels you get.
Read our FuboTV review.
DirecTV Stream's $80-per-month basic package includes ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2. If you also want to watch portions of the draft on NFL Network, you'll need to opt for the $109 per month plan or pay an extra $15 per month for the sports add-on package. You can use your channel search tool to see which local channels are available where you live.
Read our AT&T TV review now.
All of the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, let you cancel at any time, and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.
