The 2026 NFL Draft will take place from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, with the Las Vegas Raiders holding the No. 1 pick. Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza will not attend the event in person, opting to celebrate at home instead.
Key points
2026 NFL Draft runs from April 23-25
Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 1 pick
Fernando Mendoza will not attend the draft in person
Sling Day Pass available for streaming
Draft will air on ESPN and NFL Network
Las Vegas RaidersPittsburghFernando Mendoza
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It's very likely that the Las Vegas Raiders, who have the No. 1 NFL draft pick this year, could select Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza at the 2026 NFL draft in Pittsburgh this week, but Mendoza won't be there to celebrate. Despite being a first-round favorite, the quarterback has opted not to attend in-person, instead choosing to celebrate his selection at home with family. Mendoza is one of over 200 of the best college football players in the game awaiting selection at this year's draft, which runs from April 23-25 and will air each day on ESPN and the NFL Network.
If you don't have cable but want to tune into this NFL season-shaping event live, you can also grab a 1-, 3- or 7-day Sling Day Pass to get access to ESPN without having to pay for more channels than you need.
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch the 2026 NFL draft, including the broadcast schedule, channel info, draft order and more.
The 2026 NFL draft runs from Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25.
Round 1: Thursday, April 23, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
Rounds 2 and 3: Friday, April 24, beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
Rounds 4 through 7: Saturday, April 25, beginning at noon ET.
What time does the NFL draft start?
Round 1 of the NFL draft will air at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Rounds 2 and 3 will start an hour earlier on Friday, April 24, at 7 p.m. ET. Saturday’s remaining rounds will begin at noon ET.
NFL draft channel:
The 2026 NFL draft will air live on both NFL Network and ESPN, with ESPN Deportes offering Spanish-language coverage. If you don't have cable but want to watch the 2026 NFL draft live, you can always try out a live TV streaming service like Sling, which offers 1, 3, and 7 Day Passes for a more affordable alternative to cable.
That way, if you only care about the first round, you'll only need to sign up for a 1 Day Pass (AKA 24 hours of Sling Orange access). But if you'd like to catch all seven rounds, then you may want the 3 Day Pass (or 72 hours of access).
How to watch the 2026 NFL draft live without cable:
Sling TV's 1, 3, and 7 Day Passes give consumers the freedom to watch what they want, when they want, without paying for any unwanted extras. So if you love watching certain teams or just want to tune in to the occasional event, like an NHL playoff game or this week's NFL draft, it's an ideal, cost-effective plan.
Sign up for 24 hours ($4.99), 72 hours ($9.99), or a full 7 days of live TV ($14.99) and get every channel available through Sling Orange, which includes ESPN and ESPN2, and over 30 more channels.
Some of the top prospects in the 2026 NFL draft include Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza from Indiana, running back Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame, safety Caleb Downs and linebacker Arvell Reese, both of Ohio State, and edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. from Miami (FL).
