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NFL Draft 2020: How to watch, live stream, and round 1 start time

Published Apr 23rd, 2020 7:06PM EDT
NFL Draft 2020
Image: Charlie Neibergall/AP/Shutterstock

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  • The 2020 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 23rd at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET.
  • For the first time, the NFL Draft will be completely virtual, with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, all the coaches and managers, and even the players staying home.
  • The Cincinnati Bengals are widely expected to take QB Joe Burrow with the first pick.
  • Visit BGR’s homepage for more stories.

It’s been weeks since we’ve been able to watch live sports in the United States, but for those of you craving sports content, you will finally have something to watch this Thursday night. Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft begins at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET, and due to the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic, the event will be held remotely, rather than in Las Vegas, which was the original host site. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will announce the picks from his house in New York, while coaching staffs from all 32 teams in the league will also work from home.

When does the 2020 NFL Draft start?

The first round of the NFL Draft kicks off at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET on Thursday, April 23rd, day two (rounds 2-3) will start at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET on Friday, April 24th, and the day three (rounds 4-7) begins at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET.

How can I watch the 2020 NFL Draft?

If you’re watching on TV, ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network will all have live draft coverage for round 1. You can also stream from your phone or tablet with the ABC, ESPN, and NFL apps, and ABC and ESPN will both be streaming the broadcast on their respective sites as well. You will need a login to take advantage of these, but if you do not pay for cable, you can try Sling’s “Happy Hour Across America” promotion and watch for free.

What is the order of the first round?

Here’s when each team is picking in the Draft, barring any trades that may take place in the coming hours:

  1. Cincinnati Bengals
  2.  Washington Redskins
  3. Detroit Lions
  4. New York Giants
  5. Miami Dolphins
  6. Los Angeles Chargers
  7. Carolina Panthers
  8. Arizona Cardinals
  9. Jacksonville Jaguars
  10. Cleveland Browns
  11. New York Jets
  12. Las Vegas Raiders
  13. San Francisco 49ers
  14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  15. Denver Broncos
  16. Atlanta Falcons
  17. Dallas Cowboys
  18. Miami Dolphins
  19. Las Vegas Raiders
  20. Jacksonville Jaguars
  21. Philadelphia Eagles
  22. Minnesota Vikings
  23. New England Patriots
  24. New Orleans Saints
  25. Minnesota Vikings
  26. Miami Dolphins
  27. Seattle Seahawks
  28. Baltimore Ravens
  29. Tennessee Titans
  30. Green Bay Packers
  31. San Francisco 49ers
  32. Kansas City Chiefs

Should I watch the 2020 NFL Draft?

This is a question I can’t answer for you, but with dozens of general managers and broadcasters and players and coaches attempting to navigate a completely virtual Draft, the potential for chaos is extraordinarily high. If you are a big NFL fan, you don’t need me to tell you to watch the Draft, but there is a high degree of likelihood that this will be extremely disorganized and highly entertaining. Plus, there’s a chance for genuine drama in terms of the picks, as many teams didn’t get much time to sit down and speak with players they might be drafting.

Jacob Siegal
Jacob Siegal Associate Editor

Jacob Siegal is Associate Editor at BGR, having joined the news team in 2013. He has over a decade of professional writing and editing experience, and helps to lead our technology and entertainment product launch and movie release coverage.