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Yahoo Life Shopping EditorsTue, April 21, 2026 at 7:37 PM UTC·8 min readIt'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.
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.
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).
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).
1. Las Vegas Raiders2. New York Jets3. Arizona Cardinals4. Tennessee Titans5. New York Giants6. Cleveland Browns7. Washington Commanders8. New Orleans Saints9. Kansas City Chiefs10. Cincinnati Bengals11. Miami Dolphins12. Dallas Cowboys13. Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons)14. Baltimore Ravens15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers16. New York Jets (from Colts)17. Detroit Lions18. Minnesota Vikings19. Carolina Panthers20. Dallas Cowboys (from Packers)21. Pittsburgh Steelers22. Los Angeles Chargers23. Philadelphia Eagles24. Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars)25. Chicago Bears26. Buffalo Bills27. San Francisco 49ers28. Houston Texans29. Kansas City Chiefs (from Rams)30. Miami Dolphins (from Broncos)31. New England Patriots32. Seattle Seahawks
33. New York Jets34. Arizona Cardinals35. Tennessee Titans36. Las Vegas Raiders37. New York Giants38. Houston Texans (from Commanders)39. Cleveland Browns40. Kansas City Chiefs41. Cincinnati Bengals42. New Orleans Saints43. Miami Dolphins44. New York Jets (from Cowboys)45. Baltimore Ravens46. Tampa Bay Buccaneers47. Indianapolis Colts48. Atlanta Falcons49. Minnesota Vikings50. Detroit Lions51. Carolina Panthers52. Green Bay Packers53. Pittsburgh Steelers54. Philadelphia Eagles55. Los Angeles Chargers56. Jacksonville Jaguars57. Chicago Bears58. San Francisco 49ers59. Houston Texans60. Chicago Bears (from Bills)61. Los Angeles Rams62. Denver Broncos63. New England Patriots64. Seattle Seahawks
65. Arizona Cardinals66. Tennessee Titans67. Las Vegas Raiders68. Philadelphia Eagles (from Jets)69. Houston Texans (from Giants)70. Cleveland Browns71. Washington Commanders72. Cincinnati Bengals73. New Orleans Saints74. Kansas City Chiefs75. Miami Dolphins76. Pittsburgh Steelers (from Cowboys)77. Tampa Bay Buccaneers78. Indianapolis Colts79. Atlanta Falcons80. Baltimore Ravens81. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Lions)82. Minnesota Vikings83. Carolina Panthers84. Green Bay Packers85. Pittsburgh Steelers86. Los Angeles Chargers87. Miami Dolphins (from Eagles)88. Jacksonville Jaguars89. Chicago Bears90. Miami Dolphins (from Texans)91. Buffalo Bills92. Dallas Cowboys (from 49ers)93. Los Angeles Rams94. Miami Dolphins (from Broncos)95. New England Patriots96. Seattle Seahawks97. Minnesota Vikings (Compensatory Selection)98. Philadelphia Eagles (Compensatory Selection)99. Pittsburgh Steelers (Compensatory Selection)100. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Lions; Special Compensatory Selection)
101. Tennessee Titans102. Las Vegas Raiders103. New York Jets104. Arizona Cardinals105. New York Giants106. Houston Texans (from Commanders)107. Cleveland Browns108. Denver Broncos (from Saints)109. Kansas City Chiefs110. Cincinnati Bengals111. Denver Broncos (from Dolphins)112. Dallas Cowboys113. Indianapolis Colts114. Philadelphia Eagles (from Falcons)115. Baltimore Ravens116. Tampa Bay Buccaneers117. Las Vegas Raiders (from Vikings through Jaguars)118. Detroit Lions119. Carolina Panthers120. Green Bay Packers121. Pittsburgh Steelers122. Atlanta Falcons (from Eagles)123. Los Angeles Chargers124. Jacksonville Jaguars125. New England Patriots (from Bears through Chiefs)126. Buffalo Bills127. San Francisco 49ers128. Detroit Lions (from Texans)129. Chicago Bears (from Rams)130. Miami Dolphins (from Broncos)131. New England Patriots132. New Orleans Saints (from Seahawks)133. San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Selection)134. Las Vegas Raiders (Compensatory Selection)135. Pittsburgh Steelers (Compensatory Selection)136. New Orleans Saints (Compensatory Selection)137. Philadelphia Eagles (Compensatory Selection)138. San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Selection)139. San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Selection)140. New York Jets (Compensatory Selection)
141. Houston Texans (from Raiders through Browns)142. Tennessee Titans (from Jets through Ravens)143. Arizona Cardinals144. Tennessee Titans (re-acquired through Rams)145. New York Giants146. Cleveland Browns147. Washington Commanders148. Kansas City Chiefs149. Cleveland Browns (from Bengals)150. New Orleans Saints151. Miami Dolphins152. Dallas Cowboys153. Green Bay Packers (from Falcons through Eagles)154. Baltimore Ravens155. Tampa Bay Buccaneers156. Indianapolis Colts157. Detroit Lions158. Carolina Panthers (from Vikings)159. Carolina Panthers160. Green Bay Packers161. Pittsburgh Steelers162. Baltimore Ravens (from Chargers)163. Minnesota Vikings (from Eagles)164. Jacksonville Jaguars165. Buffalo Bills (from Bears)166. Jacksonville Jaguars (from 49ers through Eagles)167. Houston Texans (re-acquired through Eagles)168. Buffalo Bills169. Kansas City Chiefs (from Rams)170. Denver Broncos171. New England Patriots172. New Orleans Saints (from Seahawks)173. Baltimore Ravens (Compensatory Selection)174. Baltimore Ravens (Compensatory Selection)175. Las Vegas Raiders (Compensatory Selection)176. Kansas City Chiefs (Compensatory Selection)177. Dallas Cowboys (Compensatory Selection)178. Philadelphia Eagles (Compensatory Selection)179. New York Jets (Compensatory Selection)180. Dallas Cowboys (Compensatory Selection)181. Detroit Lions (Compensatory Selection)
182. Buffalo Bills (from Jets through Browns, Jaguars and Raiders)183. Arizona Cardinals184. Tennessee Titans185. Las Vegas Raiders186. New York Giants187. Washington Commanders188. Seattle Seahawks (from Browns)189. Cincinnati Bengals190. New Orleans Saints191. New England Patriots (from Chiefs)192. New York Giants (from Dolphins)193. New York Giants (from Cowboys)194. Tennessee Titans (from Ravens through Jets)195. Tampa Bay Buccaneers196. Minnesota Vikings (from Colts)197. Philadelphia Eagles (from Falcons)198. New England Patriots (from Vikings through Texans, Vikings and 49ers)199. Cincinnati Bengals (from Lions through Browns)200. Carolina Panthers201. Green Bay Packers202. New England Patriots (from Steelers)203. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Eagles through Texans and Eagles)204. Los Angeles Chargers205. Detroit Lions (from Jaguars)206. Cleveland Browns (from Bears)207. Los Angeles Rams (from Texans through Rams and Titans)208. Las Vegas Raiders (from Bills through Jets)209. Washington Commanders (from 49ers)210. Kansas City Chiefs (from Rams)211. Baltimore Ravens (from Broncos through Jets, Vikings and Eagles)212. New England Patriots213. Detroit Lions (from Seahawks through Jaguars)214. Indianapolis Colts (from Steelers; Compensatory Selection)215. Atlanta Falcons (from Eagles; Compensatory Selection)216. Pittsburgh Steelers (Compensatory Selection)