The NFL draft is an annual seven-round event in which each team gets an opportunity to improve its roster with new recruits. This year marks the 87th meeting of the NFL Draft, and the event is taking place in Las Vegas from April 28th to April 30th
Luckily, cord-cutters can watch the 2022 NFL Draft online without cable. Here’s how.
How to Watch the NFL Draft Online Without Cable
This year, the draft takes place over three days and is broadcast on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network.
The NFL Draft schedule is as follows:
- First round: Thursday, April 28th at 8 pm on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network.
- Rounds 2-3: Friday, April 29th at 7 pm on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network.
- Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 30th at 12 pm on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network.
Canadian viewers will be able to watch the stream on TSN (Round 1) and TSN4 (Rounds 2-7).
Considering that the NFL Draft only lasts three days, the best option for watching it online is via a streaming service free trial. It’s also possible to watch the NFL Draft via the NFL app. This grants you access to the NFL Network and the NFL RedZone, meaning you can watch the entire event from your Android or iOS.
Also, for non-U.S. viewers, you can change your geolocation with a VPN to access geo-blocked services. All you have to do is sign up for a 30-day free trial for a VPN service (like ExpressVPN) and access the streaming service from within the U.S.A.
Here are the services that will grant you access to ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network.
SlingTV
SlingTV offers two plans that will let you watch the NFL Draft live. These are Sling Orange ($35 per month with access to the NFL Network) and Sling Blue (also $35 per month but with access to ESPN).
SlingTV is the cheapest option if you plan to continue your subscription after the free trial has ended. SlingTV offers a 3-day free trial, so if you begin in the afternoon of the Draft, you’ll be covered for the entire event.
fuboTV
fuboTV will let you live stream this year’s Draft online via the NFL Network and ESPN. It’s relatively expensive at $64.99 per month, but with the 7-day free trial, you can watch the whole NFL draft free of cost.
Hulu with Live TV
Hulu with Live TV provides access to ESPN, ABC, and the NFL Network (as well as CBS, Disney+, and ESPN+ for many additional live sports channels).
Hulu Live costs $69.99 per month and allows you to try the service with a 7-day free trial. It’s also available on Android and iOS.
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM’s basic Entertainment package (their cheapest option) grants you access to ESPN. The plan is usually $69.99 per month but is currently on special for $59.99 plus tax for three months. DIRECTV also offers a 5-day free trial which is more than enough to view every NFL Draft football game for free.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV gives you access to ESPN and the NFL Network and costs $64.99 per month with a longer 14-day free trial. YouTube TV is also supported by AppleTV, Roku, Amazon FireTV, and many other streaming devices.
Don’t Miss the Kick-Off
Cord-cutting has never been so tempting. With so many live TV streaming services, it’s now easy to watch NFL, NBA, and other live sports without access to cable TV channels. Luckily, they almost all offer decent free trials, so you can easily try them out. Jump on one of these free trials just before the NFL Draft starts, and you’ll be able to watch the whole event for free.