2021 NFL Draft: Date, location, time, how to live stream, schedule and all you need to know about the annual tradition
The 2021 NFL draft will kick off with the annual draft, coming this year from Cleveland, Ohio. The draft will take place over three days, from April 29 to May 1, with events spread out along FirstEnergy Stadium, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Centre.
Most of the action will take place in downtown Cleveland's North Coast Harbor, just outside FirstEnergy Stadium. The venue will act as the 'centralized hub' and home to the NFL Draft Main Stage. Performances, including those from Machine Gun Kelly and Kings of Leon will take place at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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Missed out on snagging those exclusive tickets to the events? The good news is, all the events will be live streamed, so you can catch them from the comfort of your home. That way, you can be safe and still enjoy the festivities. Here's your guide to watching the live stream, including the dates, times and events that will take place over the three days.
Location
This year's event will be held in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Several iconic locations, including the Browns' FirstEnergy Stadium, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Center.
Events schedule
Red Carpet: Kicking off the festivities, the NFL Draft Red Carpet will take place at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The carpet will begin at 6:00 pm ET on April 29, with attending prospects and select invited guests mingling in the plaza.
Round 1: Following the Red Carpet, Round 1 of the draft will begin at 8 pm ET. The action will take place in downtown Cleveland's North Coast Harbor, just outside FirstEnergy Stadium. The venue will act as the 'centralized hub', from where most of the action takes place.
Rounds 2-3: April 30 will see the next two rounds take place, from 7 pm ET.
Rounds 4-7: The final rounds of the draft are scheduled for May 1, from 12 pm ET.
Where to watch
There are plenty of ways to catch all the action from the draft live. If you have a good old TV connection, you can watch all the events on ABC (free), ESPN or NFL Network. To watch on ESPN or the NFL Network, you will need to have a TV subscription that includes one of these channels.
How to live stream
If you've decided to cut the cord, you can watch the events with a subscription to YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, Sling TV, AT&T TV Now and fuboTV. None of these options are completely free though. fuboTV offers a free trial that lasts a week, which should easily get you through the Draft. After that, you'll have to pay $64.99/month for the starter pack, with costs going upto $79.99 for the higher-end packs. You can also watch the Draft for free with a trial of YouTube TV and Hulu Plus. Cancel before the end of the trial period and you won't be charged!
We recommend getting one of these streaming services, so you can enjoy the Draft action on mobile, TV or laptop anywhere you are. In the unfortunate situation that you are traveling, or unable to live stream, you can catch all the live updates on the ESPN Draftcast website.
