2017 NFL Draft: Start time, TV schedule, online streaming, what to watch for, & more!

The 2017 NFL Draft is FINALLY here. The waiting is over. The action starts tonight, April 27, at 8:00 PM ET. As always, it'll be interesting to see how this year’s draft plays out.

Thursday night features the first round only. The second and third rounds will take place on Friday night. Rounds four through seven take place on Saturday. Undrafted free agency begins as soon as the draft is over. The draft is scheduled to be televised on ESPN/ESPN2 and NFL Network.

There’s lots to be excited about this year’s draft, especially if you’re a fan of sheer and utter chaos. While last year we knew the top two picks before the draft (Jared Goff and Carson Wentz) this year doesn’t seem so certain. Yes, the Browns SHOULD take Myles Garrett at No. 1 overall but they might just Browns it up and take a quarterback instead. *eye roll*

Also make sure to be tuning in to Fake Teams as we’ll be recapping the biggest picks tonight and giving immediate fantasy reactions.

What to watch for:

First thing I’m watching for is where these running backs go. Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey seem to be slated for going in the top 10 while Dalvin Cook seems to be falling down many people’s boards. There’s also Joe Mixon and no one knows when he’ll be selected. All we can hope for is that each of these backs goes to a team without a clear number one guy since they all have the potential to be a RB1 in fantasy if they can be the lead back for a team.

This class of wide receivers isn’t crazy deep but the top three guys all have immediate fantasy value. Look for Mike Williams and Corey Davis to go to number one receiver needy teams while John Ross can be the spark a slow, ailing offense needs.

With no day one starting caliber quarterback in this draft—at least in my opinion—it’ll be interesting to see where these guys end up and what impact they’ll have on other quarterback’s fantasy value. If the Cardinals draft a quarterback, how do you feel about Carson Palmer’s value? If the Jets take a QB (something our Alex Squadron is rooting for), do you trust that guy to be a fantasy option?

Finally, because defense is a thing, I’m looking to see where all these defensive backs go. If the Titans add a top corner or safety with their already young and talented defense, I’m starting to lose a little bit of my Jameis Winston hype. Not a lot mind you, but definitely a little bit.

The NFL Draft:

Event: 82st Annual National Football League Player Selection Meeting (aka 2017 NFL Draft)

Time:

• Round 1: Thursday, April 27, 8pm ET
• Rounds 2-3: Friday, April 28, 7pm ET
• Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 29, 12pm ET

Where: Benjamin Franklin Parkway - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Television Coverage: NFL Network and ESPN/ESPN2 for all three days

Internet Streams: NFL.com Live

Total Picks: 224 regular picks (32 teams over 7 rounds) plus 32 compensatory picks minus three forfeited picks = 253 total selections

Selection Time Limits:

• Day 1: Round 1 – 10 minutes
• Day 2: Round 2 – 7 Minutes, Round 3 – 5 Minutes Per Pick
• Day 3: Rounds 4-6 – 5 Minutes Per Pick, Round 7 - 4 Minutes Per Pick
• (Compensatory picks = 4 minutes)

NFL Draft Order (First Round):

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