2023 NFL Draft takes place Thursday through Saturday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — 2022 BYU All-American left tackle Blake Freeland headlines members of last year's BYU football team seeking NFL opportunities this weekend when the 2023 NFL Draft takes place Thursday through Saturday in Kansas City. The three-day event will be televised live on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network.

Hosted in the downtown area surrounding iconic Union Station Kansas City and the National WWI Museum and Memorial, the 88th annual draft begins with the first round on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT  Kansas City (8 p.m. ET/6 p.m. MT). Draft selections continue on Friday at 6 p.m. CT (7 p.m. ET/5 p.m. MT) with the second and third rounds before concluding Saturday with rounds 4-7 starting at 11 a.m. CT (noon ET/10 a.m. MT). Undrafted prospects will then be available to sign as free agents on Saturday following the draft.

Last year, former BYU All-American running back Tyler Allgeier had his named called by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the NFL Draft that took place in Las Vegas. This year, Freeland is joined by star quarterback Jaren Hall and talented receiver Puka Nacua as top BYU prospects hoping to hear their names called during the draft.  Over the course of this year's three-day draft and subsequent free agency signings, Freeland, Hall, Nacua and other BYU prospects will learn what opportunities await them in the NFL. 

Having declared for the draft as underclassmen, Freeland, Hall and Nacua were all invited to this year's NFL Combine and participated in the BYU Pro Day in March. Also generating attention with their results at BYU's Pro Day for NFL personnel were senior cornerback Kaleb Hayes and senior running back Chris Brooks. Other NFL prospects from last year's BYU team who participated on Pro Day include defensive back Matthew Criddle, defensive lineman Lorenzo Fauatea, fullback Houston Heimuli, long snapper Britton Hogan, wide receiver Chris Jackson, offensive lineman Harris LaChance, defensive back D’Angelo Mandell, kicker Jake Oldroyd, wide receiver Gunner Romney, defensive lineman Earl Tuioti-Mariner, offensive lineman Joe Tukuafu and linebacker Payton Wilgar.

Historically, the NFL has drafted a former BYU player 149 times while another 205 former Cougars have received NFL opportunities as undrafted free agents following the annual draft. Information about how to follow the 2023 NFL Draft is included below.

Live TV Coverage

Broadcast network ABC and cable outlets ESPN and NFL Network will provide live coverage of the three-day draft, as well as ESPN Deportes. ABC will broadcast all three days of the draft for the fifth straight year. Overall, the 2023 NFL Draft marks the sixth consecutive year all seven rounds will be televised over a national broadcast channel in addition to the extensive coverage provided on cable networks (see schedule below).

Streaming, Radio & Social Media

Live streams of the draft are also available via mobile devices, computers and connected TV devices by authenticating with participating TV providers. In addition, the round-by-round coverage can be heard through participating radio providers, including ESPN Radio, SiriusXM and Westwood One. Exclusive NFL+ content is also available in the NFL app. Select the following link to access the various streaming and audio options.

Fans can also track the NFL happenings of the draft online and via social media for additional access to highlights, stats and information about NFL prospects.

Check BYUcougars.com and BYU's official social media accounts for NFL news regarding BYU players this weekend.