ABC starts Day 3 coverage at noon

ABC carried the final day of the 2026 National Football League draft at noon Eastern on Saturday, April 25, by simulcasting ESPN’s coverage from Pittsburgh. (abc.com) (espnpressroom.com) That Day 3 window covered Rounds 4 through 7, the last 157 selections of a seven-round draft that ran April 23-25 and totaled 257 picks. (nfl.com) (espn.com) ABC and ESPN used distinct telecasts on Thursday and Friday, then converged on Saturday, when ABC dropped its separate presentation and took ESPN’s feed. ABC said all three days aired on the two networks for the eighth straight year. (abc.com) Disney and ESPN also widened distribution beyond traditional television. ESPN’s press release said the 2026 draft was available on nine platforms, a record for the event, including Hulu and Disney+ alongside ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio and the ESPN App. (espnpressroom.com) The talent split showed the difference between the early rounds and the finish. ESPN said Mike Greenberg hosted its main draft show, while Rece Davis led ABC’s Thursday and Friday presentation before the networks aligned for Day 3. (espnpressroom.com) ESPN framed the weekend as 14 hours of draft coverage across all three days, with more than 60 commentators on site in Pittsburgh. The company also scheduled draft programming on “Get Up,” “First Take” and “Good Morning America” during the event. (espnpressroom.com) For viewers, the practical change on Saturday was simple: the broadcast moved from prime time to midday, and ABC’s role shifted from its own show to a straight ESPN simulcast. That made Day 3 less about competing draft styles and more about carrying every remaining pick to the finish. (abc.com) (espnpressroom.com)