The NFL Draft is set to begin this week. The three day affair starts Thursday in primetime at 8 p.m. ET and will continue through Saturday afternoon.
ESPN will be there will with a cast of thousands and a new anti-tweeting policy that won’t “spoil” the picks before Commissioner Roger Goodell announces them. For the first night, Chris Berman will host along with Jon Gruden, Mel Kiper, Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen. Suzy Kolber will conduct interviews. Then on Friday and Saturday, Trey Wingo takes over with charlatan Todd McShay joining Kiper. Former Indianapolis Colts GM Bill Polian joins the set as well.
We have ESPN’s extensive plans for the NFL Draft below.
ESPN and the 2013 NFL Draft
43 Hours of Original Programming; Two Nights in Prime Time
First Hour of Round 1 Presented with Limited Commercial InterruptionFor the 34th consecutive year, ESPN will televise the NFL Draft (April 25-27) from Radio City Music Hall in New York. The first hour of Round 1 on Thursday, April 25 (8 p.m. ET), will be presented with limited commercial interruption for the second consecutive year. The three-day event will also be available via WatchESPN. Highlights:
- 43 hours of original NFL Draft-related programming, including 15.5 hours of live NFL Draft coverage and 13 hours of SportsCenter Special: on the Clock shows;
- 23 cameras covering the event at Radio City, including two RF steadicams and three jib cameras;
- 19 player live shots;
- Select war room cameras;
- HD Videoconferencing from all 32 team sites; and
- Draft-related content available across multiple ESPN platforms, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD, ESPN Classic, ESPN International, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN Radio, espnW, ESPN.com, WatchESPN, ESPN the Magazine, ESPN VOD, ESPN Mobile Web, the SportsCenter Feed and the ScoreCenter app.
- 300+ player highlight packages;
ESPN NFL Draft Commentators:
- Thursday, April 25: Chris Berman will host Round 1 with Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden and NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. NFL insiders Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter will report from an additional set, and reporter Suzy Kolber will be on hand to interview draft prospects.
- Friday and Saturday, April 26-27: Trey Wingo will host Rounds 2-7, with analysts Trent Dilfer, Kiper and Todd McShay. NFL analyst Bill Polian, Mortensen and Schefter will also offer analysis from Radio City Music Hall.
- In addition to its commentator teams in New York, ESPN’s coverage of the NFL Draft includes SportsCenter and On the Clock Specials from its studios in Bristol, Conn., as well as updates from team sites with reporters Josina Anderson (St. Louis Rams), Colleen Dominguez (San Francisco 49ers), Jeannine Edwards (New York Jets), Bob Holtzman (Minnesota Vikings); Sal Paolantonio (Philadelphia Eagles) and Ed Werder (Kansas City Chiefs).
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, the 2012 third round pick who led Seattle to a NFC Divisional Playoff game as a rookie, will appear in and voice ESPN’s NFL Draft opening tease. The open will also feature multiplatinum recording artist 50 Cent and English rock band The Heavy performing the group’s hit “How You Like Me Now.” The music of both 50 Cent and The Heavy will also be paired with photos and video of more than 115 prospects — taken during the NFL Scouting Combine in March – throughout ESPN’s draft telecast.
ESPN International
ESPN International will offer coverage of the NFL Draft to more than 61 million households in 157 countries and territories throughout Africa, Brazil, Caribbean, Middle East, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Europe (on ESPN America) and Canada (on TSN2).
ESPNU
ESPNU, ESPN’s 24-hour college sports network, will offer coverage of the draft through the lens of the college fan on April 25, 27 and 28. Dari Nowkhah will be joined by ESPN college football analysts for a nightly recap of each day – breaking down the former college players and discussing how their teams will adapt without them — in ESPNU Draft Recap. The shows will include in-depth player breakdowns and interviews with the drafted players and college coaches.
In addition, ESPNU will continue to air SportsCenter Special: Gruden’s QB Camp sessions and discuss NFL Draft prospects daily in CFB Daily: Spring Blitz, airing each weekday at 4:30 p.m. ET through April 26.
ESPNU’s Draft Coverage:
Date Time (ET) Program Thu, April 25 10:30 p.m. ESPNU Draft Recap: Day 1 Sat, April 27 Midnight ESPNU Draft Recap: Day 2 Sun, April 28 Midnight ESPNU Draft Recap: Day 3 E:60 and ESPN Films
The E:60 newsmagazine kicks off its spring season on Tuesday, April 23, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Features will include: “The Art of Waiting” on what it’s really like for a player to wait for his name to be called on Draft Day; a profile of running back prospect Eddie Lacy (Alabama); and the television debut of “The Irrelevant Giant,” a new ESPN 30 for 30 short film featuring Bill Parcells on the life and times of former New York Giants player and Mr. Irrelevant of the 1983 NFL Draft, John Tuggle.
ESPN Films’ next installment in the critically-acclaimed 30 for 30 series will be Elway to Marino from director Ken Rodgers (NFL Films). Elway to Marino is narrated by Tom Selleck and debuts at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, on ESPN. The film is an in-depth portrayal of the 1983 NFL Draft, when six quarterbacks were selected in the first round – still the most ever. The film explores this landmark draft through the eyes of players, head coaches, general managers, team owners and agents. Trailer.
ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic will spotlight current NFL stars during their college days with more than 110 hours of Before They Were Pros. ESPN Classic will also air episodes of Gruden’s QB Camp and pay tribute to the 1983 quarterback class on April 22-23 (tied to the debut of ESPN Films’ Elway to Marino) with re-airs of college games featuring Todd Blackledge, Tony Eason, John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino.
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio’s NFL Draft coverage begins Thursday, April 25, at 7 p.m. ET from Radio City Music Hall. Mike Hill and Mark Schlereth, co-hosts of Hill & Schlereth (M-F 7-10 p.m.), will interview draftees and team personnel. They will be joined by ESPN.com senior NFL writer John Clayton. Coverage continues Friday at 6 p.m. Draft news and updates will also be provided Saturday when the Draft resumes at noon.
ESPN.com
ESPN Insider members will experience complete and premium access to the 2013 NFL Draft covered from every angle. Comprehensive coverage leading up to and throughout all three days of the draft will include complete analysis and insight from Insider analysts and experts Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay, Bill Polian, Ron Jaworski, Adam Schefter, Scouts Inc. and others. At the conclusion of the NFL Draft, Kiper will release his annual Draft Grades, a must read for any fan anticipating the prospects of their team’s newest additions on the field next season. McShay will also share his post-draft review and kick off the new draft season with his 2014 Mock Draft on Wednesday, May 1. New Insider-only features and tools include:
- Mel Kiper’s All-Time Draft Grades – new to ESPN Insider’s NFL Draft coverage this year, Kiper – in his 35th year of grading players – ranks every position based on where he had players heading into their respective draft;
- Insider Draft Guides – also new this year, ESPN Insider breaks down the needs, strategies and draft history for all 32 teams; and
- Mel Kiper Mock Draft Tool – an interactive experience that allows fans to change picks and simulate results.
Additionally, the 2013 NFL Draft section will feature all eight NFL division bloggers as part of ESPN.com’s real-time conversation from various team sites, including Dan Graziano (NFC East), Jamison Hensley (AFC North), Paul Kuharsky (AFC South), Mike Sando (NFC West), Kevin Seifert (NFC North), James Walker (AFC East), Bill Williamson (AFC West) and Pat Yasinskas (NFC South). ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton and NFL columnist Ashley Fox will both be at Radio City and will also offer columns and insights. Pre-draft highlights include:
- Sport Science segment on the “perfect combine” constructed by fans via social media with insight from all eight NFL division bloggers (Friday, April 12);
- Blogger mock drafts via Google+ Hangouts video and live on Twitter and Scribble (Tuesday, April 23);
- Reports on individual workouts and evaluations of each team’s draft needs and potential strategies;
- Hot Reads from ESPN.com writers Jeff Chadiha, Ryan McGee, Elizabeth Merrill and Fox; and
- Gruden’s QB Camp video profiles and scouting reports on prominent draft prospects, including Geno Smith, Tyler Wilson, Matt Barkley, Ryan Nassib, EJ Manuel, Zac Dysert, Mike Glennon, Landry Jones and Tyler Bray.
During the three-day draft, ESPN.com will provide:
- Scribble chats live from Radio City in New York City (Thurs.-Sat., April 25-27);
- DraftCast and NFL Draft Live, allowing users to interact with ESPN.com writers, bloggers and other draft experts;
- DraftTracker exclusively for ESPN Insider members complete with pick-by-pick data and analysis from McShay and Scouts Inc. on approximately 350 prospects in real time;
- Live blogging and team reviews from all eight NFL division bloggers;
- Video analysis of every first-round pick by McShay; and
- espnW contributor Jane McManus will provide pre-draft and in-draft coverage, including player features and blogs.
ESPN Mobile
ESPN Mobile will give fans on-the-go access to Draft-related news and information including a Draft section on the ESPN mobile web complete with video, player profiles, analysis and breaking news. NFL Draft content will also be integrated into the ESPN ScoreCenter app including an NFL Draft card delivering news, video, tweets and live draft results. Fans will also be able to sign up for ESPN Alerts by round and by college or NFL team. Alerts are available in the ScoreCenter app and via SMS on most major carriers.
ESPN3 & WatchESPNESPN3 will deliver replays of NFL Pro Days featuring several of the top prospects, including Tyrann Mathieu from LSU Pro Day and Matt Barkley from USC Pro Day. Others Pro Days include Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, Georgia and Stanford. Additionally, live coverage of the NFL Draft on ESPN will be accessible via WatchESPN online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members.
ESPN The Magazine
ESPN The Magazine’s NFL Draft issue, on newsstands April 19, features former LSU Heisman finalist Tyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu on the cover, highlighting his new substance-free image and how he is setting his sights on proving to NFL teams that he can take his skills to the next level. The Mag sets out to write the definitive Honey Badger story, and determine if he has come to terms with his substance abuse, the mother who abandoned him and the father who remains in prison for murder. Other highlights:
- A Marcus Lattimore feature entitled “The Adrian Peterson effect”;
- An Ezekiel Ansah profile: “Ansah, the year of the defensive end”;
- The investigative piece “Coming down” on Auburn University’s football program. Written by Shaun Assael in conjunction with ESPN’s news magazine E:60, the story details allegations of an illegal street drug, an armed robbery, and the worst collapse in college football;
- “Kings for a Day,” an annual project spotlighting mid-round draft prospects – Michael Mauti (Penn State/LB), Chase Thomas (Stanford/LB), Zeke Motta (Notre Dame/SS), Robert Lester (Alabama/SS) and Kenny Stills (Oklahoma/WR); and
- A mock draft with ESPN experts Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. and a 1-32 ranking of NFL franchises by their drafting success (or failure) since the draft went to seven rounds in 1994.
ESPN The Magazine will host its 10th annual Pre-Draft Party on Wednesday, April 24, at The IAC Building in New York City. The event will feature DJ Ms. Nix. This private, invite-only event will host invited members of the 2013 Draft Class and other athlete and celebrity guests.
NFL Draft Programming Schedule:
Date Time (ET) Show Network Thu, April 25 3-4 p.m. SportsCenter Special: On the Clock ESPN 4-5 p.m. NFL Live ESPN 5-7:30 p.m. SportsCenter Special: On the Clock ESPN 7:30-8 p.m. SportsCenter Special: Draft Countdown ESPN 8-11:30 p.m. NFL Draft (Round 1) ESPN Fri, April 26 3-4 p.m. SportsCenter Special: On the Clock ESPN 4-5 p.m. NFL Live ESPN 5-5:30 p.m. SportsCenter Special: On the Clock 5:30-6:30 p.m. SportsCenter Special: Draft Countdown ESPN 6:30-10:30 p.m.* NFL Draft (Rounds 2-3) ESPN, ESPN2 Sat, April 27 10-11:30 a.m. SportsCenter Special: On the Clock ESPN 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. SportsCenter Special: Draft Countdown ESPN 12-8 p.m.** NFL Draft (Rounds 4-7) ESPN, ESPN2 Sun, April 28 1-3 p.m. SportsCenter Special: NFL Draft Grades ESPN *At 8 p.m. ET, NFL Draft coverage will switch from ESPN to ESPN2.
** At 7 p.m. ET, NFL Draft coverage will switch from ESPN to ESPN2.
That will do it.
