ESPN, NFL Network Go All Out For NFL Draft Coverage (2024)

1. Outside of the Super Bowl, there probably isn't an event in the sports world that you brings you more bloated coverage than the NFL draft. Networks love to feature enormous casts on meaningless events, so when there's a BIG event, watch out.

For years now, ESPN hasn't limited its coverage of the draft to one network. You’ll be able to watch the draft on ESPN and ABC for the sixth year running. This year, the Disney family is also providing a third option for draft coverage thanks to its partnership with Pat McAfee.

ESPN and the NFL Network will rely on the proverbial cast of thousands to entertain you Thursday night when the draft kicks off from Detroit. Here's a look at who will be where.

ESPN: Mike Greenberg (host), Mel Kiper Jr., Booger McFarland, Louis Riddick, Adam Schefter andMolly McGrath.

This will be the first time Molly McGrath works the draft. She will interview the prospects from the stage after they are selected.

ABC: Rece Davis (host), Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Field Yates, Laura Rutledge and Pete Thamel.

The ABC production will feature the newly retired Saban, who will make his debut as an analyst on College GameDay.

ESPN+, YouTube, TikTok: McAfee will be joined by his usual daily show crew and former Patriots coach Bill Belichick on The Pat McAfee Show Draft Spectacular. McAfee's special draft show will only air Thursday, though his regular show will air as scheduled Friday afternoon.

NFL Network: Rich Eisen (host), Daniel Jeremiah, Charles Davis, Joel Klatt, Kurt Warner, Ian Rapoport and Kaylee Hartung.

Peter Schrager will replace Kurt Warner for Friday and Saturday’s telecasts.

2. We told you last week about ESPN's Kendrick Perkins taking shots at TNT's Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal, accusing them of not watching Knicks games. Barkley and O'Neal fired back, but they weren't done. They used Perkins’s face on a punching bag during Tuesday's Inside the NBA.

3. Tyrese Haliburton gave a memorable press conference after the Pacers beat the Bucks in Game 2 on Tuesday, not for what he said, but how he said it. Listen for the total voice change halfway through his comments.

4. ESPN NFL reporter Field Yates looks freakishly young for his age. So much so that this happened to him on his 37th birthday Tuesday.

5. Here's your daily dose of MLB umpires being awful.

6. In case you missed it, we released twoSI Media Podcastslast week.

On Friday, a new episode with ESPN's Malika Andrews dropped.

Earlier in the week, we had the first extensive interview with WWE's Cody Rhodes afterhe won the WWE Undisputed Championship atWrestleMania.

You can listen to each podcast by clicking into the tweets above. You can also listen on Apple andSpotify.

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: Good job here by Mad Dog calling out Stephen A. Smith for being on his phone while being courtside for Monday's Sixers-Knicks game.

Be sure tocatch up on past editions of Traina Thoughtsand check out theSports Illustrated Media Podcasthosted by Jimmy Traina onApple,SpotifyorGoogle. You can also follow Jimmy onTwitter, InstagramandTikTok.