ESPN, ABC To Lead NFL Draft Coverage
Caleb Williams, Drake Maye highlight top quarterbacks expected to be drafted early
The 2024 NFL draft in Detroit kicks off tonight across television and streaming services with several marquee college quarterbacks expected to be among the first players chosen.
ESPN, ABC, ESPN Deportes and NFL Network will offer live coverage of the three-day draft’s first round on TV, while ESPN Plus and NFL Plus will stream the event.
ESPN’s Get Up! morning show host Mike Greenberg will anchor the network’s 45th year of draft coverage, while Rece Davis will host ABC’s main coverage. On the NFL Network, Rich Eisen will lead coverage of the draft.
The Chicago Bears will be the first team on the clock and are expected to draft USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick. Other quarterbacks projected to be drafted early include North Carolina’s Drake Maye, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.
Other players projected to be drafted within the first 10 picks include wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State) and Malik Nabers (LSU).
Following the Bears, the 10 teams scheduled to pick in order include the Washington Commanders, New England Patriots, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Bears and New York Jets.
ABC, ESPN2 and NFL Network will air rounds two and three of the draft Friday night, with ABC, ESPN and NFL Network televising rounds four to seven on Saturday afternoon.
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The three-day 2023 NFL draft averaged 6 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and digital channels, an increase of 12% over 2022's 5.3 million viewers, according to Nielsen numbers reported by the league.
R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.