NFL
The 2019 NFL Draft Will See Changes in Coverage and Programming
The National Football League has announced an upgrade to their upcoming 2019 draft this spring. The NFL has updated broadcasting contracts to include ABC, as well as ESPN. ABC will have the exclusive rights to the draft program. The broadcast will have primetime television slots on the first and second nights of the draft, hosted by ESPN’s College GameDay cast.
ESPN will broadcast complimentary coverage of the draft prior to, during, and after ABC’s coverage. Both ABC and ESPN are owned and operated by parent company, The Walt Disney Company.
What these Changes Mean to Fans
So, why are these changes important to viewers at home? More resources and time will be spent on this year’s draft than any previous draft. With two channels dedicating near-full coverage of the event, all hands will be on deck over at Disney and on-site.
Fans can expect additional commentary from college football experts on the incoming draft class and their potential effects on future teams. The often-overlooked but deeply personal journey of the college player coming into the league will also be covered in more depth. ESPN is reportedly planning on taking an in-depth look at several of the potential draft picks and their lives prior to becoming college stars.
Further NFL Draft Details
The 2019 NFL Draft will take place in Nashville, Tennessee. The Draft will commence on Thursday, April 25th at 9:00 PM EST and conclude on Saturday, April 27th. There will be 254 total selection over the course of seven rounds.
The Cleveland Browns will have the most selections with 11 picks, while the Chicago Bears have the fewest selections with four picks. The Oakland Raiders will have three first-round picks in the draft, due to their current ranking along with the trades of Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper.
Thursday, April 25th. 8 PM EST
Round 1: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes
Friday, April 26th. 7 PM EST
Round 2-3: ABC, ESPN/ESPN 2, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes
Saturday, April 27th. 12 PM EST
Round 4-7: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes
NFL Draft Selection Order of First Three Rounds
The order of the below picks is subject to change, dependent upon the final rankings of several teams. Some of the dependent draft selections have been decided already. Others, however, have not.
The Bills’ fourth-round pick from the Chiefs may or may not transfer due to trade conditions. The Giants will receive a fourth-round pick — originally San Francisco’s before being traded to the Giants from the Detroit Lions. This is due to the 49ers having a more favorable pick than Detroit. The Giants will not, however, receive the other fourth-round pick from Detroit, as the Lions’ pick is not more favorable than the 49ers.
Additionally, the Cincinnati Bengals will wait to see if their fifth-round selection from the Cowboys will transfer, dependent upon Dallas’s season performance. The Chiefs, on the other hand, have more control over their destiny, as they have a swap option at their disposal on their seventh-round pick. This pick was originally San Francisco’s, whose pick would be more favorable than their own.
First Round
- San Francisco 49ers
- Arizona Cardinals
- Oakland Raiders
- New York Jets
- New York Giants
- Buffalo Bills
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Cleveland Browns
- Detroit Lions
- Atlanta Falcons
- Denver Broncos
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Green Bay Packers
- Indianapolis Colts
- Miami Dolphins
- Oakland Raiders (via Dallas, from Amari Cooper trade)
- Tennessee Titans
- Seattle Seahawks
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Baltimore Ravens
- Minnesota Vikings
- Washington
- Houston Texans
- Carolina Panthers
- Oakland Raiders (via Chicago, from Khalil Mack trade)
- Los Angeles Chargers
- New England Patriots
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Green Bay Packers (via New Orleans, due to Davenport, Penny, and Kizer trade)
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Los Angeles Rams
Second Round
- Arizona Cardinals
- Oakland Raiders
- San Francisco 49ers
- New York Giants
- Buffalo Bills
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Indianapolis Colts (via NY Jets, from 2018 NFL Draft first-round pick trade)
- Cleveland Browns
- Atlanta Falcons
- Denver Broncos
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Miami Dolphins
- Dallas Cowboys
- Tennessee Titans
- Houston Texans (via Seattle, from Duane Brown trade)
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Indianapolis Colts
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Baltimore, from 2018 NFL Draft first-round pick trade)
- Minnesota Vikings
- Washington
- Houston Texans
- Carolina Panthers
- Los Angeles Chargers
- New England Patriots
- New England Patriots (via Chicago, from 2018 NFL Draft pick trade)
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- New Orleans Saints
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Kansas City Chiefs (via LA Rams, from Marcus Peters trade)
Third Round
- Oakland Raiders
- San Francisco 49ers
- Arizona Cardinals
- Buffalo Bills
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- New York Jets *already used on selection of Sam Peal in 2018 Supplemental Draft
- Cleveland Browns
- Denver Broncos
- Detroit Lions (via Philadelphia, from Golden Tate trade)
- New England Patriots (via Detroit, from 2018 NFL Draft pick trade)
- Atlanta Falcons
- Green Bay Packers
- Dallas Cowboys
- Tennessee Titans
- Seattle Seahawks
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Indianapolis Colts
- Miami Dolphins
- Baltimore Ravens
- Minnesota Vikings
- Washington
- Houston Texans
- Carolina Panthers
- Cleveland Browns (via New England, from Danny Shelton trade)
- Chicago Bears
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- New York Jets (via New Orleans, from Teddy Bridgewater trade)
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Jacksonville Jaguars (via LA Rams, from Dante Fowler Jr. trade)
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