Peter King reports that there’s momentum building for ESPN and NFL Network to do a combined draft telecast this year.
King says he spoke to four people with knowledge of the ongoing discussions between the league and the networks regarding the upcoming draft plans and it’s looking like the NFL will go with a combined telecast that is likely to be staged at the ESPN studio in Bristol, Conn.
NFL Network media members such as Rich Eisen and Daniel Jeremiah are expected to have “prime roles” during the coverage. According to King, nothing is finalized right now, but this currently the way the NFL and the networks involved are leaning.
King mentions that the NFL is closing in on plans to weave a fundraising element into all three days of the telecast that should include celebrity players and former players and coaches urging viewers to donate to coronavirus-related causes.
Several people in the discussion for the event prefer to have NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announce picks. King believes the smartest option for Goodell’s involvement would be for him to be on a home camera during the Thursday night first-round show.
As for coaches and executives, King says it’s likely they will have to draft from their homes.
According to King, some teams have security concerns about using Zoom for video conferencing during the draft and it’s possible the NFL could instead use Microsoft Teams for better security.
One team executive told King that it’s unnerving to think there’s even a small possibility that one NFL team with a smart IT person could figure how to hack another team’s Zoom sessions on draft night.
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