The long-awaited NFL Draft arrives in Pittsburgh this week with ESPN, ABC and NFL Network planning robust coverage from Wednesday through Saturday. In addition, Disney and Hulu will stream coverage from the linear networks.
With 14 hours of coverage dedicated to all 257 picks, established series covering the draft include ESPN’s “NFL Live,” “College Gameday,” “The Pat McAfee Show” and “SportsCenter” as well as NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” “NFL Draft Kickoff” and “NFL Gameday Final.” ABC’s “Good Morning America” will also offer coverage this week.
Mike Greenberg leads coverage on ESPN, Rece Davis takes charge for ABC and Rich Eisen hosts his 20th NFL Draft on NFL Network.
For round one on Thursday (8 p.m.), ESPN, ABC and NFL Network will each offer unique presentations with ESPN and NFL Network focused on team needs and on-field performance. ABC opts for storytelling, highlighting athletes’ journeys to the NFL and the people and moments that shaped them.
Friday’s coverage of rounds two (7 p.m.) and three will follow a similar format, while Saturday (noon) will see ESPN’s coverage of the nearly seven-hour presentation of rounds four through seven simulcast on ABC, with NFL Network providing distinct coverage of the final four rounds.
ESPN Deportes will provide Spanish-language coverage for all seven rounds.
But really, whenever you turn to these sports channels this week, beginning Wednesday, you’re going to get NFL Draft coverage, from “UnSportsmanLike” (6-8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, ESPN2) to “NFL Gameday Final” (11 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Thursday-Friday; 7-8 p.m. Saturday) to “The Pat McAfee Show” (noon-2 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, ESPN), featuring the show’s host returning to his hometown.
Among local TV stations, KDKA-TV plans to devote its 7:30 p.m. newscast all week to the draft. Ken Rice and Bob Pompeani will host from the KDKA Draft Stage in Market Square. KDKA will also air a “Draft Wrap Up Show” (7:30-8 p.m. Saturday).
News directors for WPXI and WTAE did not respond to requests for their stations’ coverage plans.
WPGH will debut the special “Yinzer’s Draft Night” (7-8 p.m. Thursday).
With media figures from many markets and platforms descending on Pittsburgh, some area natives will likely be among them. Former KDKA-TV anchor/reporter Jim Lokay recently posted on social media, “21 years after the kid … made his TV debut in his hometown, he’s coming back to Pittsburgh to cover next week’s NFL Draft.”
CBS’s fall plans
CBS announced its fall primetime schedule last week, which adds a new spin-off, “NCIS: New York,” on Tuesday nights (LL Cool J reprises his role from “NCIS: L.A.”).
Vampire comedy “Eternally Yours” (from the creators of the American “Ghosts,” including Altoona native Joe Port) and Silicon Valley legal drama “Cupertino” (from the creators of “The Good Wife” and “Elsbeth”) join the CBS lineup on Thursdays.
“Matlock” and “NCIS: Sydney” won’t return until midseason; the same goes for “Ghosts,” except for its Halloween and Christmas episodes.
Kept/canceled
NBC renewed “Law & Order: SVU” for a 28th season.
“Law & Order: Organized Crime” was canceled after five seasons on NBC and Peacock.
Channel surfing
The CW will premiere the eighth and final season of “All American” at 8 p.m. July 13, preceded by a special on the show’s swan song season (9 p.m. June 22). … “The Best of Larry King Live,” a curated collection of interviews, streams at CNN.com/watch or on the CNN app for CNN’s streaming subscribers. New episodes of these reruns will debut on Fridays through June 19.