NFL Network Provides 79 Hours of Live Draft Week Coverage – Including Record-High 53 Hours of Live Coverage Thursday, April 30 – Saturday, May 2
Round-the-Clock Coverage and Live Streaming Video on NFL.com, NFL Mobile From Verizon, the NFL App on Xbox One & Watch NFL Network
Behind-the-Scenes Access with 16 War Room Cams at Team Facilities – Including the No. 1 Selection, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
College Head Coaches David Shaw, Charlie Strong & Pat Fitzgerald Join Coverage
NFL Media’s coverage of the 80th annual NFL Draft is officially on the clock. With a record-high 53 hours of live coverage of the three-day event, an extensive talent roster of analysts, reporters and college coaches, and 16 draft war room cameras providing behind-the-scenes access, NFL Network, NFL.com, NFL Mobile from Verizon and NFL Now descend upon Chicago as the NFL Draft returns to the city for the first time in 51 years.
The 2015 NFL Draft kicks off with the first round Thursday, April 30 at 8:00 PM ET, followed by Rounds 2-3 Friday, May 1 at 7:00 PM ET and Rounds 4-7 Saturday, May 2 at 12 Noon ET. On Thursday and Friday, the 2015 NFL Draft takes place from the Auditorium Theatre on the campus of Roosevelt University, and from Grant Park on Saturday.
NFL Network 2015 NFL Draft Coverage
NFL Network provides 79 hours of live “Draft Week” coverage beginning Monday, April 27 at 6:00 AM ET with NFL AM. Throughout the week, programming highlights on NFL Network include daily editions of NFL AM Monday-Saturday featuring analysts Eric Davis and LaVar Arrington live from Chicago; Path to the Draft shows Monday through Wednesday at 6:00 PM ET, and at 10:00 AM ET on Thursday and Friday; two-hour editions of NFL Total Access: NFL Draft Preview Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 4:00 PM ET and NFL Total Access at7:00 PM ET; and NFL Draft Kickoff Thursday and Friday at 1:00 PM ET and Saturday at 10:00 AM ET.
NFL Network’s draft expert Mike Mayock and host Rich Eisen headline the roster of analysts, reporters, hosts and college coaches. Analysts Charles Davis and Daniel Jeremiah, former players such Michael Irvin, Marshall Faulk, Deion Sanders, Kurt Warner and LaDainian Tomlinson, and former NFL head coaches Steve Mariucci and Brian Billick cover the draft from every angle with expert analysis, along with host Melissa Stark. Throughout the week, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport provides updates from Chicago, while NFL Media reporters stationed at various team facilities around the league offer the latest news reports.
Stanford head coach David Shaw joins NFL Network’s coverage of the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft Thursday, April 30 at 8:00 PM ET, joining Eisen, Mayock and Mariucci. This marks the fourth consecutive year Shaw has joined NFL Network’s Draft coverage. Additionally, University of Texas head coach Charlie Strong joins NFL Network’s coverage of Rounds 2 and 3 Friday, May 1 at 7:00 PM ET, and Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald joins coverage of Rounds 4-7 Saturday, May 2 at 12 Noon ET.
Prior to the start of the first round on Thursday, NFL Draft Gold Carpet airs at 6:00 PM ET, with NFL Network’s Melissa Stark and host of The Insider Kevin Frazier providing interviews as each of the prospects attending arrive at the Auditorium Theatre on the campus of Roosevelt University in Chicago.
Highlighting NFL Network’s coverage of the 2015 NFL Draft is the return of the war room cameras in 16 team facilities, offering behind-the-scenes video access as team executives make their selections. Featured this season are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – marking the sixth consecutive year NFL Network has been inside the war room of the team with the first overall pick. Additional teams include the Tennessee Titans (2), Jacksonville Jaguars (3), New York Jets (6), Atlanta Falcons (8), St. Louis Rams (10), Minnesota Vikings (11), Cleveland Browns(12 & 19), San Francisco 49ers (15), Kansas City Chiefs (18), Arizona Cardinals (24), Carolina Panthers (25), Dallas Cowboys (27), Denver Broncos (28), Green Bay Packers (30) and Seattle Seahawks (no first round pick).
NFL Network will be with top prospects Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota in their hometowns, as well as feature live coverage from 19 team draft parties providing the fan reaction to each selection made by their favorite teams.
NFL Network’s coverage of the 2015 NFL Draft is presented by Verizon, Lexus andBridgestone.
NFL.com, NFL Mobile From Verizon, NFL App on Xbox, and NFL Now 2015 NFL Draft Coverage
NFL Digital Media has you covered for the 2015 NFL Draft with an array of options to follow events from Chicago across multiple platforms and devices.
All of NFL Network’s coverage of the Draft will be available digitally across platforms. NFL Mobile from Verizon offers Verizon Wireless customers the exclusive ability to stream every pick from every round LIVE on smartphones. Access is included at no extra charge with The More Everything Plan from Verizon. Customers not on The More Everything Plan can subscribe to NFL Mobile Premium for $5/month.* Additionally, streaming on tablets, PCs and Xbox One and 360 is available through Watch NFL Network (NFL.com/Watch) for eligible subscribers of AT&T U-verse, Charter, Cox, DirecTV, Dish, Optimum, Verizon FiOS and many more providers.
Xbox One users can watch every second of the Draft live on the big screen through the NFL App for Xbox One by authenticating into NFL Network. The app is free to download and features additional, unique insight into the Draft such as ‘Road to the Draft’ timelines for top prospects, live polling with experts and other Xbox users, real time draft tracking and video player cards for top prospects.
NFL Draft LIVE Presented by Courtyard is the only way to watch each and every pick of the draft live from Rounds 1-7. NFL Draft LIVE can be accessed through the official mobile app of the NFL, NFL Mobile from Verizon, and NFL Now, as well as connected TV devices such as Xbox One, and on desktop and tablet devices. Additionally, NFL.com’s Draft Tracker – available across all devices – has live coverage of every selection in the draft, including analysis of the picks as they happen.
Starting at 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, April 30, NFL Draft LIVE Presented by Courtyardprovides comprehensive online video coverage of the first round and all the festivities from the 2015 NFL Draft from Chicago, complete with interactive features.
Host Matt “Money” Smith anchors the coverage alongside NFL Media Draft analyst Lance Zierlein and a rotation of NFL Network analysts. Colleen Wolfe and Bucky Brooks provide interviews with the first round selections and additional analysis, while Dave Dameshek roams throughout Draft Town in Chicago’s Grant Park providing the sights and sounds. Additionally, NFL Media senior fantasy analyst Michael Fabiano provides immediate fantasy analysis of the picks as they happen.
NFL Draft LIVE’s coverage of the 2015 NFL Draft also includes live hits each day from the NFL Draft Social Media Command Center located in Draft Town with Molly Qerim analyzing social trends and monitoring instant fan reactions to their team’s selections via social media.
NFL Draft LIVE continues Friday, May 1 at 7:00 PM ET and Saturday, May 2 at 12 Noon ET. On Saturday, NFL Draft LIVE is the only place to see every single pick in Rounds 4-7 live.
In addition to NFL Draft LIVE, NFL Digital Media has an array of features focusing on the 2015 NFL Draft for fans worldwide:
- Draft City – Chicago: With the NFL Draft returning to Chicago for the first time in 51 years, NFL Media invites fans to take a ride on the “L” and dive into Chicago’s rich football history with an interactive tour of the city. Draft City: Chicago, available on NFL.com and NFL Mobile from Verizon, includes features such as:
- NFL Media’s Judy Battista’s profiles Bears Hall of Famer Dick Butkus
- A timeline showcasing George Halas’ amazing half-century run as player/coach/owner of the Bears alongside the transformation of the city of Chicago
- The all-time best players picked at each slot in the first round of the NFL Draft
- Stories, images and videos of Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Bears for more than 50 years.
- The Call: Presented by Verizon, The Call is a documentary-style series that showcases NFL Draft prospects and their journey leading up to and including the moment of The Call. The theme centers around the anticipation of the call each draftee gets from an NFL club when they are drafted and how it will change their lives forever. The series will feature the latest draft news and updates from Melvin Gordon, Nelson Agholor, Ty Montgomery and Mike Davis.
- NFL Fan Pass: Providing a unique way to experience the 2015 NFL Draft, NFL Fan Passprovides fans with unparalleled access leading up to and during the three-day event. Visit com/fanpass for exclusive interviews with draft prospects and NFL legends plus exclusive videos from NFL Draft events and backstage in Chicago. NFL Fan Pass features for the 2015 NFL Draft include:
- Draft All Access – Trae Waynes & Landon Collins: Follow former Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes and former Alabama safety Landon Collins as they go through the draft process. NFL Fan Pass will be with each player in their hometowns as they prepare for the draft in Chicago, and will capture every moment of their draft experience in the days leading up to the 2015 NFL Draft right through their selections.
- Gold Carpet Style:Live NFL Draft Gold Carpet coverage featuring NFL Media’s Akbar Gbajabiamila and Megan Collins, founder of StyleGirlfriend.com, recapping the most stylish soon-to-be-rookies in the NFL.
- YouTube.com/NFL: The NFL’s Official YouTube Channel will feature videos on all of the 1st round picks as well as interviews, highlights, and behind the scenes videos of the draft class during the event.
- Fan War Rooms: The popular Fan War Rooms are back, offering innovative ways for fans to follow the Draft and allowing them the opportunity to discuss a team’s strategy and immediately react once a player is selected.
NFL.com’s coverage of the 2015 NFL Draft is presented by Verizon, McDonald’s and New Era.
*For more information about NFL Mobile from Verizon access, visit your app store orvzw.com/nfl. Data usage applies for app download and use.
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