ESPN Line-Up for 2007 NFL Draft

Panthers’ Keyshawn Johnson to Join Berman, Kiper, Mortensen and Young on Main Set; MNF Team to Make First Appearance at Radio City; ESPNEWS and Other ESPN Platforms to Enhance Coverage



ESPN’s 28th consecutive year of NFL Draft coverage will feature more than 20 hosts, analysts, reporters and other experts, highlighted by pre-eminent NFL host Chris Berman, draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr., analysts Chris Mortensen and Steve Young, and Carolina Panthers wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson on the main set at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. ESPN’s Monday Night Football commentator team of Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser will also make their first appearance together at the draft

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ESPN’s comprehensive coverage of the 2007 NFL Draft on April 28-29 will include 18 hours of television, as well as extensive insight and analysis on ESPNEWS and across ESPN‘s multimedia platforms, including ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN Motion and ESPN360.com. Television coverage will begin on multiple networks with a one-hour SportsCenter special on ESPN and a special edition of Football Friday on ESPNEWS -- both at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday, April 28 -- previewing all the major storylines and key players to watch before the NFL Draft telecast starts at noon.

ESPN’s Day 1 coverage will last until 8 p.m., before switching to ESPN2 (8-10 p.m.). ESPN will televise the draft through its conclusion on Day 2 with seven hours of planned coverage (11 a.m. – 6 p.m.). ESPNEWS will enhance ESPN’s overall draft presentation with in-depth analysis and reactions to each pick, as well as videoconferencing and interviews with coaches, GMs and players on both The Pulse (Saturday) and The Blitz (Sunday).

“ESPN will cover every angle of the NFL Draft across its multimedia platforms and with a roster of NFL experts that is unmatched. A new differentiated approach on television will also help us better serve fans by offering more in-depth analysis, playbook segments and expanded videoconferencing on ESPNEWS to complement the pick-by-pick coverage on ESPN,” added Norby Williamson, executive vice president, remote and studio production, ESPN.

ESPN’s Line-Up of 2007 NFL Draft coverage:



ESPN (Radio City Music Hall in New York City):

* Main set:Berman, Kiper, Jr., Mortensen, Young and Johnson. Johnson -- the No. 1 overall pick of the 1996 NFL Draft -- will offer a current player’s perspective in his guest analyst role.
* Second set: MNF commentators Tirico, Jaworski and Kornheiser
* Reporter: MNF sideline reporter Suzy Kolber will handle player interviews on Day 1 and host Day 2 coverage from the main set with Jaworski, Kiper, Jr. and Mortensen.



ESPN (Bristol, Conn.):

* NFL Live host Trey Wingo will anchor both days and will be joined by college football analyst Mark May, NFL analyst Sean Salisbury and NFL reporter Michael Smith.



ESPN (NFL Team Headquarters):

* Reporters Rachel Nichols, Sal Paolantonio and Ed Werder will be dispatched to team sites (locations TBD) for live updates and interviews throughout both days.



ESPNEWS (Bristol, Conn.):

* SportsCenter anchor Stan Verrett will host with NFL analyst Merril Hoge, Scouts Inc. director of college football scouting Todd McShay and former Tennessee Titans general manager Floyd Reese (with additional contributions from May, Salisbury and Smith).



ESPN Radio (Radio City Music Hall):

* Colin Cowherd of The Herd will host ESPN Radio’s NFL Draft coverage from Radio City with ESPN.com NFL senior writer John Clayton. McShay will provide analysis throughout the day from Bristol. ESPN Radio’s eight hours of Day 1 coverage will start at 11 a.m. and will feature the announcement of each pick, as well as interviews with top players and other newsmakers.



ESPN.com:

* The ESPN.com DraftCast will offer live chats with Scouts Inc. analysts McShay, Steve Muench, Jeremy Green and Keith Kidd, as well as news and feature coverage throughout the day from NFL Insiders Len Pasquarelli, Clayton and others. Green will also contribute video analysis immediately following each first-round pick on ESPN Motion, and NFL blogger Matt Mosley will offer live anecdotes and reactions throughout both days. ESPN.com will link to the ESPN Radio broadcast featuring Cowherd, Clayton and McShay. At the conclusion of Day 1, Scouts Inc. and Kiper, Jr. will provide complete analysis of the first three rounds and preview Day 2 by listing the best available players and projections of what to look for in Round 4.