Interviews with draft picks were considered some of the highlights of the broadcastsGETTY IMAGES
ABC in its debut broadcasting the NFL Draft offered "more human-interest angles" than ESPN and NFL Network, according to Jacob Feldman of SI.com. That ranged from Tom Rinaldi's "backstage interview with Kyler Murray's dad to a featurette on new Raiders safety Johnathan Abram's experience as a father with twin to twin transfusion syndrome." The "best parts of the broadcast for dedicated sports fans were interviews conducted with top picks well after their names were called" (SI.com, 4/26). In Chicago, Phil Rosenthal writes the "sharpest contrast" between the coverage on ESPN and ABC came after the Giants took QB Daniel Jones with the No. 6 pick. ESPN's Suzy Kolber "was chatting up Jones," while ABC's Robin Roberts "fawned over Nashville resident Taylor Swift, who was hyping her new about-to-drop single" (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 4/26). In N.Y., Andrew Marchand writes he is "not sure" how many people watching the Draft wanted to hear Roberts' interview with Swift after the Giants' surprise pick of Jones. Meanwhile, ESPN's main analyst team of Trey Wingo, Louis Riddick, Booger McFarland and Mel Kiper Jr. was the "right mix." NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah "was fine" in replacing Mike Mayock, though "nothing big stuck out." The "College GameDay" crew on ABC's broadcast was "solid enough" (N.Y. POST, 4/26).
KEPT IN SUSPENSE: In Phoenix, Bill Goodykoontz wrote it was good that the drama surrounding Cardinals draftee QB Kyler Murray "played out the way it did" because it provided a reason to watch the Draft, as everyone "tried to figure out what the Cardinals would do" with the first pick. ESPN's coverage of the Draft, "as it is every year," was "mostly a lot of sound and fury, signifying not much." Meanwhile, it "behooves ESPN to play up all the picks." Goodykoontz: "And boy, did the on-air talent do its part." Wingo sounded like every player chosen was the "greatest ever" (AZCENTRAL.com, 4/25).
JUST POPPING IN: In K.C., Pete Grathoff noted Lee Corso "made a brief appearance Thursday" during ABC's coverage of the Draft. Corso before the event began "continued his tradition of placing items on his head to show his favorite for the day." Corso "put on a big head" of QB Dwayne Haskins, but was not around to see him get picked at No. 15 by the Redskins because Corso "began packing up his things and said he had to go." Corso said as he left, "I'll see you guys in the fall." Grathoff notes there was "no word on whether or not this was planned, but Corso seemed ready to leave" (KANSASCITY.com, 4/25).
LONELY SCENES: USA TODAY's Andy Nesbitt wrote ESPN "decided to get creative" with its coverage and "made a decision to put cameras inside college bars in places where college football is huge." But there was "only one problem" -- most of the bars "were pretty empty" (USATODAY.com, 4/25).
