Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft has arrived, and the anticipation is as high as ever. While QB Caleb Williams seems penciled into the first overall pick, there’s not much consensus on what will happen afterward.
ESPN and ABC will have coverage on all three days of the draft as they cover all 257 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft. From the hits to the misses, from the diamonds in the rough and surefire contributors, here are the ESPN and ABC commentators who will announce all the picks.
Who Are the ESPN and ABC 2024 NFL Draft Commentators?
Unlike other networks, with ESPN and ABC owned by the same company, each network can focus on specific aspects of the draft, allowing fans to choose the type of analysis they want.
What Is ESPN’s 2024 NFL Draft Commentator Lineup?
ESPN’s presentation of the 2024 NFL Draft will give fans a focus on areas of need for each team in the NFL as they go on the clock. Additionally, they’ll provide football résumés for the players selected, along with highlights and analysis on how the player will fit into the team that selected them.
Mike Greenberg
Mike Greenberg joined ESPN in September 1996 as an anchor for the launch of ESPNEWS. He later became a fixture as an anchor on SportsCenter for years. He would launch Mike & Mike on ESPN Radio, a morning sports talk show alongside Mike Golic, on Jan. 3, 2000.
Greenberg was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2016 and the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
Mike & Mike ended in November 2017. Greenberg joined a new ESPN morning show, Get Up, in April 2018. He also returned to ESPN Radio with his latest show, Greeny.
Mel Kiper Jr.
Mel Kiper Jr. has been on ESPN’s annual NFL Draft coverage since 1984 and has been credited for establishing the mock draft.
Kiper and draft analyst Todd McShay are usually featured together and will compare and debate their mock drafts on various ESPN programs. Kiper also puts together a “Big Board” where he ranks his top 25 prospects weekly.
Between watching an extensive amount of college football and having lengthy discussions with coaches, players, and team executives around the NFL and CFB landscapes, Kiper consistently has an ear for the latest news and drama around the NFL Draft. His likeness has also appeared in several NFL-related video games regarding the draft.
Booger McFarland
Booger McFarland attended LSU and was a first-team All-American and All-SEC defensive tackle during his time with the Tigers from 1995 to 1998. He was the 15th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1999 NFL Draft.
McFarland played with Tampa and the Indianapolis Colts for nine seasons, winning a Super Bowl with both franchises. He joined ESPN in 2014 and has covered college football and the NFL, including as an analyst on Monday Night Football for two seasons.
McFarland has been part of ESPN’s primary NFL Draft coverage since 2019. He also frequently appears on SportsCenter, Get Up, NFL Live, and ESPN Radio.
Louis Riddick
Louis Riddick was a four-year safety at the University of Pittsburgh and was drafted in the ninth round (248th overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. While he never played a regular-season game for the 49ers, he played for the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, and Oakland Raiders.
Riddick’s career in NFL front offices lasted longer than his playing career, spanning over a decade. He was a pro scout for the Washington Commanders from 2001 to 2004 before being promoted to director of pro personnel, which he held until 2007. He then joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008 as a scout and eventually became director of pro personnel from 2010-2013.
Riddick joined ESPN in May 2013 as an NFL Front Office Insider and has served in many other roles. From analyst to color commentator to halftime and postgame contributions, Riddick has lent his talents wherever needed during his time at ESPN.
Molly McGrath
The final member of the ESPN 2024 NFL Draft team is Molly McGrath, who will interview prospects following their selection on the main stage. Joining ESPN in July 2016, McGrath serves as the sideline reporter for ESPN/ABC Saturday college football games.
She attended Boston College, graduating in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Broadcast Journalism. While captain of the cheer team at BC, McGrath convinced her athletic director to let her interview athletes and coaches for the school’s website. These clips allowed her to build a reel she used to get her first on-air job.
ABC’s 2024 NFL Draft Coverage Lineup
With ESPN focusing more on the NFL side of things, what will ABC’s focus be?
ABC plans to provide viewers with a closer look at the players. This deep dive will include player analysis, the draftees’ backgrounds, and their journey to the NFL.
Rece Davis
Rece Davis joined ESPN in March 1995 after a successful stint with WJRT-TV in Flint, Michigan. He began as a host of ESPN’s SportSmash but went on to anchor SportsCenter. Davis hosts ESPN’s Emmy Award-winning College GameDay Built by The Home Depot.
In addition to College GameDay, Davis hosts high-profile events like the College Football Playoff National Championship, the NFL Draft on ABC, and various play-by-play assignments for college football and basketball.
Kirk Herbstreit
Kirk Herbstreit has been among the most well-respected football minds and analysts for over 25 years. Joining ESPN in August 1996, Herbstreit has been a mainstay on ESPN’s College GameDay since Day 1. He’s also been ESPN and ABC’s lead game analyst since 2006.
Herbstreit has called a CFP Semifinal game and every national championship with partner Chris Fowler since the CFP debut in 2014. Before that, he called seven other BCS National Championships and the most Rose Bowls of any analyst (15).
Herbstreit has been nominated for 19 Emmys, winning five, making him the most decorated on-air commentator in ESPN history. Herbstreit has also teamed up with Al Michaels to be the color commentator on Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football in 2022.
Desmond Howard
Desmond Howard joined ESPN in 2005 as a college football analyst. He’s been a fixture on College GameDay and calls midweek games on ESPN.
Howard played wide receiver for the Michigan Wolverines from 1988 to 1991. He was the first WR in Big Ten history to lead the conference in scoring and won the Heisman Trophy in 1991, securing 85% of the vote.
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Washington drafted Howard with the fourth overall pick in the 1992 NFL Draft. He would go on to play for six different franchises over his 11-year career. While his best regular season came with Washington in 1994, Howard would be named the Super Bowl 31 MVP with the Packers.
Nick Saban
The newest member of ESPN’s college football coverage, Nick Saban, joins the crew for the 2024 NFL Draft. The 72-year-old college and professional football coach wrapped up his 50-year coaching career in 2023.
Starting as a graduate assistant for Kent State, Saban held an HC title for multiple teams, including Toledo, Michigan State, LSU, the Miami Dolphins, and Alabama. He finished his career with an overall record of 292-71-1 in college and 15-17 in the NFL.
Field Yates
Field Yates is the final member of ABC’s 2024 NFL Draft commentating team. Yates serves as an NFL Insider for ESPN, contributing analysis, breaking NFL news, and fantasy football insight across ESPN’s multimedia platforms.
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Yates joined ESPN in 2012. Before that, he spent two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, working on scouting and coaching staffs. In January 2021, Yates began the First Draft Podcast with Kiper and McShay.
Draft with your friends today! PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator now supports multiple drafters during the same draft! Find out how the PFN Scouting Department ranks this year’s prospects with our 2024 NFL Draft Big Board and follow along throughout the draft with our NFL team needs tracker.