ESPN NFL insider Field Yates’ career took him from college football player to the NFL before landing at ESPN. The draft analyst currently hosts “First Draft” along with ESPN on-air talents Mike Greenberg and Mel Kiper Jr. Yates will also appear on the “Fantasy Focus Football” show during the NFL Draft.
Revisiting Field Yates’ Playing Days
Field Yates played both football and lacrosse at Belmont Hill School near his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. He continued to play both sports when he enrolled at Wesleyan University. Yates was a safety for the Wesleyan Cardinals football program, graduating in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology.
Field Yates’ Career Path
After graduating, Yates interned with the New England Patriots for four seasons, handling both scouting and coaching duties. He later secured a position with the Kansas City Chiefs, working as both an in-house scout and an assistant to then-head coach Todd Haley. He left the Chiefs in 2011 after Haley was fired.
Yates began writing for his personal football blog as well as other football sites. He sent out mass emails seeking an opportunity, and ESPN reporter Mike Reiss responded. Reiss brought Yates in to work with him during the 2012 season for ESPN and its local affiliate, ESPN Boston.
Yates was later hired for additional work with ESPN. He has been part of the “Fantasy Football Now” pregame show since 2015, first as an insider providing analysis, before becoming the host in 2020. He also took over hosting duties on the long-running “Fantasy Focus Football” podcast in 2015, covering the NFL with Stephania Bell, Mike Clay, Daniel Dopp and Kyle Soppe.
Yates regularly appears on ESPN’s NFL programming, including “SportsCenter,” “NFL Live” and “Get Up!”
Surprises From Field Yates’ Latest Mock Draft
Field Yates recently published an alternating mock draft with “First Draft” colleague and draft veteran Mel Kiper Jr.
Yates projected the New Orleans Saints will select Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders ninth overall. He explained why:
“There’s uncertainty around Derek Carr’s 2025 season amid his shoulder injury, so the Saints must at least consider taking a quarterback at No. 9. Sanders displays really good accuracy, poise and toughness — traits that should appeal to new coach Kellen Moore as New Orleans aims to stay competitive in the division.”
Yates also predicted that the Cleveland Browns will trade back into the first round with the Washington Commanders at pick No. 29 to select Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart.
“The Browns can’t risk the Giants leapfrogging them from the top of the second round, so they could make their own aggressive move up. Dart would fill out the Browns’ quarterback room with Deshaun Watson out (Achilles), joining Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco. He’s accurate and mobile with a big arm. And by getting him in Round 1, Cleveland would have a fifth-year option on Dart, too.”
