ESPN announces typically gigantic NFL Draft cast

Chris Berman will anchor the network’s coverage from New York on Day 1.

Apr 11, 2013, 5:28 PM UTC

Jamie Squire

I counted 25 people in ESPN’s press release detailing who will cover the 2013 NFL Draft for the network. It almost seems like not enough.

Chris Berman will host ESPN’s coverage of the first round of the player selection meetings on Thursday, April 25 at 8 p.m. ET, live from Radio City Music Hall. Berman will be joined in New York by analysts Jon Gruden and Mel Kiper, Jr. on the main ESPN set. Another, separate set will be headlined by Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter, the network’s two biggest insiders. Suzy Kolber will report from the floor.

Of course, that’s only half of ESPN’s coverage of the first round itself. Coverage in Bristol will start at 3 p.m. ET and feature special shows dedicated to the draft. SportsCenter Special: On the Clock and NFL Live will take things up until 7:30 p.m. ET, until SportsCenter Special: Draft Countdown gets things going from New York. Trey Wingo will host the network’s On the Clock special from 5-7:30 p.m. ET and be joined by Cris Carter, Trent Dilfer, Tom Jackson, Ron Jaworski, Keyshawn Johnson and Steve Young.

For Friday’s second and third round, the cast changes a bit. Trey Wingo anchors ESPN’s coverage from New York, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. He’ll be joined by Dilfer, Kiper and Todd McShay. Mortensen and Schefter will be joined on the second set by Bill Polian. ESPN will start its draft coverage with studio shows from Bristol at 3 p.m. ET. Saturday’s crew will largely be the same, with coverage beginning at noon, and a Kolber-hosted Draft Countdown and SportsCenter Special: On the Clock kicking things off at 10 a.m. ET.

ESPN will wrap things up on Sunday, April 28 at 1 p.m. ET with SportsCenter Special: Draft Grades. The two-hour show is hosted by Wendi Nix. Kiper, along with Jaworski, McShay and Herm Edwards will recap the NFL Draft and give out grades based on each team’s performance. Then Mel Kiper can head back to wherever he spends the rest of the year, analyzing and scouting prospects and maintaining his hair.