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NFL Draft 2019: Start time, how to watch and stream the first round

If the Eagles don't end up trading away their first-round draft pick, Birds fans should expect to stay up late to find out which player the team selects.

For the 35th-straight year, Mel Kiper Jr. will offer an analysis of all the first round NFL Draft picks on ESPN. He first appeared on ESPN's draft coverage in 1984.
For the 35th-straight year, Mel Kiper Jr. will offer an analysis of all the first round NFL Draft picks on ESPN. He first appeared on ESPN's draft coverage in 1984.Read moreESPN Images / ESPN Images

UPDATE: See the entire list of first-round draft picks here.

What time will the Eagles make their first-round draft pick?

The 2019 NFL Draft begins Thursday in Nashville at 8 p.m., and the Eagles have pick No. 25 in the first round. Obviously, we have no idea what will happen — Jeff McLane thinks the team could trade up for a top-tier defensive tackle, and Les Bowen reports it’s possible the Eagles could trade out of the first round entirely for the second year in a row.

During the first round, each team has 10 minutes to make its pick, but not every team will take that long to make the selection (and historically, things go faster as the round progresses). If the Birds still have the No. 25 pick, you can expect the Eagles to go on the clock for their selection about 11 p.m., based on the the last few years of the draft.

There are a number of changes to this year’s NFL Draft coverage. The most notable is that in addition to ESPN and the NFL Network, ABC is airing its own draft coverage for the first time, anchored by Good Morning America co-host and former ESPNer Robin Roberts. She’ll be joined by Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, and Lee Corso from ESPN’s popular College GameDay crew.

But for NFL fans, the biggest difference is likely to be the absence of former NFL Network draft expert and Main Line native Mike Mayock, who was hired in the offseason as general manager of the Oakland (soon to be Las Vegas) Raiders. Attempting to fill Mayock’s shoes is Daniel Jeremiah, a former Eagles scout who has been with the NFL Network since 2012.

“I don’t think any of us will say losing Mike is not a big deal, but like in life you have contingency plans and prepare,” Charlie Yook, the NFL Network’s vice president of production, told The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch. “Not much has changed in our planning for this show, but it is more of an opportunity for Daniel to shine and to become a bigger voice for this event.”

2019 NFL Draft

When: Thursday, April 25

Where: Nashville, Tenn.

Time: 8 p.m.

TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes.

Streaming: ABC app, WatchESPN app, NFL app, CBS Sports app (require authentication), ESPN+, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Playstation Vue, DirectTV Now, Fubo TV (all require a subscription).

Media coverage

Inquirer staff writers Zach Berman, Jeff McLane, Les Bowen, and Paul Domowitch will be covering all the action live on Twitter. Notes and observations about the Eagles’ first-round pick will be at philly.com/eagles and in our Early Birds newsletter. You can also listen to our latest Birds’ Eye View podcast, where Berman and McLane talk about the draft and discuss the pros and cons of picking Mississippi State prospect Jeffery Simmons.

Here’s how television network’s are planning to cover tonight’s NFL Draft.

ABC

As mentioned above, ABC will go with a mash-up of ESPN’s College GameDay and Good Morning Anchor Robin Roberts, who spent 15 years as a sportscaster on ESPN. In addition to Davis, Herbstreit, and Corso, Desmond Howard and David Pollack will also be offering analysis. And Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will also appear during ABC’s coverage.

ESPN

Not much will be different on ESPN from last year as far as first-round coverage goes. ESPN Radio host Trey Wingo will anchor the network’s coverage, and will be joined by analysts Mel Kiper Jr., Louis Riddick, and Booger McFarland. NFL Insiders Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter will offer live reports (but won’t be breaking news of any picks prior to the selection being announced on the podium).

This year also marks the 25th anniversary of Kiper criticizing former Indianapolis Colts general manager Bill Tobin for passing on quarterback Trent Dilfer to draft Trev Alberts, leading an upset Tobin to famously proclaim, “Who in the hell is Mel Kiper anyway?”

NFL Network

Outside of Jeremiah taking Mayock’s seat, the NFL Network’s coverage won’t change much from previous years. Rich Eisen will anchor the coverage, and joining Jeremiah to analyze the picks on the main set will be Kurt Warner and Stanford head coach David Shaw (who has been part of the NFL Network’s coverage since 2012). The network will have a second set anchored by Chris Rose and featuring Charles Davis (the voice of Madden) and Steve Smith Sr. NFL Insider Ian Rapoport will provide reports, but he’s also agreed not to tweet out picks ahead of their announcement.

ESPN Deportes

For the first time, ESPN Deportes will cover every round of the NFL Draft in Spanish. The network’s broadcast will feature Eduardo Varela, Pablo Viruega, Miguel Pasquel, Sebastian Martinez-Christensen, Raul Allegre, and Spanish Monday Night Football voice Alvaro Martin.

First round draft order

No. 1: Arizona Cardinals

No. 2: San Francisco 49ers

No. 3: New York Jets

No. 4: Oakland Raiders

No. 5: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

No. 6: New York Giants

No. 7: Jacksonville Jaguars

No. 8: Detroit Lions

No. 9: Buffalo Bills

No. 10: Denver Broncos

No. 11: Cincinnati Bengals

No. 12: Green Bay Packers

No. 13: Miami Dolphins

No. 14: Atlanta Falcons

No. 15: Washington Redskins

No. 16: Carolina Panthers

No. 17: New York Giants (from Cleveland)

No. 18: Minnesota Vikings

No. 19: Tennessee Titans

No. 20: Pittsburgh Steelers

No. 21: Seattle Seahawks

No. 22: Baltimore Ravens

No. 23: Houston Texans

No. 24: Oakland Raiders (from Chicago)

No. 25: Philadelphia Eagles

No. 26: Indianapolis Colts

No. 27: Oakland Raiders (from Dallas)

No. 28: Los Angeles Chargers

No. 29: Kansas City Chiefs

No. 30: Green Bay Packers (from New Orleans)

No. 31: Los Angeles Rams

No. 32: New England Patriots

All the Eagles 2019 draft picks

No. 25: First round

No. 53: Second round (from Baltimore)

No. 57: Second round

No. 127: Fourth round

No. 138: Fourth round

No. 163: Fifth round

No 197: Sixth round

2019 NFL Draft schedule

Round 1: Thursday, April 25, 8 to 11:30 p.m.

Rounds 2-3: Friday, April 26, 7 to 11:30 p.m.

Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 27, noon to 7 p.m.

» READ MORE: NFL draft 2019: Top prospect rankings, Eagles’ needs, player profiles

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