The NFL desperately wants you to watch the draft on TV from the moment it begins. This year, you don’t really need to show up before 8:30 p.m. ET, if that early.
Barring an unexpected turn for the ages, Caleb Williams will be the first overall pick. Jayden Daniels will be the second pick, with a lingering possibility that the Commanders will trade out of the spot. Drake Maye will be the third overall pick; the Patriots are likely to take him, but the Giants and Vikings are in play. Marvin Harrison Jr. will be the fourth overall pick. It’s theoretically possible but unlikely that the Colts will try to jump from No. 15 to No. 4 to get him.
With those caveats, the draft begins at No. 5. Or, in real time, at roughly 9:00 p.m. ET.
Whenever you choose to dial in, we’ll be accompanying the process by posting items about each of the selections. I’ll be taping reactions to many of the picks from the PFT barn tonight.
What we won’t be doing — contrary to the beliefs of some in the media who should know better — is tipping the picks. We never tip the picks. We made that decision years ago. Not because the NFL twists the arms of its broadcast partners to comply (it absolutely does), but because we decided that the audience doesn’t want it.
So, yes, watch the draft on TV. We won’t spoil it for you. But we will enhance your enjoyment of the evening. Especially since (unlike the suits on network TV), folks like Chris Simms and I will be enjoying a legal beverage or agricultural product. Which definitely will enhance our enjoyment of the evening.