Keeping Up With All The Industry Press Releases
ESPN debuted its teaser spot to get fans excited about the 2020 NFL Draft as part of its “Ready For Football” campaign. The 60-second spot features a star-studded lineup of draftees, players, coaches, mascots and ESPN personalities.
The post ESPN Debuts New ‘Ready for Football’ Teaser Spot for the 2020 NFL Draft appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..
ESPN Solidifies Network’s April Prime-time Programming
The post ESPN Solidifies Network’s April Prime-Time Programming appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..
“The draft is more likely to be held either in socially-distant small groups, or with each individual decision-maker at a private home.” – King on how team personnel will interact on draft weekend
“Information is king. I watched a player’s own pro day-type video on YouTube last night.” – Colts head coach Frank Reich on preparing for the draft by scouting at home
“This is the hardest-to-figure draft…Now you’re going back to drafting with 50 percent information on a lot of guys, because of no Pro Days and no individual workouts with teams.” – Gil Brandt on the difficulties of this year’s draft
Lunch Break Live, Hosted by Mike Tirico, Debuts Today at Noon ET on NBCSN Featuring Guests Peter King, Cris Collinsworth & Russell Wilson
ProFootballTalk.com Provides the Latest Free Agency News and Updates; Florio & Simms on PFT Live Weekdays at 7 a.m. ET on NBCSN
STAMFORD, Conn. – April 6, 2020 – Peter King discusses potential plans surrounding the 2020 NFL Draft and provides an inside look at how the Colts are adjusting to working from home as they prepare for the upcoming draft in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King speaks with Colts GM Chris Ballard, head coach Frank Reich, and others inside Indianapolis’ organization to see how draft planning has been impacted by work-from-home mandates related to coronavirus. Click here to watch a clip a King’s conversation with Reich.
Also this week, NBC Sports’ new daily sports talk show, Lunch Talk Live, hosted by Mike Tirico, debuts today at Noon ET on NBCSN. Special guests on today’s opening episode include Peter King, NBC’s Sunday Night Football game analyst Cris Collinsworth, and Seahawks QB Russell Wilson. For more information, click here.
Additionally, ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest free agency news and NFL insider Mike Florio and analyst Chris Simms provide offseason and free agency updates on PFT Live.
The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:
2020 NFL DRAFT & FUTURE PLANS
King on where team personnel will be during draft weekend: “On Wednesday, NFL IT departments were sent a memo that implied the league would be drafting either from team facilities or from homes of team coaches, GMs and executives…The draft is more likely to be held either in socially-distant small groups, or with each individual decision-maker at a private home.”
King on teams using Zoom for draft day meetings: “It’s possible the league could move their draft-weekend video conferencing to Microsoft Teams, which several NFL people have told me seems more secure (than Zoom)…As one club executive told me Friday, it’s unnerving to think there’s even a small possibility that one NFL team with a smart IT person could figure how to hack another team’s Zoom sessions on draft night.”
Rams COO Kevin Demoff to King on using Zoom: “How do you make sure your conversations are protected?…Hacking into a team’s draft room on Zoom is probably a lot different. That would be my biggest concern just from an encryption standpoint of how do you have these conversations confidentially.”
King on the possibility of playing games without fans due to coronavirus concerns: “In this scenario, it’s certainly pragmatic to consider games without fans sitting in close proximity. As one NFL executive said to me the other day: ‘Everything [related to football] is on the table for discussion, and we’ve got a very large table.’”
King on the 2020 schedule: “It’s likely the NFL schedule-makers will spend their extra time this month working on 12-game and 14-game schedule alternatives…In the wake of the league saying the schedule would be released on May 9 at the latest, it would be foolish to sit on the schedule that could be ready by next week and not take the next five weeks to prepare for alternatives.”
King on the draft broadcast: “Momentum is building for ESPN and NFL Network to do a combined draft telecast…It’s looking more likely that instead of the two football rivals doing info-warring separate telecasts, they’ll combine to do one telecast.”
King on coronavirus fundraising during the draft: “The league is closing in on plans to weave a fundraising element into all three days of the telecast, complete with celebrity players and former players and coaches urging viewers to donate to coronavirus-related causes.”
INSIDE LOOK AT THE COLTS’ DRAFT PREP
King: “I’ve been so curious about how a team actually has been functioning in the nearly two weeks since all NFL facilities have been shuttered…The Colts agreed to share a few employees with me, and it’s clear they have been affected by the outside world.”
King on Colts GM Chris Ballard preparing for the draft: “Now it’s fine-tuning time, with info the coaches and scouts have learned through follow-up calls and virtual visits with players. Ballard hosts scouting meetings several times a week by video conference…It’s helped that, on Zoom, Ballard can pull up a few plays that everyone can see.”
Ballard on a recent video call: “We had some pretty intense discussions about two guys. We dug into the character of a couple guys and moved them down. It wasn’t all that hard, compared to being in the same room. We ended up moving seven guys either up or down in that meeting.”
Ballard: “They’ll make a 30 For 30 on this draft one day…We’ll be prepared for anything on draft weekend, and we’ll have our work done. All 32 teams will play by the same rules, so that’s fine with us.”
King on Colts head coach Frank Reich: “There’s so much for Reich to do, and it’s so different. He’s got to be ready for the start of the offseason program (with new quarterback Philip Rivers) April 20, and he doesn’t know if the program will start that day…He might have to sign off on drafting a prospective quarterback without meeting him in person.”
Reich on working from his home office: “Information is king. I watched a player’s own pro day-type video on YouTube last night…I don’t want to say this is better, but as a head coach in your office, you get interrupted 20 times a day. There are no interruptions now.”
Reich on what he tells his staff working from home: “I do remind them every so often, ‘Hey, just because we’re home, we’re not on vacation. We’re not working half days, we’re working full days. Structure your day. Plan your day.’”
King on Colts college scouting coordinator Anthony Coughlin: “Coughlin helps coordinate all the virtual visits with college prospects. Since players cannot come to Indianapolis, the Colts are allowed three contacts with players per week (that’s usually all they do with most prospects).”
King on prospect calls: “It used to be that a prospect, on a pre-draft visit to the Colts complex, would see several people in the building during the day. Now that prospect would have three Zoom or FaceTime contacts with the Colts: one with director of player development Brian Decker; one with the position coach; and one with the pertinent coordinator. Max per session: one hour.”
GIL BRANDT’S TOP 16 & OFFSEASON NOTES
King: “This will be the NFL’s 85th draft. This will be Gil Brandt’s 65th either working for a team – full-time or part-time – or working for the league.”
Brandt to King: “This is the hardest-to-figure draft…Now you’re going back to drafting with 50 percent information on a lot of guys, because of no Pro Days and no individual workouts with teams. So your scouting of the games becomes more important.”
Brandt’s 16 top-rated players, the players he thinks should comprise the first half of the first round:
| 1. Joe Burrow, QB, LSU | 9. Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia |
| 2. Chase Young, Edge, Ohio State | 10. Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville |
| 3. Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson | 11. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma |
| 4. Just Herbert, QB, Oregon | 12. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama |
| 5. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama | 13. Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State |
| 6. Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn | 14. C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida |
| 7. Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama | 15. Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina |
| 8. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa | 16. Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama |
King on the Dolphins: “If I were Miami GM Chris Grier, and I liked Joe Burrow clearly above all other quarterbacks this year, I’d call the Bengals and offer four first-round picks for Cincinnati’s first overall pick.”
King on the Chiefs re-signing Sammy Watkins: “The Chiefs’ offense now returns its six most important skill players for 2020 – Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Watkins, Mecole Hardman, Demarcus Robinson – and in a year when so many teams will be flying blind because of the vast disruption of any organized offseason activities, continuity on a great offense is hugely important.”
King on the Bears QB competition: “In January, I was sure Mitchell Trubisky would take the first snap of the 2020 regular season for the Bears. Absolutely sure. In April, I’d bet my grande macchiato that Nick Foles is the man.”
Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.
The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:
A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on NBCSN’s and NBC Sports Radio’s PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.
—NBC SPORTS—
Tonight’s’ FWIA Slate Begins at 7 p.m. ET with Odell Beckham Jr.’s Spectacular One-Handed Catch Against Dallas in 2014 on SNF
At 9:30 p.m. ET, Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady Meet for First Time as Brady Leads New England to 2018 Victory with Game-Winning Drive
Beginning Sunday, April 12, NBCSN to Televise an SNF Game Each Sunday Night at 8 p.m. ET for Remainder of Month
Content to Stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App
STAMFORD, Conn. – April 5, 2020 – Odell Beckham Jr.’s spectacular one-handed catch in 2014 and the first meeting between quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady in 2018 highlight the final night of NBC Sports’ Football Week in America, beginning tonight at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
On the next three Sunday nights in April, NBCSN will air one SNF game at 8 p.m. ET.
Mike Tirico introduces each night’s matchup on NBCSN, and game presentations will include a specialized ticker featuring live tweets. During the telecast, fans will be provided with on-screen information on how they can help with Coronavirus relief. Fans can tweet #FootballWeekNBCSN for the chance to see their tweets live on air.
Programming will also stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
Following is a look at tonight’s games:
OBJ’S CATCH & MAHOMES-BRADY
| GAME | TIME (ET) | NETWORK |
| Dallas vs. New York Giants (Week 12, 2014) | 7 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Kansas City vs. New England (Week 6, 2018) | 9:30 p.m. | NBCSN |
DALLAS COWBOYS-NEW YORK GIANTS (WEEK 12, 2014) AT 7 P.M. ET
The final night of Football Week in America kicks off at 7 p.m. ET with the 2014 Sunday Night Football meeting between Dallas and the New York Giants, which featured Odell Beckham Jr.’s one-handed catch while falling into the end zone for a 43-yard touchdown against Dallas – despite being interfered with on the play. On the broadcast, Collinsworth exclaimed, “That might be the greatest catch I’ve ever seen! You have to be kidding me. That is absolutely impossible!”.
The game came down to the last minute, with a late Tony Romo touchdown pass to Dez Bryant giving the Cowboys a 31-28 road victory.
Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth called the game from MetLife Stadium.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL | |
| Dallas | 3 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
| New York | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
| CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | |
| Passing Yards | Eli Manning – 338 | Passing TDs | Tony Romo – 4 | |
| Rushing Yards | DeMarco Murray – 121 | Rushing TDs | Andre Williams – 1 | |
| Receiving Yards | Odell Beckham Jr. – 146 | Receiving TDs | Dez Bryant, Odell Beckham Jr. – 2 |
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS-NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (WEEK 6, 2018) AT 9:30 P.M. ET
Patrick Mahomes, the eventual 2018 league MVP, and Tom Brady met for the first time in Week 6 of the 2018 season in a classic SNF matchup in which Brady earned his 200th victory as a starting quarterback.
Mahomes (352 passing yards, four touchdowns) and Brady (340 yards, two total touchdowns) led the way in a shootout that came down to the wire. Mahomes connected with wide receiver Tyreek Hill on a 75-yard touchdown – his third of the day – with 3:03 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the game, but Brady led the Patriots on the final drive of the game, culminating with Stephen Gostkowski’s 28-yard field goal as time expired to give New England the win.
Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth called the game from Gillette Stadium.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL | |
| Kansas City | 6 | 3 | 17 | 14 | 40 |
| New England | 10 | 14 | 3 | 16 | 43 |
| CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | |
| Passing Yards | Patrick Mahomes – 352 | Passing TDs | Patrick Mahomes – 4 | |
| Rushing Yards | Sony Michel – 106 | Rushing TDs | Sony Michel – 2 | |
| Receiving Yards | Tyreek Hill – 142 | Receiving TDs | Tyreek Hill – 3 |
Following are the SNF games on NBCSN on the final three Sundays in April:
SUNDAY, APRIL 12 – COWBOYS-JETS ON 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11
On the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001, the Jets host the Cowboys to open the 2011 season. In a back and forth affair, New York wins on a 50-yard field goal with less than one minute remaining in the game.
| GAME | TIME (ET) | NETWORK |
| Dallas vs. New York Jets (Week 1, 2011) | 8 p.m. | NBCSN |
SUNDAY, APRIL 19 – SEAHAWKS STOP PATRIOTS ON GOAL LINE
In their first meeting since New England’s dramatic victory over Seattle in Super Bowl XLIX, the Seahawks stop the Patriots on four consecutive plays from inside the two yard-line to earn a 31-24 victory in Foxborough.
| GAME | TIME (ET) | NETWORK |
| Seattle vs. New England (Week 10, 2016) | 8 p.m. | NBCSN |
SUNDAY, APRIL 26 – PACKERS-PATRIOTS 2010 THRILLER
Packers quarterback Matt Flynn makes his first career start in Week 15 of the 2010 season as Green Bay visits the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots thwart the Packers’ last-minute drive, punctuated by a Vince Wilfork strip-sack on fourth-and-one from the New England 15 yard-line on the last play of the game, to hold on for a dramatic 31-27 win. Flynn passed for 251 yards and three touchdowns.
| GAME | TIME (ET) | NETWORK |
| Green Bay vs. New England (Week 15, 2010) | 8 p.m. | NBCNSN |
–NBC SPORTS–
Tonight’s’ FWIA Slate Begins at 7 p.m. ET with a Defensive Battle Between Division Rivals Baltimore & Pittsburgh
At 9:30 p.m. ET, Green Bay and New Orleans Kick Off the 2011 Season with a High-Scoring Shootout Decided on the Game’s Final Snap
Content to Stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App
STAMFORD, Conn. – April 4, 2020 – Drew Brees vs. Aaron Rodgers and a classic defensive battle between the Steelers and Ravens, two games which went down to the wire, highlight tonight’s primetime SNF games during NBC Sports’ Football Week in America, beginning at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
FWIA runs through tomorrow, Sunday, April 5, with NBCSN presenting two games per night in primetime. In addition, on the three following Sunday nights in April, NBCSN will air one SNF game at 8 p.m. ET.
Mike Tirico introduces each night’s matchup on NBCSN, and game presentations will include a specialized ticker featuring live tweets. During the telecast, fans will be provided with on-screen information on how they can help with Coronavirus relief. Fans can tweet #FootballWeekNBCSN for the chance to see their tweets live on air.
Programming will also stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
Following is a look at tonight’s games:
LAST-SECOND VICTORIES
| GAME | TIME (ET) | NETWORK |
| Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore (Week 13, 2010) | 7 p.m. | NBCSN |
| New Orleans vs. Green Bay (Week 1, 2011) | 9:30 p.m. | NBCSN |
PITTSBURGH STEELERS-BALTIMORE RAVENS (WEEK 13, 2010) AT 7 P.M. ET
Football Week in America continues tonight with a 2010 defensive battle between two AFC North division rivals as Baltimore hosted Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football in Week 13.
With both offenses held to under 300 yards, the Steelers topped the Ravens on a late Ben Roethlisberger touchdown pass and a final defensive stand with under a minute remaining in the game.
The matchup featured five players who earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors: Baltimore’s Ray Lewis (twice), Ed Reed, and Terrell Suggs and Pittsburgh’s James Harrison and Troy Polamalu (who was the 2010 honoree).
Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth called the game from M&T Bank Stadium.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL | |
| Pittsburgh | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 13 |
| Baltimore | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | |
| Passing Yards | Joe Flacco – 266 | Passing TDs | Joe Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger – 1 | |
| Rushing Yards | Rashard Mendenhall – 45 | Rushing TDs | None | |
| Receiving Yards | Anquan Boldin – 118 | Receiving TDs | Anquan Boldin, Mike Wallace – 1 |
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS-GREEN BAY PACKERS (WEEK 1, 2011) AT 9:30 P.M. ET
The 2011 season opener featured a duel between quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers (312 pass yards, three touchdowns) and Drew Brees (419 yards, three touchdowns) as Rodgers and the Packers defeated the Saints, 42-34, at Lambeau Field.
The high-scoring affair ended with a final defensive stop as Green Bay stuffed Saints running back Mark Ingram at the goal line on the game’s final play to secure the victory.
Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth called the game from Lambeau Field.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL | |
| New Orleans | 7 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 34 |
| Green Bay | 21 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
| CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | |
| Passing Yards | Drew Brees – 419 | Passing TDs | Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers – 3 | |
| Rushing Yards | James Starks – 57 | Rushing TDs | James Starks, John Kuhn – 1 | |
| Receiving Yards | Devery Henderson – 100 | Receiving TDs | Six tied – 1 |
Tomorrow on Football Week in America:
–NBC SPORTS–
ESPN2 will present a 14.5-hour marathon of the Emmy-nominated ESPN+ original series Peyton’s Places Saturday, April 4, at 9:30 a.m. ET. Over the course of 29 episodes, legendary quarterback Peyton Manning will highlight the storied history of the NFL as he travels to meet with the league’s biggest stars of yesterday and today.
The post ESPN2 Presents 14.5-Hour Marathon of the Emmy-Nominated ESPN+ Original Series <em>Peyton’s Places</em> on Saturday appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..
ESPN2 will present a twelve-hour programming marathon, ESPN Esports Day, this Sunday, April 5, highlighting a variety of both live and taped esports coverage from the past year. The marathon will kick off with three hours of competitive Madden NFL20 including recaps from the Madden Classic, Club Championship and the Challenge.
The post ESPN2 Presents ESPN Esports Day on Sunday, April 5 with 12 Hours of Programming appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..
Tonight’s’ FWIA Slate Featuring Generational QBs Begins at 7 p.m. ET with Manning’s Colts Defeating Brady’s Patriots in a Stunning 2009 Finish as the Patriots Failed to Convert a Late 4th-and-2
At 9:30 p.m. ET, the Saints Defeat the Chargers in 2012 as Brees Breaks Johnny Unitas’ Record for Consecutive Games with a Touchdown Pass
Content to Stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App
STAMFORD, Conn. – April 3, 2020 – Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning highlight tonight’s two primetime SNF games during NBC Sports’ Football Week in America, beginning at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
FWIA runs through Sunday, April 5, with NBCSN presenting two games per night in primetime. In addition, on the three following Sunday nights in April, NBCSN will air one SNF game at 8 p.m. ET.
Mike Tirico introduces each night’s matchup on NBCSN, and game presentations will include a specialized ticker featuring live tweets. During the telecast, fans will be provided with on-screen information on how they can help with Coronavirus relief. Fans can tweet #FootballWeekNBCSN for the chance to see their tweets live on air.
Programming will also stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
Following is a look at tonight’s games:
BRADY, BREES & MANNING
| GAME | TIME (ET) | NETWORK |
| New England vs. Indianapolis (Week 10, 2009) | 7 p.m. | NBCSN |
| San Diego vs. New Orleans (Week 5, 2012) | 9:30 p.m. | NBCSN |
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS-INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (WEEK 10, 2009) AT 7 P.M. ET
Football Week in America continues tonight with a climactic 2009 Sunday Night Football matchup between Peyton Manning and the Colts and Tom Brady and the Patriots.
Clinging to a six-point lead with 2:08 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Patriots failed to convert on a 4th-and-2 from their own 28-yard line to turn the ball over to the Colts. Manning then threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne with 13 seconds left in regulation, giving the Colts a 35-34 victory. Manning passed for 327 yards and four touchdowns on the day, while Brady passed for 375 yards and three scores.
Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth called the game from Lucas Oil Stadium.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL | |
| New England | 7 | 17 | 0 | 10 | 34 |
| Indianapolis | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 35 |
| CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | |
| Passing Yards | Tom Brady – 375 | Passing TDs | Peyton Manning – 4 | |
| Rushing Yards | Kevin Faulk – 75 | Rushing TDs | Laurence Maroney, Joseph Addai – 1 | |
| Receiving Yards | Randy Moss – 179 | Receiving TDs | Randy Moss, Reggie Wayne – 2 |
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS-NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (WEEK 5, 2012) AT 9:30 P.M. ET
Saints QB Drew Brees made NFL history on SNF in 2012, breaking Johnny Unitas’ record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass when he faced his former team, the Chargers, in Week 5. Brees passed for a touchdown in his 48th consecutive game, surpassing Unitas’ previous record set from 1956-1960.
Brees, who passed for 370 yards and four touchdowns, outdueled Chargers QB Philip Rivers (354 yards, two touchdowns) to lead the Saints to a 31-24 victory. Rivers led the Chargers on a last-minute drive, bringing San Diego down to New Orleans’ 33-yard line before being strip-sacked with 13 seconds remaining to close the game.
Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth called the game from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL | |
| San Diego | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| New Orleans | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 31 |
| CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | |
| Passing Yards | Drew Brees – 370 | Passing TDs | Drew Brees – 4 | |
| Rushing Yards | Ryan Mathews – 80 | Rushing TDs | Ryan Mathews – 1 | |
| Receiving Yards | Marques Colston – 131 | Receiving TDs | Marques Colston – 3 |
Following is the upcoming Football Week in America schedule:
–NBC SPORTS–
Simms’ Top Five Prospects: Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb (#1), LSU’s Justin Jefferson (#2), Alabama’s Henry Ruggs III (#3), Penn State’s KJ Hamler (#4), and Clemson’s Tee Higgins (#5)
“This is the #1 position in the Draft. It’s so deep, it’s never-ending.” – Simms
“CeeDee Lamb is the best wide receiver in the draft…He’s almost like DeAndre Hopkins in size, but Jarvis Landry with the ball in his hands.” – Simms
“One of my favorite players in the draft. I don’t understand why he’s not getting more hype.” – Simms on Justin Jefferson
“This is a guy like Tyreek Hill…You can’t look at him as a traditional wide receiver. He is a weapon.” – Simms on Henry Ruggs III
STAMFORD, Conn. – April 1, 2020 – NBC Sports’ Chris Simms unveiled his wide receiver draft rankings, discussing this year’s top prospects heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, on the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast. In the episode, Simms ranks and breaks down the best prospects in this year’s premier position, including Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb, LSU’s Justin Jefferson, Alabama’s Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy, Penn State’s KJ Hamler, Clemson’s Tee Higgins, and more.
Simms, a third-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2003 NFL Draft who played eight NFL seasons, is joined by NBC Sports’ Paul Burmeister on the podcast. The two offer in-depth breakdowns, potential draft sleepers, and NFL comparisons for this year’s top wide receiver prospects.
“This is the number one position in the draft,” Simms said about this year’s wide receiver draft class. “It’s so deep, it’s never-ending. There’s a receiver for everything. If you need a size receiver, they got plenty of them. If you need a jitterbug slot receiver, they got plenty of them. You need explosive, gamechanger type guys? There’s plenty of those to go around too.”
Simms’ Top Five WR prospects:
| 1. | CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma |
| 2. | Justin Jefferson, LSU |
| 3. | Henry Ruggs III, Alabama |
| 4. | KJ Hamler, Penn State |
| 5. | Tee Higgins, Clemson |
The following are highlights from Simms’ QB draft rankings:
No. 5: Tee Higgins, Clemson
Simms: “He’s a giant. I would say this is Plaxico Burress almost. He can be that type of player. He’s got great, ‘long’ speed, he’s got very good strength, he runs through arm tackles…But the biggest thing more than anything is – yes, I see room for improvement in terms of route running – but the size and ability to catch 50-50 balls is as good as anybody in the class…If he has a chance to get his hands on it, he’s going to catch the ball and that’s where I really like Tee Higgins’ value. I think his game is really going to translate to the NFL in that way.”
No. 4: KJ Hamler, Penn State
Simms: “He’s a guy that I was probably the most pleasantly surprised to watch at the wide receiver position so far…The speed jumps out right away…The negatives are he’s small…I was a little worried about that too. But the one thing that (Ravens wide receiver) Hollywood Brown showed me this year is that that’s another thing in this day in the NFL that’s a little overanalyzed at times. You can find ways to get these smaller guys clean releases…So the size factor is not as big anymore as compared to all the different things…a guy like KJ Hamler can do. The speed is real.”
No. 3: Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
Simms: “The value of these types of guys – the stats don’t really say it. One, what they can do on special teams. Two, what they can do after the catch. I mean this is a guy like Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman – I think he was better than Hardman was coming out (of college) – where he can catch a slant and go 70 yards for a touchdown. He can do the same thing in the kick return/punt return game…You can’t look at him as a traditional wide receiver. He is a weapon…He’s a gamechanger in how defenses have to approach your offense.”
No. 2: Justin Jefferson, LSU
Simms: “One of my favorite players in the Draft. I just look at Justin Jefferson and I go, ‘What’s not to like about the guy?’ I don’t understand why he’s not getting more hype…To me, it’s off the charts. Great route runner, can separate from people, fearless over the middle, snatches the ball out of the air…He’s not the most explosive receiver in the draft, but he really understands how to play the game. He has great hands, he’s a great route runner and…in the NFL where offenses are moving guys around again, I think his value is more in the inside of the field just like a Michael Thomas.”
No. 1: CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
Simms: “CeeDee Lamb is the best wide receiver in the draft for my money. I just think everything we just talked about with all of these receivers, CeeDee Lamb has it all…He’s the best in the draft with the ball in his hands. The first guy never makes the tackle when CeeDee Lamb catches the ball. He always makes the first guy miss, and then he gets up the field, he can break arm tackles, he can break your ankles in space…I just think he has a little of everything, let alone when the lights come on, he seems to play his best. I just look at him with no weaknesses to his game really, and I think he is a superstar in the NFL…To me, he’s got the body of DeAndre Hopkins, except he’s better with the ball in his hands than Hopkins ever was. He’s almost like DeAndre Hopkins in size, but Jarvis Landry with the ball in his hands.”
Highlights of Honorable Mentions: Jerry Jeudy, Alabama, Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State, Denzel Mims, Baylor, and Chase Claypool, Notre Dame
Simms on why Jeudy wasn’t in his Top-Five: “Everybody thinks Jeudy is going in the first round, but I will say with some of my close friends and the conversations I’ve had with them, Jeudy I don’t think is as loved by the whole NFL as everybody thinks he is…I really like Jerry Jeudy. If he gets drafted in the first round, I’m not going to sit here and say that’s a stupid pick…I just don’t know if there’s any elite traits.”
To hear the full episode with full prospect breakdowns, click here.
The Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast is available for download on all major podcast platforms including: NBCSports.com/podcasts, NBC Sports’ Scores app, Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and iHeart.
-NBC SPORTS-
Tonight’s’ FWIA Slate Begins at 7 p.m. ET with Manning’s First Start as QB of Denver Broncos vs. Pittsburgh Steelers on Kickoff Weekend in 2012
At 9:30 p.m. ET, Manning Returns to Indianapolis for the First Time as a Member of the Broncos
Content to Stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App
STAMFORD, Conn. – April 1, 2020 – NBC Sports’ Football Week in America continues tonight with two primetime SNF games featuring Peyton Manning as the quarterback of the Denver Broncos, beginning at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
FWIA runs through Sunday, April 5, with NBCSN presenting two games per night in primetime. In addition, on the three following Sunday nights in April, NBCSN will air one SNF game at 8 p.m. ET.
Mike Tirico introduces each night’s matchup on NBCSN, and game presentations will include a specialized ticker featuring live tweets. During the telecast, fans will be provided with on-screen information on how they can help with Coronavirus relief. Fans can tweet #FootballWeekNBCSN for the chance to see their tweets live on air.
Programming will also stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
Following is a look at tonight’s games:
PEYTON MANNING AS BRONCOS QB
| GAME | TIME (ET) | NETWORK |
| Pittsburgh vs. Denver (Week 1, 2012) | 7 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Denver vs. Indianapolis (Week 7, 2013) | 9:30 p.m. | NBCSN |
PITTSBURGH STEELERS-DENVER BRONCOS (WEEK 1, 2012) AT 7 P.M. ET
Football Week in America continues tonight with quarterback Peyton Manning’s first career start with the Denver Broncos in Week 1 of the 2012 season.
Manning, who signed with the Broncos as a free agent following the 2011 season, began his Denver career with a 31-19 victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football. In the win, Manning passed for 253 yards and two touchdowns, for a 129.2 passer rating. His first touchdown as a member of the Broncos came on a 71-yard pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.
Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth called the game from Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL | |
| Pittsburgh | 0 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 19 |
| Denver | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 31 |
| CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | |
| Passing Yards | Peyton Manning – 253 | Passing TDs | Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger – 2 | |
| Rushing Yards | Willis McGahee – 64 | Rushing TDs | Knowshon Moreno – 1 | |
| Receiving Yards | Demaryius Thomas – 110 | Receiving TDs | Four tied – 1 |
DENVER BRONCOS-INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (WEEK 7, 2013) AT 9:30 P.M. ET
After spending the first 14 years of his career as a member of the Colts, Manning returned to Indianapolis for the first time with the Broncos in Week 7 of the 2013 season.
Manning passed for 386 yards and three touchdowns in his return, but the Colts, led by 2012 No. 1 overall draft pick Andrew Luck (228 passing yards, four total touchdowns), topped the Broncos, 39-33. Denver staged a fourth-quarter comeback attempt, fighting back from a 19-point deficit to come within six points late in the game before Indianapolis pulled away to earn the victory.
Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth called the game from Lucas Oil Stadium.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL | |
| Denver | 7 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 33 |
| Indianapolis | 10 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 39 |
| CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | CATEGORY | GAME LEADER | |
| Passing Yards | Peyton Manning – 386 | Passing TDs | Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck – 3 | |
| Rushing Yards | Knowshon Moreno – 40 | Rushing TDs | Knowshon Moreno, Andrew Luck – 1 | |
| Receiving Yards | Eric Decker – 150 | Receiving TDs | Six tied – 1 |
Following is the upcoming Football Week in America schedule:
Additionally, NBC Sports presents Hockey Happy Hour this week each day through Thursday, April 2, from 5-7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, including highlights from last week’s “Hockey Week in America.” Following is today’s featured hockey content:
CAPITALS-BLUES (SIMULATED GAME) AT 5 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
NBCSN will present the EA Sports NHL 20 simulated Capitals game that originally aired on NBC Sports Washington on March 24, 2020. Washington, led by Nicklas Backstrom’s hat trick, beat the defending Stanley Cup champion Blues, 5-3, in an action-packed virtual matchup.
–NBC SPORTS–