On Thursday, the 2026 NFL Draft was broadcast on 14 different channels, but one of them left the fans turning towards their phones. This year, ESPN kept analysts Mel Kiper Jr., Mike Greenberg, Booger McFarland, and Louis Riddick to host their draft broadcast and keep fans updated on the developments from Pittsburgh. But while ESPN’s draft coverage is typically known for analysing the picks, it was lagging so much that even a former NFL player voiced his frustrations with Kiper and Co. 

“ESPN is so far behind on picks,” ex-Chiefs’ offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz wrote via X on Thursday. “They’re going to have to figure this 8-minute thing out because they can’t be 10+ min behind real-time. The whole tipping-pics thing is irrelevant when you feel like you can’t be on social media because the TV is that delayed.”

This year, the NFL shortened the first-round pick window from 10 minutes to eight, aiming to speed up proceedings. The last time the NFL adjusted the selection clock was in 2008, when it was reduced from 15 minutes. Now, even with eight minutes between picks, ESPN’s broadcast appeared to fall behind the actual pace in Pittsburgh. 

Meanwhile, EssentiallySports’ draft coverage also had its own live telecast, with over 40,000 viewers, and it wasn’t lagging. 

But the delay in ESPN’s broadcast also highlights a broader issue. NFL fans often learn about picks on social media well before they appear on TV. Since NFL teams submit selections to the league in advance, insiders and credentialed individuals can access that information early and leak it online. So, ahead of the draft, ESPN’s Peter Schrager even urged viewers to avoid spoilers online and enjoy the suspense with the broadcast.

“There is no greater suspense than the NFL draft—it is a reality show,” Schrager said in a clip shared via X this week. “Would you watch a reality show if, three minutes before the end of the show, they tell you who is being eliminated?”

“There’s no valor in spoiling an NFL draft pick. So, don’t give that joy or that attaboy to those who are leaking it beforehand. Enjoy the show; be shocked once in a while.”

But Schrager’s advice proved difficult to follow when the ESPN broadcast itself lagged so far behind the conversation in Pittsburgh. And this isn’t the first time ESPN’s draft coverage has drawn criticism. 

During the 2025 NFL Draft, ESPN faced backlash for focusing heavily on Shedeur Sanders, the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders. Although Shedeur’s unexpected slide to the fifth round, where the Cleveland Browns selected him, was a compelling storyline, many felt ESPN overemphasized it at the expense of broader draft coverage.

Now, a similar pattern seems to be emerging with ESPN analysts spending more time breaking down picks than delivering them in real time, and fans aren’t holding back.

Fans slam ESPN for its delayed draft day coverage

For many college football players, NFL draft day represents a lifelong dream of hearing their names called and earning a spot on a team’s roster. As such, NFL fans want to experience those moments in real time with the players. But when ESPN’s draft coverage failed to keep up with the updates online, frustration quickly spilled online.

“I just follow social media cause I really don’t want to hear what they have to say. That’s just me,” one fan commented under Mitchell Schwartz’s post.

“Twitter is currently 13 minutes ahead… wtf are we doing,” another fan added.

“It really is dumb. Why bother watching at this point, they are analyzing potential picks when everyone on Twitter already knows,” another fan noted.

The NFL Draft thrives on suspense like a live reality show. The NFL has also built a spectacle around the drafting process, making each announcement feel significant. While ESPN pays a lot of money to broadcast the draft, the network should also uphold that majesty. But as ESPN’s coverage could not preserve that surprise factor for NFL fans this year, some viewers even suggested structural changes to fix the issue. 

“Who still watches ESPN man. Cmon,” another fan stated.

“It’s always been behind, and that’s why I’ve always been pro tipping. The networks can’t keep up unless each pick is 15 minutes at lowest,” another fan suggested.

“Draft is going to be over and still airing for an hour after to announce all the picks,” one fan concluded.

To be fair, ESPN analysts choosing not to reveal picks early isn’t a deliberate choice. But the network faced similar complaints during last year’s NBA draft coverage, which fans labeled “boring” due to the analysis. In today’s fast-moving social media era, extended breakdowns of NFL draft picks can feel unnecessary. So, for many fans, ESPN’s telecast pacing no longer fits the speed of modern consumption.