NFL draft 2022: Start time, draft order, how to watch and stream

The 2022 NFL draft begins Thursday at 8 p.m., and for the first time in a number of years, we don’t really know who the top pick will be.

It seems like the consensus from most national pundits is the Jacksonville Jaguars will take either Georgia edge rusher Travon Walker or Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson with the No. 1 pick. But could new head coach Doug Pederson surprise everyone by selecting North Carolina State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu? All we really know is Jacksonville GM Trent Baalke said last week the team was considering four players, and NBC Sports’ Peter King wrote he was told to “expect a surprise.”

Of course, Eagles fans are more concerned who will be around when the team is on the clock with the No. 15 pick, assuming Birds GM Howie Roseman doesn’t trade up or down.

» READ MORE: 2022 NFL Draft live blog: Latest Eagles updates

Despite having selected two wide receivers during the first round of the previous two drafts, it’s conceivable the Eagles could go right back to that well with one of their two first-round picks. Eagles beat writer Josh Tolentino thinks the team could take Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson with the No. 15 pick, while columnist Marcus Hayes thinks they may snag USC’s Drake London with the No. 18 pick. Jeff McLane thinks the team will focus on defense and trade up to the No. 11 spot to land Jordan Davis, the standout defensive tackle from Georgia.

The Eagles have 10 picks in this year’s draft, including five in the first three rounds. The Birds would’ve been just the seventh team since 1960 with three top-20 draft picks, but traded one of those to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for future picks.

This year’s traveling draft road show is taking place in Las Vegas, which was scheduled to host in 2020 before COVID-19 forced the festivities into Roger Goodell’s basement. The NFL has constructed an elaborate red carpet stage over the water in front of the fountains at the Bellagio, but scrapped an idea to boat each of the 21 prospects invited to attend to the main stage, where Goodell will be announcing the picks.

Next year, the draft is scheduled to take place in Kansas City, Mo.

During the first round, each team has 10 minutes to make its pick. If the Birds still have the No. 15 pick, you can expect the Eagles to be on the clock for their selection around 10 p.m., based on the pace of the last few years. The No. 18 pick would happen around 10:20 p.m.

Here’s everything you need to know to watch and stream this year’s NFL draft:

» READ MORE: The Eagles aren’t trying to win, again, and that will influence their strategy

The draft is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Eastern and run through 11:30 p.m. In addition to airing on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network, the draft will also stream on the ABC app, the ESPN app, the NFL app, and on NFL.com (cable authentication is required).

Here’s how television networks are planning to cover the draft.

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Rece Davis will host ABC’s main coverage for the fourth straight year, which will have its own broadcast Thursday and Friday before switching over to an ESPN simulcast on Saturday for the final four rounds.

Davis will be joined by NFL Draft senior analyst Todd McShay and ESPN college football analyst Desmond Howard. Sam Ponder and Jesse Palmer will anchor from the network’s second set alongside ESPN analysts and former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III. Former Yahoo Sports college football news breaker Pete Thamel will be reporting on ABC, his first draft since joining ESPN earlier this year.

Kirk Herbstriet, ESPN’s top college football analyst and the incoming announcer for Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football coverage, will miss this year’s draft due to a blood clot.

Mike Greenberg, the host of Get Up!, will anchor his second NFL Draft for ESPN. Joining Greenberg on set will be analysts Louis Riddick and Booger McFarland. NFL insider Chris Mortensen will provide updates, and host Suzy Kolber will interview draft picks. Adam Schefter will be a no-show in order to attend his son’s college graduation.

Longtime draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. will join the broadcast remotely because he remains unvaccinated against COVID-19.

For the 16th year, NFL Network will have its own coverage, hosted by Rich Eisen. He’ll be joined by NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah, CBS analyst Charles Davis, Stanford head coach David Shaw, Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, and Fox Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt. Melissa Stark — the new sideline reporter for NBC’s Sunday Night Football — will interview draft picks, and NFL insider Ian Rapoport will offer updates.

NFL Network executive producer Charlie Yook, once again in charge of the network’s draft coverage, said planning has been two years in the making, and they plan to showcase everything that makes Vegas Vegas. The network also plans to showcase the Birds, one of a handful of teams with two first-round picks.

“We are certainly going to not only cover the Eagles, but there’ll be a priority for us,” Yook told the Inquirer. “Two years ago the Cincinnati Bengals weren’t anything, but two picks later … the Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase picks changed the future of their franchise. Who’s to say that can’t happen here with the Eagles?”

For the fourth-straight season, ESPN Deportes will cover every round in Spanish. The network’s broadcast will feature Monday Night Football announcers Eduardo Varela and Pablo Viruega, among others.

» READ MORE: Eagles seven-round mock draft: A rising edge rusher, receivers, and linebackers would have the team pleased

The Jaguars hold the No. 1 pick in the draft, the second year in a row Jacksonville has the first pick. The Jaguars and the Kansas City Chiefs each have 12 picks, tied for most in the league.

Eight teams have multiple picks in the first round, including the Eagles with the No. 15 and No. 18 picks. The Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, and New York Jets also hold multiple first-round picks.

Seven teams have no first round picks: Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, and San Francisco 49ers.

Here is the complete order of the first round: