NFL Draft fans saw a jarring shift in ESPN’s coverage on Friday as longtime draft analyst Todd McShay was laid off amid a series of staffing cuts at the network.
The New York Post‘s Andrew Marchand shared the news on Friday of McShay’s departure.
McShay had been with ESPN since 2006 and been primarily associated with the network’s NFL Draft coverage alongside Mel Kiper Jr.
His layoff puts the network’s NFL Draft coverage in a different space, as new faces could ascend to a more prominent role during the year and especially on draft weekend.
While McShay will be a popular free agent for other sports media companies looking for one of the sharpest minds in the business on the NFL Draft, it’s worth wondering how things will look at ESPN in his absence.
NEWS: Todd McShay let go by ESPN, The Post has learned.https://t.co/l4NSdi5mau
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) June 30, 2023
Kiper will most likely continue his role with ESPN until he decides to retire, while a few other names will likely take on expanded roles.
You can likely count on seeing ESPN guys like Mike Greenberg, Booger McFarland and Rece Davis during draft weekend, but who will you hear from year-round?
These three people figure to have expanded roles at the network on broadcast and online.
Louis Riddick
A former NFL player and personnel executive, Riddick has been one the rise during ESPN’s NFL coverage for quite some time.
While he’s fielded interviews for NFL general manager positions in the past, he signed a contract extension with ESPN last fall.
While Riddick doesn’t publish mock drafts online like McShay regularly did, he’ll have the inside track to replace McShay’s broadcast work during the year when it comes to NFL Draft coverage.
Honestly, it wouldn’t be surprising if ESPN viewed Riddick as a strong option to be the face of its NFL Draft coverage once Kiper retires.
Matt Miller
Former Bleacher Report NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller makes his ESPN debut on Get Up 🏈
Unfortunately, our 30-second clip cut off before he started talking… pic.twitter.com/SJmivhbZII
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 19, 2021
Miller rose through the NFL Draft community with his work at Bleacher Report and joined ESPN in 2022 as a “multi-platform contributor for its year-round NFL Draft coverage.”
His mock drafts will likely take much more prominence on ESPN’s website during the year with McShay gone.
While Riddick is the network’s best option to lead NFL Draft coverage in the future, Miller might be the most organic fit at ESPN right now to double in broadcast and in draft writing like McShay did.
Kiper reportedly went to far as to advocate for Miller to get on-air time during this year’s third day of the NFL Draft. He seems like a guy ESPN viewers and readers will be seeing plenty more of in the time ahead.
Jordan Reid
Do the #Vikings need additional WRs in the draft? @3RonJohnson asks ESPN's @Jordan_Reid.
🍎: https://t.co/uZzWGVXu80
🎶: https://t.co/6rzfFo5Tgl
📺: https://t.co/QcRapIpEJd pic.twitter.com/Ca8MPwSxyu— Locked On Sports Minnesota (@LockedOnMIN) April 25, 2023
Reid, like Miller, stands as another intriguing option at the network to take more of a prominent role in NFL Draft coverage.
The former North Carolina Central quarterback and coach was hired in 2021 in the same capacity Miller was, and he regularly published mock drafts on ESPN’s website as well as appearing on-air for draft segments.
Like Miller, Reid will undoubtedly take an expanded role at ESPN in wake of McShay’s departure. His mock drafts will definitely take on more weight on ESPN’s website.
