With the Bears picking first, NBCUniversal Local’s properties in Chicago plan extensive coverage of the NFL draft next week.
Before the April 25 draft, NBC Sports Chicago will air a Chicago Draft Preview presented by ChevyDrivesChicago.com on Sunday (April 21). Hosted by Ruthie Polinsky with experts Dave Wannstedt, David Haugh and Josh Schrock, the two-hour special provides predictions, interviews and prospect profiles.
On Wednesday April 24, WMAQ’s streaming channel, NBC Chicago News, will feature its Chicago Draft Preview presented by ChevyDrivesChicago.com. Laurence Holmes hosts the half-hour special, which will reair on NBC Sports Chicago following White Sox Postgame Live.
Football Night in Chicago: Draft Night Special, presented by Fanatics Sportsbook, will appear Thursday night at 6 p.m. before the selections start. The special will feature reports from the draft in Detroit by Josh Schrock and from Halas Hall, the Bears’ headquarters, by Alex Shapiro.
That show will be followed by Chicago Draft Night presented by Fanatics Sports Book featuring Bears legends Lance Briggs and Alex Brown.
Once the draft starts, NBC Sports Chicago will air the two-hour special Draft Night: First Round Live Reaction presented by Fanatics Sportsbook.
The Bears are expected to pick quarterback Caleb Williams of USC with the first selection. The team also has the ninth pick in the first round.
“We are already feeling the excitement surrounding this year’s NFL Draft and we can’t wait for our roster of Bears experts to deliver our massive, multiplatform content to our viewers for an entire week’s time,” NBCUniversal Chicago VP of sports content John Schippman said.
After the draft, NBC Sports Chicago will air the Chicago Draft Recap presented by ChevyDrivesChicago.com on Sunday evening at 6 p.m. The special will reair on NBC Chicago News on Monday (April 29).
At 10:30 p.m. WMAQ’s Sports Sunday will recap the draft with Leila Rahimi, Mike Berman and Dave Wannstedt.
Throughout the week, WMAQ and Noticiero Telemundo Chicago on sister Telemundo station WSNS will provide viewers with extensive NFL draft coverage featuring top prospect profiles, interviews with Bears players, coaches and front-office executives.
There will also be draft-focused episodes of the Under Center podcast presented by Saint Xavier University, with host Ken Davis.
