Laura Rutledge Has Chills Ahead Of The 2026 NFL Draft

ESPN's Laura Rutledge is ready to get the 2026 NFL Draft started in Pittsburgh.

All seven rounds of the NFL Draft will be covered by ESPN's team of commentators and experts, which includes Mike Greenberg, Daniel Jeremiah, Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates. The network plans on "highlighting each prospect's journey to the NFL and the people and moments that shaped them" during the opening round of the draft.

Greenberg will host ESPN's telecast for Day 1, which marks his sixth time doing so. Kiper and Jeremiah, meanwhile, will provide breakdowns for just about every prospect. As for Rutledge, she'll interview some players live from the main stage in Pittsburgh.

Rutledge, who has been with ESPN since 2014, has blossomed into a versatile star for the network. When she's not covering the SEC, she's hosting "NFL Live" on weekdays. She's also a full-time sideline reporter for "Monday Night Football."

With the NFL Draft set to begin this Thursday night, Rutledge shared footage of the stage along with a nice message.

"Always get chills looking at this stage from the players POV," she wrote on X.

Which prospects are attending this year's NFL Draft?

It was announced earlier this month that Fernando Mendoza won't be at the draft in Pittsburgh. He's expected to go No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Luckily for the NFL, there'll be several top prospects in attendance on Thursday night, including Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Arizona State wideout Jordyn Tyson.

ESPN's first-round coverage of the NFL Draft will begin at 8 p.m. ET.

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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 11:48 AM.