In past years, football’s top reporters broke the news of draft selections before they were even announced by Roger Goodell on the draft stage.
That won’t be the case in 2020.
On a call with the media on Tuesday, NFL Network Vice President of Programming and Production Mark Quenzel said ESPN and NFL Network reporters will not be allowed to report picks before they are officially announced by Goodell.
Mark Quenzel says guys like Rapoport, Pelissero, and Garafolo will remain busy on social media during the draft but all reporters WILL NOT be allowed to report the picks until the commissioner announces them.
— Andersen Pickard (@AndersenPickard) April 14, 2020
This restriction prohibits the league’s top reporters, including Ian Rapoport of NFL Network and Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The restriction does not apply to any reporters outside of ESPN and NFL Network, which are the two networks that will broadcast the draft.
Quenzel did not mention how strictly they are enforcing this rule and what the penalty would be if a reporter does break the news of a draft selection.
