NFL Network, ESPN have agreement not to tip picks prior to Goodell announcement

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Both networks have pledged not to show images of players on the phone in the green room at Radio City Music Hall. In addition to that, both networks tell SI.com that they will tell staffers not to report pick-by-pick selections on their Twitter feeds prior to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announcing the picks on the podium. The Twitter edict will extend into the second round of the draft. Teams have 10 minutes to pick in the first round, seven minutes in the second round and five minutes for the rest of the draft.

"Our fans have told us they would rather hear from the Commissioner and I think it is a better TV show when we speculate and let the Commissioner do it," said ESPN NFL senior coordinating producer Seth Markman, who oversees draft coverage for the network. "I have said in the past that [ESPN reporters] Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen can basically announce all the picks before they are made if they really wanted to. It goes against a lot of our instincts as journalists and it's totally different than anything I deal with, but we feel like it is a win for the fans and our viewers."

Both Markman and Weinberger insist that no on-air talent is ever tipped of the pick prior to the announcement. Both executives reiterated they are given the team selections from the league 30 to 60 seconds before the pick happens so they can align graphics and be ready for the show production. "They [our on-air talent] will be speculating," Weinberger said. "They will be using their informed analysis but they will not know who the pick is until the Commissioner announces it."

Markman reiterated Weinberger's point, and insisted the talent does not know the pick ahead of time. "We get a little bit of a heads up as producers -- a very short heads up -- but we have never, ever, ever, I promise you, told the pick to any of our talent," he said.

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