Travis Kelce, Tyrann Mathieu will join NFL Draft-A-Thon coverage

The NFL Draft will have a different feel this year but will still be aired on television; and will include a pre-draft fundraiser for COVID19 relief

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is no stranger to the microphone or the spotlight. However on Thursday night, when he helps to headline the NFL’s Draft-A-Thon, a pre-draft fundraiser for COVID19 relief, instead of fighting for our right to party, he’ll be fighting for relief and support efforts surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2020 NFL Draft will have a very different feel this year, and not just because of Kelce’s pre-gaming of the selection meeting itself. In addition to the Draft-A-Thon, the NFL Draft will be held entirely virtually for the first time in its history. No giant commissioner bear hugs or jersey photo ops or even a green room. Instead, players will be at their respective homes, and decision-makers from each team will also be spread out in the same way.

The Draft-a-Thon, of course, is new. It will be aired as part of television coverage starting at 6:30 p.m. Arrowhead Time (AT) on Thursday, April 23rd. In addition, the full drive will be streamed in digital platforms online, including Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, YouTube and Yahoo! Sports, and it will feature a wide swath of celebrities. The fundraising effort will be hosted by NFL Network personalities Rich Eisen and Deion Sanders. Other confirmed guests besides Kelce include fellow Chiefs teammate Tyrann Mathieu, comedian Kevin Hart, Bucs quarterback Tom Brady and a slew of other celebrities and athletes.

A full outline of the NFLs relief efforts can be found here. In addition, you can make donations here.

Despite all of the changes, the feel of what the average consumer sees on television will be very much the same. The draft will still be aired nationally on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network. Those who desire will be able to see all of their favorite talking heads praise and criticize their teams’ selections and the schedule remains unchanged.

The familiar schedule includes:

Round 1 coverage on Thursday, April 23rd at 7:00 p.m. AT. Each of the 32 picks has 10 minutes allowed time so the round should finish up about 12:30 a.m. AT, and your Kansas City Chiefs should be on the clock a little after midnight, Arrowhead Time.

Rounds 2 and 3 will take place on Friday, April 24th and coverage will begin at 6 p.m. AT. With seven minutes per pick and 74 picks to make (10 compensatory picks at the end of round 3), this portion of the draft could last well into the night, which means if you want to see the Chiefs make their second selection of the evening, you’ll need to stay up late.

The draft continues on Saturday with rounds four through seven. Coverage begins at 11 a.m. AT. Each of the 150 picks on Saturday are allowed up to five minutes each. AT. The Chiefs currently hold picks 138 and 177 in the fourth and fifth rounds, respectively.