When it comes to the NFL Draft, one of the things that fans love to debate is ranking the strength of various draft classes. But that’s usually done with respect to the active playing careers of those drafted by the NFL.
What if we did it for the media world?
There is more football coverage than ever before, which means there are more opportunities for longtime NFL players to have a second career in the media covering the sport. But when looking through the various draft classes of players that have now retired and put on a headset in the broadcast booth or sat in a studio, it’s the 2011 NFL Draft class that stands out as having the biggest impact.
Let’s take a look at the players drafted and where they are still being seen having a major presence in the football world.
Round 1, Pick 1 – Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton was always one of the most colorful personalities in football and his play matched his first overall selection by the Panthers, winning an MVP in Carolina and appearing in a Super Bowl. Now that he’s moved into the media, he first built a following with his podcast and now makes regular weekly appearances on ESPN’s First Take.
Round 1, Pick 11 – J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
Watt is a future Hall of Famer for his highly decorated career in Houston, where he was a three-time NFL defensive player of the year. He’s made a successful transition to the media world as part of The NFL Today on CBS and will even be part of Netflix’s NFL Christmas Day coverage.
Round 1, Pick 24 – Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints star Cam Jordan is one of the few active players still remaining in the 2011 NFL Draft class, but you can already tell that he has a very bright career in television ahead of him with his bright, exuberant personality. Even as a player still in the league, he makes regular guest analyst appearances foreshadowing what is to come.
Round 1, Pick 28 – Mark Ingram II, New Orleans Saints
If Jordan does indeed go into the media world, he will follow in the footsteps of his former Saints teammate Mark Ingram. The Heisman Trophy winner was just passed as the franchise’s all-time leading rusher by former backfield mate Alvin Kamara. He is now a central part of Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff pregame show where he replaced another former Saints teammate in Reggie Bush.
Round 1, Pick 31- Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers
While he hasn’t had quite the same number of appearances as Jordan, Cameron Heyward of the Pittsburgh Steelers is another member of this draft class with a bright future if he wants to try a television career. He has his own podcast and while he could probably play until 50 if he wanted to, Heyward should quickly find a TV home when he decides to hang it up.
Round 2, Pick 43 – Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings
The former Notre Dame tight end was a two-time Pro Bowler in the NFL and even has a Pro Bowl MVP award on his resume. As a game analyst, he has worked for NBC calling the USFL and select college football games.
Round 2, Pick 58 – Torrey Smith, Baltimore Ravens
The former Baltimore Ravens wide receiver has done a little bit of everything after his playing days, being an outspoken voice on social media, and hosting his own podcast.
Round 2, Pick 64 – Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers
After a career that saw him score 54 touchdowns over 13 seasons, predominantly as one of Aaron Rodgers’ favorite targets with the Green Bay Packers, Cobb made the transition to the media this year. He works as an analyst for the SEC Network at ESPN.
Round 3, Pick 71 – DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys
The former Oklahoma Sooners star has actually been in and out of the media world since the end of his NFL career. He initially joined Fox Sports as an analyst in 2018 but now has returned to his alma mater as their running backs coach.
Round 4, Pick 103 – Sam Acho, Arizona Cardinals
After starring at Texas, Acho played nine seasons in the NFL. Now, both he and his younger brother Emmanuel are media mainstays. Sam calls college football games for ESPN while Emmanuel is one of the hosts of The Facility on FS1.
Round 5, Pick 154- Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks
Sherman is undoubtedly one of the best picks in the history of the NFL Draft as he led the famous “Legion of Boom” secondary in Seattle, winning a Super Bowl. Given his brash personality in his playing days (hello Michael Crabtree), he was always going to be destined for a television career. He has worked for FS1 with Skip Bayless on Undisputed and as a studio analyst for Amazon’s NFL coverage.
Round 6, Pick 191 – Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles
Speaking of all-time great draft picks, future Canton inductee Jason Kelce was a sixth-round pick by the Eagles, where he played his entire 13-year career. He’s now one of the most successful podcast hosts in the world, serves as an analyst for ESPN, and will even host his own late-night show. Not bad for a late-round offensive lineman.
Round 7, Pick 208 – Greg McElroy, New York Jets
It’s safe to say that McElroy’s college and media careers have been much more successful than his NFL one. After winning a title at Alabama, McElroy was sacked 11 times in his only start for the New York Jets, retiring from the Bengals practice squad at just 25. He then quickly transitioned into television where he has been a top college football analyst for ESPN and likely will be for a long time to come.