ABC and ESPN’s NFL Draft coverage is slightly different, with the “human interest story” aspect playing a much larger role on ABC. NFL Live host Laura Rutledge said she asked for advice from legendary reporter Tom Rinaldi on the best way to cover some of the stories of NFL Draft prospects.
“I take a totally different approach than the stats and tape that usually goes into prepping for my daily roles,” Rutledge told The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch. “What was really helpful was a couple of years ago when I first found out that I would get to do this, I called Tom Rinaldi, who had done it before. We know how great Rinaldi is at every interview, and one of the things he said was, ‘You always want to have a few questions that apply to anything because essentially this is about humanity, and it’s about lives changing and families experiencing these journeys together.’
“He suggested a few questions. One that I love is, ‘What are you most proud of?’ Because I think it’s general enough but it also brings in the real moment, which is the pride. Sometimes the best questions are the shortest and the most succinct, just reacting to how they’re feeling.”
She added that there’s a delicate balance between asking important questions while also making prospects and their families remain at ease.
In a video on Twitter and TikTok, Rutledge — who is 9 months pregnant — shared a behind-the-scenes look at the first day of the NFL Draft.
