NFL Network's exclusive high-definition coverage of the league's next generation of talent begins Monday, January 21 at 4 p.m. ET from Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. with the Under Armour Senior Bowl and the week-long events leading up to Saturday's game.
Practice coverage runs Monday, Jan. 21 through Thursday, Jan. 24 with live two-hour telecasts from North and South team practices. Each night at 8 p.m. ET a 30-minute Path to the Draft Senior Bowl Recap Show airs providing interviews and analysis. The week culminates Saturday, January 26 with the 58th annual Under Armour Senior Bowl at 4 p.m. ET, beginning with a special Total Access Senior Bowl pregame show at 3:30 p.m. ET. The network's on-air talent roster from Mobile includes Paul Burmeister, Mike Mayock, Charles Davis and newcomer Ernie Accorsi. Accorsi, most recently the New York Giants' general manager from 1998-2006, brings years of player personnel and front office expertise to the telecast. Rich Eisen calls Saturday's game alongside Mayock, Davis and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trent Dilfer.
The Senior Bowl features 100 of the country's best senior collegiate football players and top NFL draft prospects on teams representing the North and South. This year, the North team will be coached by Lane Kiffin and the Oakland Raiders staff, while Mike Nolan and the San Francisco 49ers coaches lead the South.
"NFL Network is the only network able to dedicate round-the-clock coverage to the upcoming draft class," said NFL Network Executive Producer Eric Weinberger. "The Senior Bowl is really the first day of our coverage of the 2008 NFL season and leads nicely into our extensive draft coverage over the next four months."
The Senior Bowl is attended annually by over 700 NFL coaches, scouts and front office personnel searching for the next great NFL superstar. NFL Network will be there for the entire week with 19 original hours of programming from Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Fans will have an open window to the action all week, including practices and the game, giving them the same view every team uses to help determine its draft.
Last year, the Senior Bowl produced 12 first-round picks in the NFL Draft, 90 total selections and a top five choice for the seventh consecutive year. 2007 Senior Bowl participant Patrick Willis was named the 2007 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press and is one of 24 former Senior Bowl participants to be named to the 2008 Pro Bowl.
Among players who have accepted invitations to participate: quarterbacks John David Booty (USC), Colt Brennan (Hawaii), Brian Brohm (Louisville), Chad Henne (Michigan) and Andre Woodson (Kentucky); receivers Early Doucet (LSU) and Limas Sweed (Texas); offensive linemen Sam Baker (USC) and Kirk Barton (Ohio State); defensive linemen Sedrick Ellis (USC) and Andre Fluellen (Florida State); linebackers Dan Connor (Penn State) and Shawn Crable (Michigan); and defensive back Tom Zbikowski (Notre Dame).
Annually, NFL Network airs nearly 200 football games, including eight regular season NFL games, 52 preseason games, 98 game replays, Super Bowl and NFL Classics, plus the Insight Bowl, Texas Bowl and Senior Bowl. NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the first television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. For more information, log onto www.nfl.com/nflnetwork. NFL.com is the exclusive internet home of NFL Network.
2008 Under Armour Senior Bowl on NFL Network
Monday, Jan. 21
4 p.m. ET –- Day 1: North Team Practice (HD)
8 p.m. ET –- Day 1: Path to the Draft Senior Bowl Recap Show (HD)
Tuesday, Jan. 22
10:30 p.m. ET -– Day 2: North Team Practice (HD)
4:30 p.m. ET – Day 2: South Team Practice (HD)
8 p.m. ET -– Day 2: Path to the Draft Senior Bowl Recap Show (HD)
Wednesday, Jan. 23
10:30 p.m. ET –- Day 3: North Team Practice (HD)
4:30 p.m. ET – Day 3: South Team Practice (HD)
8 p.m. ET –- Day 3: Path to the Draft Senior Bowl Recap Show (HD)
Thursday, Jan. 24
10:30 p.m. ET -– Day 4: North Team Practice (HD)
4:30 p.m. ET – Day 4: South Team Practice (HD)
8 p.m. ET -– Day 4: Path to the Draft Senior Bowl Recap Show (HD)
Saturday, Jan. 25
3:30 p.m. ET – NFL Total Access Senior Bowl Pregame Show (HD)
4 p.m. ET –- 2008 Under Armour Senior Bowl (HD)
7 p.m. ET -– NFL Total Access Senior Bowl Postgame Show (HD)
