ESPN’s NFL Draft will feature Gang Greeny, The Post has learned.
Mike Greenberg, a noted Jets fan, will be the new host for the late April selection show, according to sources.
Greenberg takes over for Trey Wingo, who was let go by the company at the end of last year.
Greenberg, 53, receives the position over “Monday Night Football” play-by-player Steve Levy, “Sunday NFL Countdown’s” Sam Ponder, “Monday Night Countdown’s” Suzy Kolber and “NFL Live’s” Laura Rutledge. Greenberg will host for the first two days of the three-day event. It is not known yet who will host on Day 3. ESPN declined comment.
The position is coveted because of the importance that ESPN places on the draft, and how valuable Chris Berman made the piece of broadcasting real estate over his decades at the company. Berman was the longtime host of the draft before Wingo’s four-year run.
On his TV show “Get Up” and his radio show “Greeny,” Greenberg does not hide his Jets fandom. Thursday morning on his program, he was talking about how the Jets, with the No. 2 pick, will decide how the whole draft will go. The Jets have to decide if they will stay with Sam Darnold or draft a new quarterback.
That said, for the draft broadcast at the end of April, Greenberg will surely be more of a host than a fan.
As it has in recent years, ESPN is expected to have an alternative draft broadcast on ABC, which again will be led by Rece Davis.
Ryan Clark nearly left ESPN
While NFL analyst Ryan Clark ended up staying at ESPN, he came very close to leaving for Fox Sports, according to sources.
Fox Sports has raided ESPN over the past year or so, taking Adam Amin, Jonathan Vilma, Tom Rinaldi and Emmanuel Acho. Acho’s star has shone even brighter since he went to Fox, and was heavily involved in recruiting Clark.
If Clark had gone, he would have started on FS1 as a frequent guest on all its morning and afternoon talk shows, including Acho’s “Speak for Yourself.”
With one day remaining until his old ESPN contract expired, Clark stayed. Though he had a very good career as a safety with the Steelers, Clark had a sense of loyalty to ESPN and will continue to be an important part of “Get Up,” “NFL Live” and the post game of Scott Van Pelt’s “SportsCenter” after “Monday Night Football.”