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Nothing can ruin the moment of a teary-eyed prospect hearing his name get called at the NFL draft—well, almost nothing. The nation’s top college football players wait their entire lives for the special, once-in-a-lifetime moment of getting drafted and officially kickstarting their professional career, only for that moment to come and ... get spoiled by a terrible, no-good pick announcer.
At this year’s draft in Pittsburgh, there were plenty of, er, colorful personalities who took the stage to announce their NFL team’s pick. Some fulfilled their duty admirably, even wholesomely, while others took it over the top and inadvertently made it about themselves.
Here are our superlatives for the most memorable pick announcements from Day 2 of the draft on Friday night:
Most Sassy: Mark Ingram (and his son)
"Steelers still suck!" 😅
— ESPN (@espn) April 25, 2026
Mark Ingram II's son made sure to let the crowd in Pittsburgh know his Ravens loyalty 😂 pic.twitter.com/TJ6cc0EXck
Let’s kick things off with a good one: former Ravens running back Mark Ingram II ruthlessly roasting the Steelers in their hometown.
“On behalf of me, my son, these wonderful young ladies, and all of Flock Nation, we got a special message for y’all, Pittsburgh!” Ingram said. He then held up his son to the mic, who giddily yelled, “STEELERS STILL SUCK!”
Ingram announced the Ravens’ No. 45 pick in the second round, Missouri edge rusher Zion Young. Ignoring the fact that Ingram played in Baltimore for only a very brief window of his NFL career, you have to love it when players making trolling a family affair.
First-Round Grades | Day 2 Mock Draft | Best Available Players | Fernando Mendoza is Tom Brady’s successor | Ty Simpson will test Sean McVay | Cardinals made the right pick
Most Heartwarming: James Conner
Former Steeler James Conner gets a big applause in his return to Pittsburgh 👏
— NFL (@NFL) April 24, 2026
NFL Draft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/1SiiXb3ns7
Cardinals RB James Conner walked up to the mic to announce Arizona’s No. 34 pick (Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis), and he rightfully received plenty of applause from the Steelers crowd. Conner was drafted by Pittsburgh in the third round of the 2017 draft and spent the first four years of his career there before joining the Cardinals. Based on Friday night’s reception, Steelers fans clearly still hold a torch for him.
Biggest Time Waster: Mark Rypien
Mark Rypien announces the @Commanders pick of Clemson WR Antonio Williams
— NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2026
NFL Draft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/NOo97uz3qn
Mark Rypien spent a whopping two minutes and 22 seconds to announced the Commanders’ No. 71 pick in the third round. Proudly donning his Washington cap and carrying with him a total lack of awareness of time restrictions, the former NFL quarterback gave a speech that even Oscar winner Adrien Brody would fall asleep to. After rambling about Washington being the sports capital of the U.S., giving a shoutout to his granddaughters in honor of Maryland’s new girls’ flag football event and voicing his un-asked-for opinion on the Commanders drafting linebacker Sonny Styles, Rypien finally announced the pick, Clemson WR Antonio Williams.
“Oh boy,” the ESPN broadcast’s hosts said. “Here we go.” (Insert Spongebob’s “Five Hours Later” time card here.)
Most Satisfying: Joey Porter Sr. and Jr.
Joey Porter Sr. and Jr. deliver the news that the @Steelers pick QB Drew Allar ⚫️🟡
— NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2026
NFL Draft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/jR2Q0qeLkp
This one was a pure stroke of luck. When the Porters strutted onto the stage waving Terrible Towels and hyping up the home crowd, little did they know they would have a connection to the draft pick they were set to announce. Joey Porter Jr., who was drafted by Pittsburgh in the second round in 2023, is a Penn State alum. As fate would have it, he helped announce that the Steelers were taking Penn State QB Drew Allar with the 76th pick. Hooray! The Steelers finally have something to cheer for as the long, drawn-out Aaron Rodgers saga drags on.
Most Insufferable: Pat McAfee
CONGRATULATIONS YINZERS 👏
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 25, 2026
THE INDIANAPOLIS COLTS HAVE NOT WON THE AFC SOUTH IN TWELVE YEARS..
THAT CHANGES THIS YEAR..
THE INDIANAPOLIS COLTS SELECT LINEBACKER CJ ALLEN FROM GEORGIA.. GO DAWGS pic.twitter.com/nxpO6TNDjG
Speaking of Aaron Rodgers and his buddies... we could tell this was coming, but we still hated it. Pat McAfee was in Pittsburgh to announce the Colts’ No. 53 pick, and he gave pretty much the most on-brand speech possible.
“They said yinz are getting soft, yinz are getting tired, are you yinzers getting exhausted from so much football celebration or no? Zero arrests last night in the NFL draft compound, Pittsburgh yinzers, congratulations,” the infamous WWE commentator said.
McAfee then yelled into the mic for another minute about the Colts being good again in his eye-roll-inducing, preacher-like spiels (“Jim Irsay, from the football heavens, cured Daniel Jones’s torn Achilles!”) before announcing the Colts’ selection of Georgia linebacker CJ Allen.
And he couldn’t resist woof-ing into the mic a few times. That cringeworthy Allstate “Go Dawgs” commercial was written for him. Good thing we only have to deal with McAfee for *checks calendar* another two years—though it may be longer.
As if one McAfee announcement wasn’t enough, he came back onto the stage a second time to do a random magic track and then announce the Colts’ No. 78 pick: LSU defensive back A.J. Haulcy. Ladies and gentlemen, the future of sports entertainment.
More NFL Draft from Sports Illustrated
- Jermod McCoy’s NFL Draft Skid Finally Halted As Raiders Trade Up to Pick Him on Day 3
- Steal City? We Asked Steelers, Eagles Fans About the Makai Lemon Debacle
- Drafting Drew Allar Does Nothing to Change Steelers’ Wait for Aaron Rodgers
- Sean McVay Explains His Viral Reaction to Rams Shockingly Drafting Ty Simpson
This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2026 NFL Draft Superlatives: Best, Worst and Most Insufferable Pick Announcements We Heard on Friday Night.
