PODCAST · sports
The First-Round Conversation
by Athlon Sports
Athlon Sports is proud to present the only NFL Draft podcast you'll ever need. Hosted by NFL expert Luke Easterling.
Episodes
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5 NFL Teams With Big Questions After 2025 W/ EJ Snyder
Five NFL teams are stuck in QB limbo — we break down who’s fixing it and who’s doomed. There are a handful of NFL teams with some intriguing quarterback situations as they look beyond the 2025 season, for very different reasons. EJ Snyder of Bootleg Football returns to the show to break down a...
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SEC QB Stock Report W/ Cole Thompson of SEC Unfiltered
We're about halfway through the 2025 college football season, and we've seen a ton of changes when it comes to stacking the top QB prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft class. Some of the biggest names are in the SEC, and there have been a wide range of performances that have their draft stock moving…
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Making Sense Of The Minnesota Vikings W/ Arif Hasan
The Minnesota Vikings are one of the most intriguing teams in the NFL right now, coming off a 14-win season in 2024, but hitching their championship hopes on a young quarterback who missed his entire rookie season due to injury. Arif Hasan joins the show to break down the results of Minnesota's...
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NFL'S Top Rookies From Week 5 W/ Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk
We're five weeks into the 2025 NFL season, and we've already seen some impressive rookies come flying out of the gates to make massive impacts for their respective teams right away. Myles Simmons from Pro Football Talk joins the show to talk about a few of the most impressive rookie performances...
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Why the Eagles Will (or Won't) Repeat as Super Bowl Champions w/Devin Jackson
Eagles are 4-0 but far from perfect—can Philly repeat as Super Bowl champions? More NFL and Draft Analysis Here: After winning the Super Bowl in dominant fashion last year, Philadelphia Eagles are off to a 4-0 start this season, thanks to a masterful team-building job by general manager Howie...
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Detroit Lions Super Bowl Window | 2025 Draft Picks, Injuries & Dan Campbell’s Future w/ Jeff Risdon
The BPA Draft Show dives into the Detroit Lions: Have they already missed their Super Bowl window, or can Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell, and Detroit’s 2025 rookie class keep them in contention? Host Luke Easterling is joined by Jeff Risdon (Lions Wire & Draft Wire) to break down injuries, roster...
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2026 NFL Draft Early Stock Update w/ Trevor Sikkema
Now that we've got a couple of weeks of college football action in the books, it's time to take a look at who's moving up and down the board as we look ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft. Trevor Sikkema from Pro Football Focus returns to the show to highlight a few players who have impressed him out of...
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What We Learned About the 2026 NFL Draft Class in CFB Week 1 w/ Dane Brugler
The first full week of the 2025 college football season is officially in the books, and we've got some fresh film to watch from the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft class. To break it all down, Luke is joined by The Athletic's Dane Brugler, who talks about the mixed reviews from this year's...
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NFL's Surprise Rookie Starters for 2025 w/ Doug Farrar
Ever year, football fans expect the big-name rookies who were drafted in the first round to find their way into the starting lineup quickly, there's always a handful of first-year players from the later rounds who are able to make an instant splash and earn starting jobs. In this week's episode,...
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SEC's Top Prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft Class w/ Cole Thompson
The SEC is always loaded with top talent, and this year is no exception. In this week's episode, Athlon Sports NFL Draft expert Luke Easterling sits down with Cole Thompson from SEC Unfiltered to break down which teams in the conference have the most NFL prospects eligible for the 2026 class, who...
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Make-or-Break for Bryce Young, Panthers in 2025? w/ Mike Kaye
The Carolina Panthers are heading into Year 3 of the Bryce Young experience, but do they even know what exactly they have in the former No. 1 overall pick, and can they finally compete in the NFC South? Athlon Sports NFL Draft expert Luke Easterling is joined by Mike Kaye of the Charlotte…
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Salvaging the 49ers' Super Bowl Window w/ Kyle Madson
The San Francisco 49ers have gotten oh-so-close to the top of the football mountain multiple times under Kyle Shanahan, but have come up empty. Injuries hit them hard last year, keeping them out of the postseason entirely, and an offseason exodus of key players will make it even harder for them…
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Unpacking the Packers' Draft Strategy w/ CheeseheadTV's Aaron Nagler
The Green Bay Packers have won a ton of regular-season games under head coach Matt LaFleur, but they've managed just one playoff victory over the past four seasons. They've got a promising roster, but the NFC North promises to be one of the toughest divisions in the NFL in 2025. For this week's...
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How to Build a Franchise QB w/ ESPN's Dan Orlovsky
We all know that quarterback is the most important position in football, and there's more pressure than ever on the young passers coming into the league every year via the draft. In this week's episode, Athlon Sports NFL Draft expert Luke Easterling sits down with ESPN's Dan Orlovsky to talk…
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The Worst QB Situation in the NFL w/ Athlon Sports' Doug Farrar
Not every NFL team is lucky enough to have a superstar franchise quarterback, but there are a couple of fan bases who would be thrilled for a signal-caller who's anything north of average. In this week's episode, Athlon Sports NFL draft expert Luke Easterling is joined once again by Doug Farrar,...
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The Most Intriguing Team in the NFL w/ Houston Chronicle's Stephanie Stradley
The Houston Texans have many of the key building blocks it takes to build a consistent contender in the NFL, but can they finally take that next step in 2025? Athlon Sports' Luke Easterling is joined by Stephanie Stradley of the Houston Chronicle to talk about C.J. Stroud's progression and his…
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Big Board Breakdown w/ Athlon Sports' Doug Farrar
It's never too early to look ahead to the next NFL Draft, and next year's class is loaded with top prospects who should put on a show this college football season before making the leap to the pros. Doug Farrar returns to the show to join Athlon Sports draft expert Luke Easterling for a...
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The Best WR Class of All Time? w/ Yahoo Sports' Matt Harmon
The 2024 NFL Draft featured an elite class of wide receivers that was dubbed by many as the best in modern draft history, but did it live up to the hype in Year 1, and what does it have in store for 2025 and beyond? Athlon Sports draft expert Luke Easterling is joined by Matt Harmon of Yahoo…
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The Strangest Division in the NFL w/ Fox Sports' Greg Auman
As the 2025 NFL offseason turns into a look ahead to training camp and the upcoming season, Athlon Sports draft expert Luke Easterling sits down with Greg Auman of Fox Sports to break down the curious case of the NFC South. After four straight years of the same team at the top, is this the year…
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Dynasty Download w/ Fantasy Life's Thor Nystrom
Now that the 2025 NFL Draft is in the books, it's time to look at how the results impact fantasy managers in dynasty leagues. Athlon Sports draft expert Luke Easterling is joined by Fantasy Life's Thor Nystrom to break down this year's rookie class from a dynasty perspective, looking for sleepers...
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NFC North Roundup w/Fox Sports' Carmen Vitali
You could make a strong case that the NFC North will be the most hotly contested division in the NFL in 2025, and all four teams could have a legit shot at the title. Athlon Sports draft expert Luke Easterling is joined by Carmen Vitali of Fox Sports to break down the top storylines for every…
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Best Sleeper Picks w/CBS Sports' Mike Renner
The big names always steal the headlines, but we all know that there are plenty of gems flying under the radar in every NFL Draft, and the 2025 class will be no different. Athlon Sports draft expert Luke Easterling is joined by Mike Renner of CBS Sports to break down his favorite sleeper picks...
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Best Scheme Fits in the 2025 NFL Draft w/Bootleg Football's Brett Kollmann
The dust is still settling from the 2025 NFL Draft, and it's becoming clear which prospects landed in the perfect spots at the next level. Athlon Sports draft expert Luke Easterling is joined by Bootleg Football's Brett Kollmann to break down the best scheme fits in this year's class…
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Who Crushed the 2025 NFL Draft with Co-Host of the Bootleg Football's EJ Snyder
The 2025 NFL Draft is officially in the books, and it's time to break down which teams came away as the biggest winners. Athlon Sports draft expert Luke Easterling is joined by EJ Snyder of Bootleg Football to talk about the clubs that absolutely crushed this year's draft class. Luke also…
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Full Draft Preview with Athlon Sports' Doug Farrar
Draft week is finally here, and to get you ready for the big event, Athlon Sports draft expert Luke Easterling is once again joined by Doug Farrar for a full preview of all the action that will kick off Thursday night from Green Bay. Luke and Doug give a big-picture overview of the 2025 draft,...
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Bold Predictions w/NFL.com's Eric Edholm
With the 2025 NFL Draft just one week away, Athlon Sports draft expert Luke Easterling is joined by Eric Edholm of NFL.com to break down their bold predictions for this year's event, and reach back into the vault to discuss a couple of random players from draft history. As always, Easterling also...
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Overrated/Underrated w/NBC Sports' Connor Rogers
It's officially draft month, and with just a few weeks left before the action gets rolling in Green Bay, Athlon Sports draft expert Luke Easterling is joined by Connor Rogers of NBC Sports to break down what's overrated about the NFL Draft process, and detail some of the most underrated prospects...
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Mock Draft Madness Part 2 w/Doug Farrar
Athlon Sports NFL Draft expert Luke Easterling is back with NFL writer and film guru Doug Farrar to finish their live Mock Draft. Starting with the Bengals at Pick 17, how will the rest of their mock draft shake out? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Mock Draft Madness Part 1 w/Doug Farrar
April has finally arrived, and with the 2025 NFL Draft just a few weeks away, it's time for BPA to venture into mock draft territory. Athlon Sports NFL Draft expert Luke Easterling is joined by NFL writer and film guru Doug Farrar to project the first round of this year's draft as they pick the...
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Titan-Sized Takes w/ESPN's Turron Davenport
The Tennessee Titans hold the keys to the 2025 NFL Draft with the No. 1 overall selection, and they have a wide range of options that will have a cascading impact on the rest of the draft. Turron Davenport, ESPN's NFL Nation reporter covering the Titans, joins Athlon Sports draft expert Luke...
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D-Line Deep Dive w/ESPN's Booger McFarland
Defensive line is easily the deepest position group in the 2025 NFL Draft class, so who better to break it down than a former first-rounder at the position? ESPN's Booger McFarland joins Athlon Sports draft expert Luke Easterling to talk about this year's loaded crop of talented DL prospects, and...
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How Free Agency Influences the Draft Process w/PFF’s Trevor Sikkema
As NFL free agency kicks off, Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus joins the show to discuss how the process of adding new veterans impacts how every team approaches the draft process (and of course, there’s hard-hitting BBQ analysis). Athlon Sports NFL Draft expert Luke Easterling breaks down…
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Combine Wrap-Up & Modern NFL Trends with Athlon Sports Doug Farrar
Athlon Sports' Doug Farrar joins the show to break down what we learned at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, and how modern trends throughout the league are impacting the draft process. Athlon Sports NFL Draft expert Luke Easterling breaks down the latest news coming out of a big week in Indy, and...
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Kicking Off the Combine with ESPN's Matt Miller
In this premiere episode, Athlon Sports NFL Draft expert Luke Easterling is joined by ESPN’s Matt Miller for our 2025 NFL Scouting Combine Preview to talk about what matters (and doesn’t) about the NFL Scouting Combine, which prospects could put on a show at this year’s event, and much more.…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The First-Round Conversation have?
The First-Round Conversation currently has 34 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The First-Round Conversation about?
Athlon Sports is proud to present the only NFL Draft podcast you'll ever need. Hosted by NFL expert Luke Easterling.
How often does The First-Round Conversation release new episodes?
The First-Round Conversation has 34 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The First-Round Conversation?
You can listen to The First-Round Conversation on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The First-Round Conversation?
The First-Round Conversation is created and hosted by Athlon Sports.
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