Many future draftees have made their way to New York for this weekend’s event.
(Twitter/@osknights)
There is no denying that the NFL is the most popular sport in the country, and the event that signals the dawn of a new season is the NFL Draft weekend. Every year, fans anticipate their team’s draft needs and wish for certain players to join their favorite club. Once the draft concludes, fans analyze the selections in detail and fantasize about their newly drafted players developing into stars. It’s quite a fun time to be a football fan. The event itself is truly something to behold. It is raucous, energetic, and becomes the basis of conversation for months prior to the impending season. Every year it captures the attention and imaginations of millions.
Of course, there are many huge sporting events throughout the year. The Super Bowl for example is undoubtedly a major event, but it isn’t quite the event that the draft is because it only includes two teams. While almost every NFL fan watches the Super Bowl, most do so casually, because their teams were knocked out weeks before. The NFL Draft is monumental to all 32 teams and those teams’ fans. Interest in the draft isn’t limited to fans of the NFL, however; college football fans follow the draft intensely as well, as they want to see where their favorite players will go. The NBA Finals is another huge event that gets a lot of attention but it cannot generate as much buzz as the NFL Draft does. The NBA Finals take multiple weeks from beginning to end, and just like the Super Bowl, only two teams are included. The fact that the NFL Draft happens over a fast-paced three day span intensifies hype of the event. It’s must watch television.
There really is no greater event in all of sports than the NFL Draft. Here are five reasons why:
5. The Unparalleled Spectacle Of The Draft:
The stage doesn’t get any bigger or brighter than Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Every year, the top college football players ascend upon this historic venue in hopes to walk across that brightly-lit stage in front of thousands of excited fans while millions more watch on television. The NFL is the biggest sport in the country and the draft is the biggest day of the offseason; it’s the beginning of a new season. So it makes sense that the venue for this event resides in the world capital of culture — New York City. The analysts sit at their desks with the stage behind them, operating on little sleep, comprehensively analyzing hundreds of draft picks. It’s frantic, it’s raw and it’s full of surprises.
4. Watching The Dreams of Young Men Unfold:
The moment when a former college student becomes a professional is always special. Lifelong dreams are realized at the annual event. Years of hard work culminate when the player’s names are called as they join their new teams. Some of the young men come from less-advantaged upbringings, and being selected in the draft represents more than just an exciting new career… it represents a rare chance at financial stability for their families. What’s even more satisfying though, is realizing that a handful of these young men will be joining your favorite team. More so, you were “there” from the very beginning, because if you’re an NFL fan, you’re undoubtedly following the draft. This new phase of the draftee’s lives could also represent a new era for your team. Being able to watch these player’s dreams come true and knowing that they could make your team better is what makes the NFL draft the best event of them all.
Russell Wilson was only a 3rd round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2012. Now, he’s a Super Bowl champion. (Twitter/@lostletterman)
3. The Draft’s Impact On Your Favorite Team:
Many NFL fans believe that their favorite team is only an upgrade at a position or two away from making a run at the Super Bowl. The draft allows teams to fill their holes with quality, eager young talent. There is no reason not to be overly-optimistic about your favorite team in the spring—every team is tied for first place. Your team just added a handful of prospects who thrived at the collegiate football level and each of them could be great. Will every player pan out? Of course not, no pick is a sure thing, no matter how safe he appears. But the exciting part is that there are late-round gems found seemingly every year in the draft, too. The draft is your team’s chance to finally put it all together and build toward the future. With each draft, your team brings in players that they will count on immediately and ones that they think they can mold for the future. That’s what makes the draft so exciting.
2. The Insane Buildup To The Draft:
The anticipation of waiting to see which players your favorite NFL team will select can be quite overwhelming. Much thought and analysis is given as to which players fit where by a plethora of television networks, radio shows and websites. You’ve seen many of the draftees play ball in college, maybe you even rooted for or against them. But now they’ll be finding new homes in the league that you adore. Maybe you’re one of the NFL fans that researches your team’s needs, watches YouTube highlight videos of the players that the analysts say your team is eyeing. Many fans drool at the prospect of landing the gem of the draft, that player you just know is going to be great. You may even have your team’s first three picks mapped out according to the positions that were sub-par in the prior year. Whether you’re a casual fan or diehard, it’s impossible to ignore the insistent coverage and build up of the draft. The media fixation upon this draft class begins at the Combine and crescendos until draft weekend. That’s what makes the draft larger than any other event in all of sports — the anticipation that’s released when the player’s names are called is what makes it the best.
Will Jadeveon Clowney be the NFL’s next superstar pass rusher? (Twitter/@JoshatTheState)
1. A Glimpse At The Future Of The NFL:
Quite literally, the draft is the first look at the future of the NFL. Nearly all of the impact players in the NFL hear their names called over the loud speaker during the weekend. For NFL enthusiasts, it’s like Christmas in the spring; new gifts are handed out for each NFL fan to be excited about. Remember, there are no busts on draft day, only unbridled potential. The draft is full of memorable moments. The most iconic of these moments are of the draftees holding up their first professional jersey. To NFL fans, that sight never gets old. But what makes it even more special is that more so than any other sport, the NFL’s draft impacts the immediate future of the league. In the NBA there are only two rounds in the draft, thus not nearly as many rookies will make major impacts in the upcoming season. In MLB and the NHL most draft picks are stored away for a few years in farm system leagues. There are no developmental football leagues affiliated with the NFL. Most players who are drafted into the NFL will play in the league; and often times in their rookie season. That is why the NFL Draft is the best event in all of sports—its impact is felt immediately and for years thereafter.