The NFL Draft will proceed as scheduled later this month, but the event will have a much different look and feel than past years due to the coronavirus pandemic. Prospects who are drafted won’t be able to walk across the stage to shake commissioner Roger Goodell’s hand, but EA Sports is going to make it so those players know what it would look like if they did.
EA Sports is working with the NFL to create a virtual draft experience, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. The video game manufacturer has been asking players for a description of how they want to be portrayed while interacting with the commissioner after hearing their name called.
More: Players are asked to provide a description for EA of how they’d want to interact with the Commissioner on stage — the Danny Shelton, perhaps the Christian Wilkins, or maybe @MelvinIngram. https://t.co/5sDVhs5Ejs
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 3, 2020
It’s still unclear what the actual draft is going to look like, but the NFL is intent on not postponing it. There has been concern that teams in cities under more strict government restrictions could be at a competitive disadvantage, but Goodell sent a memo to all teams asking them to conduct draft operations at a location outside their team facility to maintain a level playing field.
Having virtual depictions of players walking across the stage will be a nice touch, but teams are still angry that the draft is proceeding as scheduled. Goodell has essentially put a gag order on anyone who has an issue with it.
