If you’re like me, you enjoy watching the NFL Draft more than an actual pro football game.
It’s like Christmas morning in April for each team’s front office, coaching staff and fan base. All 32 teams get their turn in unwrapping a present that will turn their fortunes around or sustain their success — in theory, that is.
Especially the first round.
Especially the first 10 picks, which are awarded in the order of their futility the previous season — from worst, the Tennessee Titans, to first, the Super Bowl champions.
Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles will pick last, which sets up intriguing possibilities.
Trade later-round picks to move up on the board, perhaps snatching one of the top 10 or 15 collegiate players in the country?
Trade their 32nd slot for a couple of Round 2 slots (because you can select more or less the same caliber of player by that late hour Thursday night)?
The NFL has turned the draft into a huge party, holding it in different cities. A few years ago, it was held outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This year, starting Thursday evening (get your popcorn ready), it will be held at Lambeau Field, the fabled home of the Green Bay Packers.
It’s a true made-for-television event.
If you’ve watched the draft, you’ve seen the camera home in on a group of guys in their team’s jerseys (or wearing the colors on their faces) reacting to each of their team’s pick. The way they celebrate their team’s selection of a defensive back at pick No. 120 in the first round makes you raise an eyebrow.
Did they even know the player’s name before then?
On Thursday night, I’m going to be one of those nuts (sans the face paint). I consider myself a Berks County delegate for this national convention that will, if things go their way, ensure a repeat championship and possibly more.
I more or less decided last April that I was going to the 2025 draft. My older brother lives in Wisconsin, not far from Green Bay, so it’s my fate, if you will.
The Eagles, led by General Manager Howie Roseman, have had great success in the draft in recent years, especially last year’s, which propelled the team to its third Super Bowl appearance since 2017 and second Lombardi Trophy.
Roseman, who literally grew up in the Eagle organization, always learns from his mistakes. He has heeded the lessons from the disastrous 2020 draft.
In that draft, Roseman and company chose a group of athletes. They could run fast and jump high, but none, it turned out, could play the game of football very well.
Except one. In the second round, they chose a quarterback who didn’t figure to have much of a role on the team except backing up starter Carson Wentz.
His name is Jalen Hurts. You may have heard of him.
Source: Berkshire mont
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