The NFL Draft Should Be Moved to Skype: Unchecked

The 2020 NFL draft should happen in April. Partner with a popular virtual teleconferencing company.

Update: This has been Unchecked. The NFL Draft will happen virtually.

The NFL draft should be moved to Zoom or Skype or something similar. If there’s any event that could go on as planned, sort of, it has to be the NFL draft. I don’t need to see anyone shake Roger Goodell’s hand, though.

General managers are reportedly concerned that some teams will have to conduct the draft from home. The entire draft should be done from home with the help of one of the popular virtual teleconferencing companies.

The league should be separate from the teams who should be separate from each other who should be separate from the players. And it certainly would be feasible from a broadcast standpoint. How do you think I’m conducting interviews right now? Spoiler alert: Not in the office.

General managers are worried there won't be enough time for player physicals, psychological testing and getting other information. Well, sorry, sometimes you have to deal with circumstances. Besides, we’ve all seen some of the pre-draft questions that get asked. The world can do without those.

And there’s no reason much of that can’t be approximated remotely. For instance, I can see in this video that Baker Mayfield doesn’t have the proper form on a pushup.

There’s also the notion that doing the draft now is tone-deaf. I completely disagree. As someone who is taking the coronavirus pandemic very seriously, I think many of us would love for sports to give us some sort of solace, as long as they can happen safely. For proof of that look at the fervor around NFL free agency.

It’s OK if teams are on the clock, just with everyone involved in a different box.