Draft Day, a special day Right?

For many of us we will never know what it is like to have your name called, now I am not talking about at the DMV or in class I am talking about…well this, “With the first pick in the NFL draft the Carolina Panthers select (insert your name here).” Fact is many of us will not experience the excitement of having our name called as we sit in the green room with our family and friends. For many players it is a dream come true, to know that all the hard work you put in at the high school and college level has finally paid off in this one moment. To know that all those times you thought about giving up, all those times you were mad at the coaches, all those times you struggled have now finally brought you to the doorstep of your dream. It is an event like no other and a time that you will never get again, so it should be celebrated right? It should be a time filled with excitement and elation right? But what if you were asked to not participate in possibly the biggest day of your sports life?

Well rumor has it with the owners and players at odds in the NFL, these top prospects are being asked to boycott the NFL draft. What if you had waited all your life to hear your name called by the commissioner of the National Football League only to be told to not show up? Can you imagine where these young men’s minds must be at? On the one hand if we show up then we are not standing by the players, our brothers and on the other hand if we don’t show up then the whole experience and process of the draft we will never get to enjoy. What a spot to be in for these guys fresh out of college, Welcome to the world of the NFL.

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In my opinion, is it really fair to ask these young top prospects to boycott a time in their life that they will never have again? Is it right for the veterans now to ask these rookies to forgo an unbelievable experience just for the sake of solidarity? I don’t think it is right. These rookies until they sign the contracts they are not NFL players, yes they have talents and abilities that will make them NFL players but right now they are only college kids. Isn’t there another way to show your support? Isn’t there something else these guys can do to let the players know they will stand with them other than missing out on, not only their, but also their family’s big day? You work hard to be in this position and to be considered one of the top prospects to come out of college but is it fair to be blackballed before you even step on an NFL field? A little advice, young fellas you have earned this day enjoy it, with family, friends and your teammates you should not be punished for being the best on the college level, so soak it up. Trust me you have plenty of time to have labor disputes, contract negotiations and legal talk but for now enjoy your moment.

By Sam Adams
Pro Football Fans Staff Writer