Share and Follow
The stars of this year’s NFL Draft made a striking entrance on the red carpet Thursday evening, gearing up for what promises to be a defining moment in their careers.
Over the next three days, 257 aspiring NFL players will see their dreams materialize as their names are announced. However, Thursday night highlights the crème de la crème, as the top prospects take center stage.
Sixteen of these elite athletes will be present at the event, ready to share a celebratory moment with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in the form of an iconic hug on stage.
Anticipation was palpable hours before the Las Vegas Raiders were set to make the first pick. In Pittsburgh, the young athletes showcased their sartorial flair, donning exquisite suits and sharing the jubilant occasion with family and friends.
Among them, running back Jeremiyah Love stood out not only for his talent, which has many pegging him as the draft’s standout, but also for his unique suit jacket lining — adorned with images capturing his memorable achievements at Notre Dame.
Love posed for pictures with his parents, L’Tonya and Jason, before they put their hands together to form a love heart.
Running back Jeremiyah Love revealed a stunning custom-made suit for the NFL Draft
Love posed with both of his parents on the red carpet, who formed a heart with their hands
Texas Tech linebacker David Bailey poses with members of his family hours before the draft
Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles is expected to command a top-10 pick on Thursday night
Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson poses on the red carpet with lots of teams interested
Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate oozed cool in a cropped beige suit jacket
Love wore a brown jacquard suit with a white shirt and matching brown tie. Attention was drawn to his necklace, however, which boasted some bold pendants.
Speaking of bold jewellery, Alabama offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor showed off his dental diamonds on the red carpet.
Texas Tech linebacker David Bailey and Sonny Styles of Ohio State both kept it simple with tuxedos, while Rueben Bain Jr. looked smart in a full brown suit.
Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson kept it casual with a jacket over a white shirt and black tie, while fellow receiver Carnell Tate oozed cool in a cropped beige suit jacket which had his mom and sisters’ names inside.
But one man who won’t be there is the Raiders’ expected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
He is spending the night with his family in Miami. His mother, Elsa Mendoza, has multiple sclerosis so traveling is difficult.
After Mendoza, there is little certainty as to where the draft could go.
The biggest question is who goes No. 2 to the New York Jets between Ohio State’s Arvell Reese or Texas Tech’s David Bailey, who are considered the two best edge rushers in the draft.
After Mendoza, it could be a while until another quarterback is selected. Alabama’s Ty Simpson is expected to be the next one. He’s among the group of players in attendance and there’s a chance he might have to wait until Round 2 on Friday night.
Alabama offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor showed off his dental diamonds on the red carpet
Ty Simpson is the second best quarterback in this year’s class but it’s unclear where he’ll go
Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. signs an autograph ahead of the biggest night of his life
The first round should be about an hour faster than it’s been because the time between picks was shortened from 10 minutes to eight minutes.
One year after every team entered the draft with a first-round pick for the first time since the start of the common draft in 1967, there has been plenty of picks moving, with the latest coming when Cincinnati sent the 10th pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence.
The teams other than the Giants with multiple first-rounders are the New York Jets, Cleveland, Kansas City, Miami and Dallas.
The teams without a first-rounder are Cincinnati, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Green Bay, Jacksonville and Denver.
Barring a trade, the Jaguars won’t make a pick in the first round for the first time since entering the NFL in 1995 thanks to the deal during last year’s draft to move up to pick Travis Hunter second overall.