The NFL is taking steps toward a return to normalcy with the draft the city of Cleveland is hosting tonight through Saturday in Cleveland. Some prospects and fans are being allowed to attend the festivities going on by the shores of Lake Erie.
The draft is the NFL’s most popular event other than the Super Bowl and opening day. After last year's event in Las Vegas was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league went all virtual. It's back on the road in Cleveland -- with a three-day event that signals a step forward in the sport's effort to get back to normal.
The draft has grown into one of America's biggest, non-game sporting events. Thousands of fans who attend in person will be separated by their loyalties, and whether they've been vaccinated.
The draft will be the first major outdoor event since the virus altered lives in 2020. Commissioner Roger Goodell will once again welcome draft picks with hearty hugs and he'll hear some boos from masked fans in front of a large stage erected by the league near FirstEnergy Stadium and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
