EA Sports to Create Virtual Interactions With Roger Goodell for NFL Draft Prospects Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
By Mark Powell
It's moments like those posted above -- with Christian Wilkins going for a full body slam with Roger Goodell -- that will undoubtedly be missing from 2020's NFL Draft.
Players will celebrate from home in the biggest moments of their sporting careers, and while that may anger some, it's absolutely essential. The only way we can fight the COVID-19 outbreak is to avoid mass gatherings, and as fun as the NFL Draft is, it would endanger the lives of future players, executives and fans.
EA Sports and the NFL are teaming up to make the most of a tough situation, and will provide draftees with a virtual experience of their choosing to enjoy the moment they've all been waiting for.
More: Players are asked to provide a description for EA of how they’d want to interact with the Commissioner on stage — the Danny Shelton, perhaps the Christian Wilkins, or maybe @MelvinIngram. https://t.co/5sDVhs5Ejs
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 3, 2020
Thankfully, the players will get complete control over their user experience, just as they would if the Draft were taking place in Vegas as originally planned.
Sure, it'll look off to some fans, but the Draft is as much about the players and (forgive the pun) user experience as it is the supporters of all 32 teams.
“We lost 58,000 people in Vietnam over 9 years. This virus is going to take more people in a matter of weeks than the Vietnam war did in 9 years. And we are talking about putting on a draft.”
— Golic and Wingo (@GolicAndWingo) April 3, 2020
-@AdamSchefter on having the NFL Draft during the apex of the Coronavirus pandemic. pic.twitter.com/ZbzZQwurom
Safety is always most important, but give the NFL and EA Sports some credit for making this as realistic and normal as possible for the 2020 draft class.