It’s one of the time-honored traditions at the . A team announces the player it has chosen with its first-round pick. Beaming with pride , the prospect makes his way to the stage and slips on his new team’s ball cap. He strides to the lectern, greets commissioner Roger Goodell with a bear hug and, together, the two men hold up the draft pick’s crisp, new No. 1 jersey for the cameras and everyone watching in person or on television.
So what gives? Why are more prospects declining to attend the draft this year? Five sources, who work in the NFL and NFL Players Association or represent players, cited numerous reasons for prospects declining to attend the draft in person. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they didn’t want to publicly share a prospect’s reasons for not attending.