It's my first time watching an NFL draft and am finding myself constantly comparing with what usually happens in NHL drafts.
I've been watching for the last hour or so and like the format. "The pick is in" on the center screen is effective, the commish announcing the picks on his own also works (except for a special pick announcement by someone from the Steelers) and the players who are in attendance, don't leave their seats.
It's also quite a different presentation when they show the player and his highlights, once he's been drafted. Some of guys are really laid back and have a sense of humor. Some of them are shirtless and heavily tatooed and break some moves, adding entertainment to the process.
The configuration of the space is also interesting, with fans so close to center stage and some of them accompanied by cheerleaders, pom poms, slick logos and accessories -- it feels professional. I also like when the camera breaks to a group away from the arena, that is cheering for the selection.
You see a lot of players who were just taken, taking it easy, talking on their cellphones while those around them are showing much more emotion than they are. Most of them are just taking in the moment, barely acknowledging the camera.
Seems to me there is a better flow to the proceedings than what we typically see with NHL drafts -- this whole parade of owners, management types and their friends and families waiting on stage for the selected player to shake everyone's hand is a nice touch but I wonder if it really is necessary, when you how well the NFL draft flows.
What was also funny were fan reactions. The group supporting the Baltimore Ravens had the oddest reaction upon the announcement of their team's pick -- you could see one guy mouth off "who?", looking to fellow fans for approval as it were, and then other fans from the same group looking at each other with a blank stare, confused about the selected player but then erupting nonetheless in a celebration as if they had just realized that the camera was on them and they didn't want to look like they weren't supporting their team. Lots of entertaining moments.