The stay-at-home draft will include plenty of prospects participating in the draft from their homes.
Per a league source, the NFL plans to distribute technology kits to prospects who will be participating in the draft (the league has announced that 58 will be involved) for the purposes of joining the broadcast of the 2020 draft. And the goal will be to have prospects participate over all three days of the draft.
Each prospect’s home will have an “always on” camera aimed at creating a virtual green room, along with a separate interview camera. The camera will record the celebration upon selection, with the prospect then making his way to the camera by “simulating his walk tl the stage” at the draft.
Once at the camera, the prospect will interact with the Commissioner.
The NFL also has advised prospects to comply with relevant guidelines regarding the persons in the house for the draft, with the league “strongly” discouraging the presence of anyone who hasn’t been living in the same household with the prospect.
So what happens if the always-on camera reveals the prospect has a full house of people who haven’t been living in the house, with fewer than six feet between the bodies? Although the NFL hasn’t addressed that issue, last year the league made it clear that players wouldn’t be shown on camera if sponsorship or brand logos appear anywhere in the shot. If the league will take those kinds of measures to protect its corporate relationships, here’s hoping the league will choose to protect the general population by not showing images of gatherings that demonstrate an increased risk of the virus spreading.