2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland to Feature Select In-Person Prospects, Fans

A select number of prospects will be invited to attend the 2021 NFL draft set in Cleveland, the NFL announced on Monday.

Peter O'Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business and league events, told the Sports Business Journal that the number of prospects invited to attend will be “not too far off from what it’s been in recent years.” 

In 2018, 22 prospects were present at the draft while in 2019, 23 prospects were present.

Additional prospects will be able to participate remotely from their homes around the country.

The NFL draft will be held across three locations in downtown Cleveland, including FirstEnergy Stadium. The main stage of the event will be set against Lake Erie, where commissioner Roger Goodell will announce picks and where attendance will be limited to invited, vaccinated guests.

Club personnel involved in the selection process will be allowed to gather in a draft room of their choosing, with cameras placed in teams' draft rooms, according to the SBJ. 

"We greatly appreciate the continued collaboration by the NFL, local and state government officials and medical experts who are all focused on creating a memorable and safe experience and we are also extremely encouraged by the state of Ohio's vaccination rates and advancements that are allowing us to make the progress needed to return to a safe and more normal environment," Browns managing and principal partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. 

The 2021 NFL draft begins on April 29 and runs through May 1.