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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL Draft has not been expected to proceed as normal, but there have still been questions surrounding how it will exactly be conducted. Now, we officially know how the draft will take place. League commissioner Roger Goodell released a memo to teams informing them that the draft will be "fully virtual". In addition, all team facilities will remain closed indefinitely in compliance with government mandates.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell just informed clubs in a memo that club facilities will remain closed indefinitely and the league will conduct a “fully virtual” draft, with club personnel separately located in their homes. pic.twitter.com/28t2kNnLAI
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 6, 2020
According to the memo, club personnel will communicate with each other and the draft headquarters remotely from their separate homes. The changes make it strikingly similar to a fantasy football draft.
This news is not a surprising. On April 4th, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that multiple teams were already preparing to conduct the draft virtually from home.
High-level officials from multiple NFL teams are now preparing to do the April 23-25 draft virtually, from home, away from their team facilities, league sources tell ESPN. Awaiting final decision from NFL on an unprecedented draft.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 4, 2020
Front offices will have to adjust quickly to holding the draft remotely. The new set of conditions could affect communication, in particular.
The 2020 NFL Draft will officially begin on April 23rd.