Introduction 

American football is a sport that has made its name over the years. The action, suspense, wins and losses are among the thrills fans share every week as they stay glued to this captivating sport. One of the many faces of the game is its players. Some clubs have grown in strength and points because they purchased some skillful players for their squad. 

Recruitment of new players in the NFL has many avenues, such as free signings, player trades between teams, or getting college players through drafting. The NFL draft is arguably the avenue where most players are recruited into the National Football League. Players to be recruited through drafting must have been deemed eligible to have gone through several pieces of training before D-day. 

The NFL draft is a big event that decides the future of many youngsters from the college division. It is also known as the “Players Selection Meeting”. It is held every year in April for two days between the 32 teams in the league. It is usually held in a sporting arena with thousands of fans cheering as the selection goes on. 

Factors considered before selecting players

The process before being drafted into the NFL is crucial for any upcoming player and the clubs too. The drills are done in front of scouts who use them as a yardstick in deciding who to pick among the vast majority of players. These performances enlist some in the upper category, while others with average performances will be filled in the lower category slots. 

Players from colleges with great football teams seem to have a walk around the park with these drills, but players from smaller schools that are relatively unknown will need an exceptional performance to get drafted. 

1. Medical check

Skills and playing prowess are just as good as a perfect medical record. One of the many things examined at the combine is the players’ health status. If the medical evaluation is negative, the journey to being pro ends before it begins.

Before medical tests are run on each player, a group of experts will demand each player’s medical record for cross-examination and input into a database.

Some medical tests are run on the players, such as an MRI scan and an electrocardiogram (EKG) test to check for cardiovascular-related issues. Then, players will go through a medical and physical exam to check their bones, ligaments, and muscles. There is also a look at players who have previously sustained injuries. 

2. Interviews and background checks 

The interview of players is one major way every player’s personality and psychology are evaluated. These interviews last for about 15 minutes, and their questions are centred around the individual rather than the game of football. Failure at this stage can jeopardize players’ chances of being drafted by the NFL.

A common test all players must take is the Wonderlic test, which is used to access the player’s intelligence and reasoning capabilities. A low score means the player’s aptitude is poor. 

3. Drills and fitness test 

After completing the first two phases, the player moves to the next, which is fitness-based. In this phase, players engage in physical drills before fans. There is also media coverage at this stage for the online audience to get a feel of these upcoming players’ drills. 

Examples of the drills these players take include broad and vertical jump, 60 and 20-yard shuttle, bench press, which is used to test the player’s strength level, 40-yard dash, which is very popular among fans; etc. 

The Green Bay Packers have always been proactive in the NFL draft, and 2023 won’t be any different.

In the 2019 draft, they signed Amos Adrian. So far, Amos has proven to be a wonderful signing throughout many games. Choosing a player can be a deciding factor in a winning or struggling season. 

A good or bad form always takes its toll on fans and sports enthusiasts in betting too on NFL lines, spread, game totals, etc. 

There are many breakout players for the 2023 draft picks, such as Adisa Isaac, Elijah Higgins, Justin Flowe, and Hunter Dekkers, among many others. The commencement of drafting in April will see some of these players go pro with lots of benefits and opportunities.