Everything You Need To Know About the NFL Draft in Philadelphia
By Faith Johnson ••
NBC10’s Vai Sikahema talks to Julie Coker Graham, the president and CEO of The Philadelphia Conventions and Visitors Bureau, about everything that is expected to happen surrounding the NFL Draft on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
The 2017 NFL Draft is quickly approaching in the City of Brotherly Love.
What a better way to welcome the newest NFL members than the first ever outdoor ceremony at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
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This is what the finished stage on the Ben Franklin Parkway will look like on April 27th.
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Fans will have the opportunity to enter a raffle to score coveted seats in the NFL Draft 'theater."
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The NFL Draft Experience will open to the public on Thursday, April 27th, featuring exclusive NFL access, interactive exhibits, and games.
NFL
The draft will transform the parkway into a light show, where fans can visit interactive pillars to learn more about all 32 NFL teams.
A closer view of the pillars where you can learn about the teams.
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This side view showcases the grand stage that is being constructed on the Rocky Steps.
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The Combine Corner: this is where fans can test their skills in events like the 40-yard dash and the vertical jump. It also features events with NFL players and flag football competitions.
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This map released by the NFL will help you navigate through all the draft-day exhibits.
Did you know? The very first NFL Draft occurred in Philadelphia on February 8th in 1935 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. At that time the football league only had nine teams.
Since the mid-1930’s the NFL has now added 23 more teams to their roster.
The 2017 Draft consists of seven rounds over the course three days, where 32 teams will have one draft pick per round.
City of Philadelphia
City of Philadelphia
Partial closures on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway for the upcoming NFL Draft in Philadelphia are underway. Check out our visual guide to all of the closures.
City of Philadelphia
The production setup for the NFL Draft Experience began on April 5.
City of Philadelphia
Phase 1 of the closures began Monday and will last until May 7. Spring Garden Street westbound closed at Pennsylvania Avenue. The right two lanes of Eakins Oval in front of the Art Museum steps closed for the building of the theater. The westbound center roadway of Benjamin Franklin Parkway maintained two lanes from 20th Street to Eakins Oval. The left lane of Benjamin Franklin Parkway closed from East Eakins Oval to Spring Garden St. and continues to southbound Kelly Drive, where it opened up to three travel lanes. Southbound Kelly Drive dropped one lane between 25th St. and Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
City of Philadelphia
Phase 2 began on April 19 and lasts until May 2. Inner lanes of the Parkway will be closed from Eakins Oval to 20th Street.
City of Philadelphia
Phase 3 of the closures begins on April 24 at 7 p.m. and will last until May 1 at 5 a.m. Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be closed from 20th Street to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Martin Luther King Drive will remain open to 24th Street. Eastbound Spring Garden Street will remain open from 31st Street to 24th Street. Kelly Drive will be closed at Fairmount Avenue with traffic detoured onto Fairmount Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue.
City of Philadelphia
Phase 4 of the road closures will begin on April 25 at 12:01 a.m. and last until May 1 at 5 a.m. CLICK HERE to see the full list of Phase 4 closures.
City of Philadelphia
Phase 4 of the road closures will begin on April 25 at 12:01 a.m. and last until May 1 at 5 a.m. CLICK HERE to see the full list of Phase 4 closures.
City of Philadelphia
City officials say 49 flags on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be temporarily replaced by NFL team banners during the NFL Draft Experience. The city's Public Property Department will handle the installation and removal. They have not yet revealed the exact date for the replacement but say it will take place close to the event date.
After winning a coin toss with the Indianapolis Colts the Philadelphia Eagles with pick 14th.
The timeline of events start Thursday, April 27.
The first round of the draft will begin at 8 p.m. where each team will have 10 minutes to select their pick.
Friday, April 28, the second and third rounds of the draft will start after 7 p.m. Teams will only have between 5-7 minutes to announce their picks.
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The future has arrived. The Eagles traded up to select Wentz second overall, snagging their only 1st round QB since they took Donavan McNabb. Despite some growing pains, Wentz did not disappoint. The rookie led the Birds to a 3-0 start and finished the season with 3,782 passing yards with 16 TDs, setting the franchise record for most pass attempts by a rookie.
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The Eagles selected the speedster out of USC with the 20th overall pick in 2015. Agholor heard the boos from Birds fans this past season after drops and penalties plagued his performance. He finished the season with only 365 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He has yet to catch for more than 400 yards in a season, or play in all 16 games.
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It has taken time for the Eagles 2014 first round pick to grow into the pass rusher the organization had imagined. Smith was limited to just 8 games his rookie year, and recorded only 16 total tackles this past season.
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Johnson has been a force since the Eagles took him four years ago, but has faced his share of trouble off the field. Before his rookie year, he tested positive for PEDs and was suspended for four games. After signing a six year contract in October of 2016, Johnson again found himself suspended, this time for 10 games due to another PED violation. He returned to finish the season, and will be a key factor to protect Carson Wentz in the future.
The Eagles traded up to grab Fletcher Cox 12th five years go. He has been a staple of the Birds defensive line, starting in all 16 games the past four years. Cox was named to the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons. In 2015, he emerged as a star with a career year, making 104 tackles with 9.5 sacks. He currently ranks 5th in Eagles history for sacks by interior lineman, racking up 28.5 during his career so far.
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Watkins was not the player the Eagles hoped he could become. At 26 years old, he was the oldest first round pick since 1971. After injuries limited his performance, the Eagles released Watkins before the 2013 season. After one year with the Dolphins, he reportedly retired from the NFL in 2014 to become a firefighter in Frisco, Texas.
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It took some time, but Graham cemented himself as one of the Eagle’s defensive leaders this past season. He moved to defensive end under new coordinator Jim Schwartz, where he learned to thrive. Graham played in all 16 games and registered 64 tackles with 5.5 sacks, and 14 tackles for loss. He was named a first team All-Pro in 2016 for his performance.
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Maclin was one of the Eagles’ top receivers during his 5 year tenure in Philadelphia. In 2010, Maclin broke the Eagles record for receiving yards in a playoff game, when he racked up 146 yards and a touchdown. As the primary receiver in 2014, Maclin caught 85 passes for 1,318 yards and 10 TDs and was a late addition to the Pro Bowl. Maclin signed a five year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2016 season, where he has caught 131 passes over the last two years.
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After trading their first round pick in 2008, Laws was the Eagle’s first selection. He appeared in 10 or more games in 2008-2011, but never made more than 20 tackles in a season. He signed with St. Louis for the 2012 season, but did not see the field and has since retired from the NFL.
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Kolb played sporadically behind Donavan McNabb during his first three season, and took the starting role when McNabb was traded to the Redskins in 2010. However, he suffered a concussion in the season opener and split time with Vick throughout the season. He spent the next two years on the Arizona Cardinals and then a year on the Buffalo Bills before enduring another concussion which ultimately led him to retire in 2014.
The seventh and final round of the draft will begin at noon on Saturday where teams will have only 4 minutes to choose their players.
How did the 2017 NFL Draft end up in Philadelphia?
Our city was chosen out of 31 cities that applied to host the renowned event. As part of the application process, the city had to submit a written proposal for the NFL Draft.
