The NFL have confirmed that the 2022 Draft will be held in Las Vegas, after the city was denied the chance to host the 2020 edition by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Draft is the NFL’s biggest offseason event, seeing a generation of college football talent transition into the professional game, and is usually attended by thousands of fans.
This week’s bonanza was due to coincide with the Raiders franchise relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas, but all public events surrounding the draft were cancelled last month as the Covid-19 outbreak worsened.
Instead, the Draft is being held in a fully virtual format, but league commissioner Roger Goodell announced during Thursday night’s first round that Vegas had been awarded hosting rights for 2022, saying the city ‘deserved another shot’. The 2021 Draft is due to be held in Cleveland, Ohio.
In typical fashion, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden sprung several surprises on the first night of the Draft, using the 12thoverall pick to select Alabama wide-receiver Henry Ruggs over the highly-rated pair of Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb.
He then added Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette, not widely considered a first-round prospect, with the 19th pick.
