NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced this week that the draft will go on as planned between April 23-25, but teams will make their selections from remote locations. This will present challenges for every franchise and make for one of the most fascinating drafts in modern league history.
In the modern era, each club has scouts working throughout the year at all levels of college football to try and gain an edge.
For Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman, the draft is where he has made his name _ not only by finding contributing players in every round, but also by making draft-day deals to try and acquire more picks.
But as important as any moves Spielman might make this year is how coordinated the front office staff will be in making group decisions.
After the NFL combine, Spielman told me how he usually prepares with his staff for the draft.
"The philosophy I have always is all-inclusive," Spielman said. "I truly believe in having the coaches and scouts and everybody work together. You kind of set the board, set the game plan, and give them direction on what they need to do and how to get there. Then when we come together, everybody is vested. Everybody has an opportunity to speak their mind. Everybody is part of the decisionmaking process."
Coordinating those decisions with several people in different locations will make this a one-of-a-kind draft.
