Is the NFL setting players up for green room embarassment?
It was recently announced that 10 players have been invited to New York City to attend the NFL Draft.
Those asked to be in the green room were Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford, Virginia tackle Eugene Monroe, Mississippi tackle Michael Oher, Baylor tackle Jason Smith, Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree, Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry, Southern California linebacker Brian Cushing and Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo.
Southern California quarterback Mark Sanchez declined the invitation citing time issues.
So that leaves one player: Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman.
The first nine are understandable. All are almost locks as first-round picks. But Freeman? I know that, unlike in the SB Nation writers mock, Freeman should go on the first day of the draft. I’m not, however, sure he’s a first-round pick.
That could mean there will be plenty of shots of Freeman sitting with his family and agent in the green room just waiting to be selected. Remember how excruciating it was seeing Aaron Rodgers or Brady Quinn moping in the green room?
It makes you wonder why the NFL would invite the most players it has since the 1996 draft. Or why Freeman, or even Oher and Cushing, would accept the invitation. There’s not much a player can get out of actually being in the draft room, other than some exposure on television.
On the plus side, being the last person in the green room means plenty of consolling from Suzie Kolber!
