Only 17 Players Set To Attend NFL Draft; Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Anthony Richardson & Will Levis Among Them

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Attending the NFL Draft used to be a dream for players. But in recent years, attendance has been shrinking. For the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City, only 17 players are going to be there in person. Quarterbacks Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis are four of them, however.

In 2020, with COVID restricting all gatherings, the NFL held a virtual draft. No players attended and Commissioner Roger Goodell hosted from his basement.

In 2021, the league returned to a more normal draft, but only 13 players attended the rain-soaked NFL Draft in Cleveland.

Last year, things seemed to return to normal. Twenty-one players attended, but that probably had something to do with the NFL Draft being located in Las Vegas.

Comic ventriloquist and impressionist Terry Fator performs during round five of the 2022 NFL Draft on April 30, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Comic ventriloquist and impressionist Terry Fator performs during round five of the 2022 NFL Draft on April 30, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

This year, just 17 eligible prospects will attend in person. It's the second-fewest attendees since 2010.

This year's list includes Young, Stroud, Richardson and Levis along with other presumed top picks Will Anderson, Jalen Carter, Bijan Robinson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Joey Porter Jr, among others.

Full list below:

Not too long ago, players dreamed of attending the event, hearing their names called, and shaking hands with Commissioner Goodell.

Generally, there were never fewer than 20 players in attendance. The NFL saw a record 30 players attend in 2014. Between 2014 and 2019, no fewer than 22 players attended in person.

But we're in a new era and age with virtual technology and fewer and fewer players choose to attend.

It's kind of sad, really. Part of the greatness of the NFL Draft is seeing players make their way up to the stage, shaking the commissioner's hand and holding up their new jerseys.

But that's just part of the deal now, apparently.

And, if the NFL thinks attendance is bad this year, just wait until next year's NFL Draft in Detroit.

The decision to move the NFL Draft's location each year began in 2014 with that record-breaking attendance. Since then, though, it's been on a bit of a downturn.

Perhaps the lights of New York City were more of a draw to these players than the league realized.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stands at the podium during the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 25, 2013 in New York City.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stands at the podium during the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 25, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Las Vegas certainly represented a strong location choice, but Kansas City, Cleveland and Detroit aren't exactly destinations for young men in their early 20s.

The NFL needs to think long and hard about the locale for the 2025 NFL Draft, which has yet to be decided.

They took the Pro Bowl out of Hawaii, what about putting the draft there?

Or how about somewhere like Miami? Even a return to New York would represent an upgrade.

Or maybe they don't care about players attending.

Their choice of venues certainly supports that theory.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to OutKick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named "Brady" because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.