The NFL Draft isn't just a draft: it's a five-ring circus. It's dragged out over the course of three days (Thursday through Saturday), and there is a huge list of scheduled media events the entire time. It takes place in the ritzy Radio City Music Hall, and it's covered by news outlets like the sports equivalent of the British Royal Wedding. That might be a bit of a hyperbolic comparison, but not by much.
↵So yes, with this article we're only helping to feed the mass media frenzy surrounding the draft. But while most local coverage has been focused on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their first-round selection, there's another local Florida story that's been largely neglected: Mike Pouncey.
↵Pouncey is a local player who went to high school in Lakeland and college at the University of Florida. He played this past season as Florida's center, but he has past experience at guard and he's worked this off season to show teams he can play both positions. He's currently the best football prospect in Florida, and he's widely considered one of the best center/guard prospects in the upcoming draft. He'll probably be a late first round selection, with mock drafts placing him as high as 15th and as low as 27th.
↵Mike Pouncey will attend the first round in person on Thursday night, and here's hoping he goes high and gets a nice signing bonus. As a local player, it's tough to root against him.
↵