The 2020 NFL Draft is about three weeks away. The New York Giants hold the fourth overall pick. This is their third straight season picking inside the top-ten. It is a crucial draft that general manager Dave Gettleman needs to get right in order to keep his job.
The pre-draft process has been hindered greatly for NFL teams this offseason. The world pandemic COVID-19 (coronavirus) has put a halt on the entire sports world. NFL teams have not been able to travel around the country to conduct pre-draft interviews, workouts, and medical exams.
To make matters even more challenging, NFL teams are not allowed to get their personnel together to discuss draft plans. Crowds of ten or more people have been outlawed by the White House in an effort to reduce community spread of the virus. This means that the 2020 NFL Draft will be conducted virtually.
The New Virtual Draft Format
The 2020 NFL Draft will be unlike any draft we have ever seen before. NFL teams will not all be gathering in one location this year. In fact, team personnel will not all be gathering in one location this year. The 2020 NFL Draft is going to be completely virtual with team front office members working from home and communicating via Zoom, Skype, or other technological communication formats.
This is where Dave Gettleman’s infamous “computer folk” come in to play. The Giants will need to set up a foolproof online drafting and communication method. If general manager Dave Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge cannot even be in the same room for the NFL Draft, then they will need to have crispy clear communication methods to remain on the same page and draft the team’s most desired players.
Additionally, the computer folk will also be tasked with ensuring the Giants have no issues communicating with other NFL teams. The NFL Draft typically features an abundance of trades and the Giants are in prime position as a trade-down candidate. New York will need to make sure their communication across the league is feasible and puts them in a position to field the best trade offers and make the best trade offers possible.