NFL’s first virtual draft provides viral moments with new players

The league's first draft in the age of social distancing provided some funny moments

Apr 24, 2020
In this still image from video provided by the NFL, CeeDee Lamb, third from right, talks on a phone after being selected by the Dallas Cowboys during the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft on April 23, 2020. (Photo by NFL via Getty Images)

The first virtual NFL draft got started Thursday night for the first of three round of selections. While future superstars often do go in the first round, they sometimes show up in later rounds as well.

Antonio Brown, the now embattled former Pittsburgh Steeler/Oakland Raider/New England Patriot and now the unemployed wide receiver, is a prime example as he was chosen in the sixth round.

READ MORE: NFL player Malcolm Jenkins tells Black community not to rely on government for COVID-19 help 

Ryan Russell

NFL free agent Ryan Russell was given an award at the annual Gay Times Honours 500 in London three months after publicly coming out as bisexual. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Though we don’t yet know who will be an NFL star or bust, or even if an NFL season will start on time at all due to the coronavirus pandemic, we do know that a few potential stars couldn’t be in the league for five minutes before creating some viral moments.

Because the draft was virtual, players were pictures in their own homes, instead of where we usually see them suited up at whatever arena the draft is held in each year. But this year, players dressed down for the most part. We were able to be nosy and see quite a few homes of recruits, coaches, and general managers.

This casual atmosphere led to some inadvertently funny viral moments.

Oklahoma star CeeDee Lamb, a wide receiver who was the 17th pick for the Dallas Cowboys provided one when his girlfriend appeared to grab one of his two phones – and he quickly grabbed it back, while his mother gave him a side-eye.

Sorry to say, that might not be the only time she’s going to have a phone-snatching moment as football players aren’t exactly well-known for their fidelity to one woman.

 


And the internets are quick – they’ve already sussed out that Lamb’s girlfriend, who goes by the Twitter name Crymson Rose, previously dated Atlanta Hawks player Trae Young who also went to Oklahoma. At least Lamb was quick to quash the rumors, via his Twitter account.

And prompting Rose to respond as well:

 


Although Young retweeted the phone-grab he didn’t seem mad at anyone:

 

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Now on to Georgia’s Isaiah Wilson, whose mother and girlfriend provided another viral moment. The offensive lineman’s draft call came from the Tennessee Titans with the 29th pick. When he put the team’s hat on, his girlfriend took the time to give him a big hug, somewhat blocking the new Titan. Well, his Moms (at least we think it was her) Sharese Wilson, was not feeling his girlfriend stepping on her son’s moment and forcibly removed her from her son’s lap.

 

Well, we now know where he gets his strength from. And he was raised in Brooklyn, so there’s that.

So far, no response from Team Wilson.

Wishing both these young men luck in the NFL, but perhaps they’ve already learned their most important lesson – social media is ruthless.

 

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