2009 NFL Supplemental Draft on July 16

(Philadelphia, Pa)—An event that most fans don’t know about takes place July 16 at 1 p.m. EST as the NFL holds this year’s “Supplemental Draft”. The draft used to be conducted on a conference call but now it is performed via e-mail. All 32 teams will be involved in the three-step, weighted process. Teams with six wins or less in 2008 participate in the first lottery for the top six picks, followed by a second group of non-playoff teams and a third group of the 12 playoff teams from last season. If a team elects to use a supplemental draft pick on one of the eligible prospects, that team will give up its pick in the same round in next April’s draft (2010). We will have to see if any of this year’s 10 players that have applied to the “special” draft for a number of reasons (academics, family obligations, etc.) will garner a pick. But usually the players in this “special “ draft go unselected and an undrafted free agent or AFL/CFL career awaits them. Since the draft’s inception in 1977...