Goodell: NFL draft can bring people together, help restore hope

theScore is offering fans the chance to win $5,000 USD with our Top 10 Draft Contest!* Correctly predict the first 10 draft picks in the order they're called to win.

Commissioner Roger Goodell believes proceeding with the 2020 NFL Draft is the right thing to do as people look to the league "for optimism" amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"They look to us for bringing communities together. I think the draft is a great example of that, with restoring hope," Goodell said on Wednesday's edition of "Get Up," according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert. "It's hope for our fans. It's hope for our teams. It's hope for our players, for these young men who are about to start their careers as prospects and players in the NFL.

"That's what this is all about, and I think we need those diversions. I think we need that focus on the future and that way to bring communities together. I think we'll be able to do that for the next three days, and then we'll focus on the future immediately after that."

The draft, which runs Thursday to Saturday, will be a fully virtual enterprise after the NFL canceled all public events in Las Vegas in response to the coronavirus.

It was initially believed the NFL would postpone the draft after the general manager subcommittee unanimously recommended that course of action, but Goodell and Co. have pushed forward.

Teams are preparing to make their selections remotely with club facilities closed league-wide, while Goodell will announce every first-round pick from the basement of his home in New York.

*Terms and conditions apply. The contest is open to legal residents of the United States (excluding Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico) and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are of legal age. Void where prohibited. For official contest rules, visit https://thesco.re/Top10Draft2.