James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
One of the cool things about the NFL Draft is the way the league continues to find new ways to keep the draft interesting. Whether it’s bringing it to a new venue or putting it on in primetime, the league just seems to push all the right buttons. I really enjoy one of the newest traditions that allow former players to announce draft picks after the first round.
It’s a nice way to keep former players in the league’s good graces and it gives the fans someone better to watch than Commissioner Roger Goodell announce a pick. These former players tend to bring a more fun approach to announcing the pick and I loved last year’s draft when the Dallas Cowboys had former tough guy defensive tackle Chad Hennings announced the Cowboys third round pick last year. It was awesome to hear Hennings say: “With the 81st pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, ‘America’s Team,’ the Dallas Cowboys selects…Tyrone Crawford.” Man that was priceless, especially to do it in New York made it even cooler.
In the 2013 Draft, the Cowboys second round pick will be announced by another former defensive tackle, Tony Casillas. Casillas played with the Cowboys for four years and won two Super Bowls with Dallas in the early 1990′s. I’m guessing, like Hennings before him, Casillas will get booed when they introduce him being a representative of the Dallas Cowboys but I hope he says the same thing that Hennings did.
Having former NFL players announce picks by their former team is a great idea by the league and I enjoy the new tradition that’s been set as part of the NFL Draft.
Ben is a Cowboys writer for www.Rantsports.com and you can chat with or follow Ben on twitter @BenGrimaldi
