2025 NFL Draft Thoughts
Well, where do I start.
Initially, I set off for Green Bay as the Washington Commanders International Fan of The Year (IFOTY), weary eyed and lacking sleep the journey started with a 2.5-hour pit stop to pick up Scouse Andy Lockhart and head to Manchester Airport.
All checked in we headed for a coffee in departures and waiting for the 9-hour flight to Atlanta. The flight went quicker than I thought it would after a few hours sleep on board we got into what can be described as chaos at immigration, TSA. 45 minutes in the queue and a few questions as to why I had Arabic stamps in my passport we were through and on US soil. It started to feel real now.
A 5-hour layover and rest stop I am starting to feel floaty and the jet lag has kicked in. We boarded the final 2-hour flight to Green Bay. A nice announcement from the crew that we had International Fans of the Year on board and we were asked to stand to get applause (very embarrassing).
We arrived in Green Bay at 00:20 and arrived at the Tundra Lodge at 01:00 in what can only be described as a hotel from Planes, trains and Automobiles, the 70’s called and what their hotel back. In all honesty it was a place to rest and wasn’t bad.
Day 1 – Wednesday
A few hours later 05:00 and I am wide awake, Scouse is flat out catching up on his beauty sleep. My body clock is all over the place after the 27-hour journey. I open my phone and some of the other British and Irish IFOTY are getting breakfast. We just in an Uber and I explore the Pancake Place with Jamie and Darron the Jaguars IFOTY nominees. Mid-West breakfast is superb and the welcome was something special.
Fuelled up we walked round the very small town and found absolutely nothing apart from Green Bay Packers fans everywhere you look.
Back at the hotel we prepared for a Q&A session with the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. We were able to meet other IFOTY and a few beers deep and lots of pleasantries except the Eagles nominee (more on him later).
The Q&A was a nice event we had time for photos with the Commissioner but the questions were woeful. We wanted hard hitting questions answered about expanded franchises rosters or 18 games, not what’s your favourite sausage or are the Lions coming to Germany.
I collected my prize possession, the International Fan of the Year Jersey and met the Commanders representative Leigh, who was superb and I can’t say enough about.
I have no itinerary and tickets or idea what’s going on. I was going off the UK Browns fans itinerary and hoping it was the same. Within 5 minutes of Leigh arriving everything was given to me and it suddenly became real that I am representing the franchise in one of the biggest events of the year.
The same cant be said for all fans. The Ravens IFOTY Toby and his wife had travelled from Brisbane, Australia 36 hours and didn’t have anything no fan package, no fan rep to meet him, no tickets, absolutely nothing. It was that bad I saw Tony that evening in the lobby having checked out and waiting for an Uber to go home.
I contacted Leigh, and asked if there was anything she could do for him and his wife as it wouldn’t be right to travel all this way and just go. Toby got everything he needed courtesy of the Commanders, its always nice to help out your little brothers from the DMV.
Day 2 – Thursday Draft Day 1.
We woke up and after a swift hotel breakfast we headed in groups to the NFL Draft Hall for a behind the scenes tour of the draft theatre and green room. The Eagles fan (Ryan) changed his tune and came to me and said “this is real now” and we both kept the NFC East banter going but had a mutual respect for one and other and what a privilege position we were in.
Once the tour was over, the LA Rams IFOTY Dan and his son, New York Jets IFOTY Olivia and her partner, Chicago Bears IFOTY Kim and Kelly the Browns IFOTY all had a walk around the fan park experience and looked at all of the Superbowl Rings on display and the Lombardi trophy. The fan park where the draft would take place, was starting to fill up with about 15,000 already in the venue at 11:00.
A quick change back at the hotel and it was time to leave in your best Commanders clothing showing off your love for the team. We headed to the red carpet inside Lambeau Field. We were called down in divisional groups and introduced to the crowd of what was around 25,000 fans who booed every team except the Packers.
We then walked over to the draft theatre, inner circle entrance where we met up with The Commanderlorians, LJ “The Mad Hatter”, and Hogfarmers Joe, KJ and Gabby as well as 2023 Commanders Fan of the Year Monica Blakely and her partner Taylor. It felt amazing to be with fellow fans who show love for the team and familiar faces.
When we reached our seats each of the inner circle seats has a Commanders backpack filled with draft merchandise and team goodies. A nice touch from the team.
The draft starts and we are eagerly anticipating pick 29.
Lots of camera time came by with random cameramen asking you to “get loud” and make an atmosphere – which after the first few hours got annoying, to enforce the fun.
Leigh, our Fan Representative, pulled me to one side and informed me that as I had been messed about, with lack of itinerary and lack of contact from the team that I would be able to go backstage just before the teams pick and look at the jersey printing process. “This is not how our franchise does things” I was told.
At pick 27 an NFL executive comes across and said “are you Scott, come with me”. The intrigue kicked in. As I walk backstage, I can still see some of the prospects sat in the green room awaiting the all-important call that would change their life. Maxwell Hairston (The Buffalo Bills 1st round selection at pick 30) saw me walking past and gave me a fist bump and said hello which was a bit odd but made me smile.
I then walk into what looked like a tent backstage. Inside the tent were a rack of jerseys all with the number 1 printed on for every team in the NFL. I was asked to put the jersey on the printing press. And if the prospect we picked was in the green room I would get the opportunity to hand the jersey to the NFL Commissioner on stage. There were only 3 prospects left in the green room and none of them were likely to be taken by the Commanders, so I knew this would be a long shot. Maxwell Hairston, Jihaad Campbell and Jalen Milroe were the only prospects left.
The clock started and the communication manager for the NFL spoke with me and said this is a circus. All teams are told to hand on within the first round to build the suspense. He told me at the point the team calls in the pick there is a 4 second delay from the time the phone goes down to him finding out. At 7 minuets I hear a noise “the pick is in” and Josh Conerly Jr, Offensive Tackle of Oregon is chosen. My initial thoughts are “that’s, not an Edge Rusher”, but I understood the pick and was happy with shoring up the O-line to have potential bookend tackles for the next 5-10 years.
The Communications Manager looked at me and said “watch the clock, this won’t come in until about 2 minutes to go” – sure enough with 1:29 left on the clock the pick came in. He turned to me and said, you do know for the last 6 minuets and the next 4 minuets you are the only fan in the world, who knows who you have picked. It suddenly dawned on me that yes, he was right, I was the only fan who knew we had picked Josh Conerly Jr. 4 minutes later the Commissioner hits the stage and as he hits his first step on stage a button is pressed that releases the information to the NFL Media so they can tweet out the pick.
I headed back to my seat and with the inner circle Washington Fans discussed the pick. Once the draft completed, for night 1, we headed back to the hotel drained and tired but ready for bed.
Day 3 – Draft Day 2.
We woke for day 2 of the draft process and headed to the Draft Theatre for 09:00 – we were able to have a behind the scenes tour of the NFL draft room where the picks come in and trades are undertaken. The NFL team were very open with us and showed us the pick cards that were taken in round 1 and also explained that the LA Chargers were 3 seconds from missing their pick after a failed trade with an unnamed team.
We were then able to meet a few of the International Player Pathway players who were draft eligible. (since the draft completed 3 of the prospects were picked up as Undrafted Free Agents by NFL teams – Mapalo “Maz” Mwansa, Edge (Carolina Panthers), Laki Tasi, D-Line (Las Vegas Raiders), Dante Barnett, D- Line, (Cincinnati Bengals).
A lot of the IFOTY were unaware of the IPP and how it works with the IPP being based in the UK and the watching these prospects insight into transitioning from athletes in others sports to trying to get into the NFL it was great to talk with them and get pictures.
All the IFOTY were given their Countries flags and has a mass photo which was a very cool moment.
We were then left to our own devices, until we had to head back to the draft theatre for another enforced night of fun (just joking). Night 2 arrived with the same anticipation and what seemed to be more people in the draft parking lot it turns out 200,000 people.
The weather changed and suddenly a dip in temperature and sideways rain didn’t help just before the draft started.
The legendary Redskins Wide Receiver and 2-time Superbowl Champion Gary Clark came out on stage to an ovation from our inner circle fans and announced that with pick 61 we take Trey Amos, CB – Ole Miss – A fantastic pick and overall, we all agreed this was the best pick we could have made with the way the draft had gone. I was still worried at how the Edge position would be addressed but overall, I was very happy with a player who I had a first-round grade on being picked in the late 2nd round.
Gary, was appreciative of the support from the Commanders Inner Circle fans and spent a good 10-15 minuets with us and chatting through thinks.
We then sat through the rest of the draft until pick 100 and said our goodbyes to the Inner Circle Commanders crew who were not going to be there for day 3. The vibes were amazing for 2 days of repping the team. These guys and girls live and breathe Burgundy and Gold. It was more of a “I’ll see you soon, than goodbye”. We then left the draft hall, just before the close of day 2. At this point we were absolutely running on fumes and needed sleep and food.
Day 4 – Day 3 of the Draft.
The day of days, this was the day we “had been told” I would be making a pick.
After breakfast we met in the lobby and set off for the draft theatre and hall. We had to be seated for 10:00 with the draft starting at 11:00 CT. All IFOTY were then asked to go backstage and did our “Draft Moment”.
The draft moment, is where each IFOTY, gets clapped and walks the draft entrance the same way as each of the player prospects who were there as potential first round draft picks.
As Washington are last alphabetically, I was last to do this. The Wisconsen University marching band and all IFOTY and NFL staff were lining the halls and a camera in front of me I get the call to do the walk. It was like a Boxing ring entrance with all the fans dabbing me up and the band playing “Hail to the Redskins”. I then got to the top of the entrance and adjusted my cap with the “man in the mirror”, moment, which went out on the jumbo screens on stage. This was an incredible feeling for a fan from the UK. You just felt a sense of pride and were so happy to be around fans of other teams who have had the same moment.
We all then entered the stage with Commissioner Roger Goodell to start the draft for day 3. As Washington were alphabetically last, I was stuck on the end of the stage and behind a Tuba. As I am not the tallest you couldn’t see me on TV.
We then took our seats to await who the Commanders would take. As the day went on other International Fans of the Year were getting to announce their teams picks in the 4th round. The cool thing, was the bond we all had over the few days spent together in hotels and events had brought us close. Every fan got applause and cheered on by the other IFOTY
I knew there would be a chance to announce pick with possibly being pick 128 or Pick 205.
No call forward came for pick 128 and with the pick we took Jaylin Lane WR – Virginia Tech. A speedy WR and the best punt returner in the draft. This is defiantly a pick of best player on the Commanders draft board. Time will tell if Jaylin blossoms into a stond deep threat and slot receiver and punt returner.
A long, long wait then ensured until we reached round 6. The pit of my stomach knotted knowing I might but hopefully would be given the opportunity to announce a pick. As we got to pick 202, an NFL production rep with a headset picked me out and off backstage I went again. A walk trough to the draft room and the pick is announced on the screen the card is printed phonetically; in case you can’t pronounce the name. I am told “go out there and have fun, but no profanity”. The next thing, I am next to curtain on the side of the stage pick in hand.
A 5 second countdown and I walk out on stage with a big breath. In the background, I hear announced to the world, “to announce the next pick please welcome The Washington Commanders International Fan of the Year, Scott Hartley”.
I walk out to a loud round of applause and I can’t focus as there are what seem like hundreds of cameras and bright lights. I try to look out at the crowd but honestly, I couldn’t see the end of them all, looking like ants. I thank the Commanders Organisation and my wife and family then shout out the podcasts, which is the most important thing.
Then with the 205th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft the Washington Commanders select Kain Medrano, LB – UCLA.
A cover-to-cover LB who is almost a tweener between Line Backer and Safety. I see Kain being a big contributor on Special Teams and someone who can learn behind Luvu and Wagner.
I then walked off stage with the pick card in hand to a moment of what the F just happened. The adrenalin wore off and it dawned on me that I had just been on stage announcing a pick in front of 225,000 in the NFL Draft for the team I love.
I can’t fully comprehend how a middle-aged bloke from North West England who has a laugh on podcasts got the chance to do this. To the NFL and Commanders organisation, I will forever be grateful for allowing me to do that.
I headed back to my seat with a massive smile and I met up with all the other Fans of the year and Scouse and general fans saying well done as I walked past. I found a young Commanders fan in his Jayden Daniels jersey in the front row who put his hand out to fist bump me. So, I gave him my “W” chain and let him hold the pick card with a selfie. I said he could keep the chain this made his day and his family were so happy. I just felt in the moment this was the cool thing to do.
We then hung around until the end of the draft taking it all in and looking at the picks coming in and enjoying the company of the other fans. We then got to the 7th round and took Jacory Croskey-Merritt RB Arizona. A dual purpose back with good speed and vision. This is a guy who is chasing a roster spot and could in a short space of time become a genuine contributor to the team.
We then headed back to the hotel for food, drinks and packing our stuff for the long journey home.
Day 5 – Travel day.
We woke early and ready for the travel ahead. We said our final goodbyes to the other IFOTY and checked out the hotel. We then got to the Airport ready for our light to Minneapolis. What we didn’t expect to see were cakes and chocolates put out for every passenger heading home in a typical Wisconsin kindness. That’s one thing I will take away the people of Green Bay were phenomenal, so kind and polite always eager to chat and show a welcome friendless. This is something I haven’t always found when traveling to the US they are a credit to the community and the mid-west.
We then flew away and 27 hours later arrived jet lagged but back in the UK.
Overall, an unbelievable week, with so many high points, and no negatives. We met some amazing people and spent time with some old friends. Attending the draft is something I would defiantly do again so if you’re reading Commanders, I will have those inner circle tickets for 2027 in Washington DC.
Raise Hail.
