Philadelphia “Expected” to Host 2017 NFL Draft

It’s not a done deal just yet, but reports lately seem quite confident that Philadelphia is going to land the 2017 NFL draft. The issue has been up for debate for some months now, and it’s expected that the National Football League will be making an official announcement in the next couple of months.

The Wells Fargo Center could be the home of the 2017 NFL draft.

The plan is to move the draft from its long-time home, New York, to Los Angeles once the Rams’ new stadium there is complete. That won’t be until 2019, however. In the meantime, next year’s draft is up for grabs. The Star-Telegram issued a statement on the draft situation: “The NFL Draft was held in Chicago the past two years after being a staple in New York City since 1965. Philadelphia is expected to host the draft in 2017, while a decision has yet to be made on 2018. The 2018 draft would be perfect for the Cowboys and The Star, if they chose to have it there instead AT&T Stadium in Arlington.”

As for where in Philly the draft would be located, that’s still up for debate as well. The Wells-Fargo Center in South Philly seems like the likeliest option, but if NFL officials favored staying in Center City there are the Kimmel Center and the Acacdemy of Music as well.

While there has been no formal announcement as yet, it is worth noting that, in 2015 when the NFL made the decision to have Chicago repeat hosting duties for 2016, the announcement was made in August.

News outlets have also made light of the fact that the Philadelphia Eagles won’t have a first-round draft pick in 2017, thanks to a deal this year with the Browns to score the #2 pick this year and acquire a new quarterback. We won’t get to see, then, if the notoriously vocal Philly fans make as much noise about their opinions of the draft pick as do the rowdy New Yorkers, who have been known to boo the Jets’ selection.