As the NFL Draft approaches, the 22 prospects invited to attend the show are anxiously awaiting the biggest night of their lives.
Tonight they will climb the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, made famous by Rocky Balboa, and shake the hand of Commissioner Roger Goodell as the newest member of the NFL fraternity.
"It's a lifelong dream," former LSU cornerback Tre'Davious White said. "I'm 22. I've been dreaming of this for the past 15 years. That's my number one goal is to play professionally."
Several of those prospects spent their morning at the NFL Play Football event, instructing area youth on the values of teamwork and exercise that the sport of football provides.
It was a surreal moment for some players who remembered being in the shoes of those wide-eyed kids not so many years ago.
"Putting smiles on their faces, we were just in their shoes not that long ago," LSU safety Jamal Adams said. "Coming out here with all these guys it was the time of my life.
At least for this morning. But now comes the tough part; the wait.
And while the 22 players here almost certainly will be selected at some point during round one, the wait in the green room as those 32 picks come off the board can be long and uncomfortable, but well worth it.
"It's a lot of mixed emotions that go into it," Western Michigan receiver Corey Davis said. "It's going to be a rollercoaster of emotions. It's going to be anxious, nervous, definitely some tears of joy, but I'm ready for it. It's going to be exciting."
All three players we spoke to this morning are on the radar of the Titans. Adams and his secondary mate White have met with the Tennessee coaches and scouts while Davis worked out for the team in Nashville in recent weeks.
The (offensive coordinator) is really cool, the GM is a great guy," Davis said of his visit to Nashville. "They're all awesome. If I end up there I would not be mad."
Adams, along with Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen and Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore may be the best bets if the Titans stay and pick at no. 5 as scheduled.
White and Davis could be potential targets if the Titans trade down or for their second pick at no. 18. Both feel like they would be a great fit wherever they wind up.
"They're going to get a guy who can make plays and wants to be a total team guy," White said. "A guy that will be on the field each and every Sunday putting his best foot forward."
