CBS Sports – In what will probably come as a surprise to no one, the city of Nashville is making plans to embraces its country music roots when the NFL Draft comes to town in April.
Now, that doesn’t mean we’ll be seeing Roger Goodell announce every draft pick while wearing a cowboy hat, but it does mean that there will basically be a country music takeover during the draft, which runs from April 25-27.
The draft will feature multiple free concerts this year, and those concerts will be headlined by country music stars Dierks Bentley and Tim McGraw.
McGraw has close ties to the NFL. Not only did he perform at the league’s official tailgate party before Super Bowl LIII, but he serves on the Nashville Local Organizing Committee, which helped the NFL put together the entertainment plans for the draft. He will perform in a free concert from the draft’s main stage after all picks are announced on Day 2 of the event (April 26). Bentley will perform after all picks have been announced on Day 3 (April 27).
The first round of the NFL draft will also feature some live music with Grammy-winner CeCe Winans singing the national anthem. If you’re going to be Nashville, all concerts are free and open to the public.
NFL Executive Vice President Peter O’Reilly said that putting the draft in Nashville allowed the league to put together a unique experience for fans planning to attend the event.
“Each year, the NFL strives to make the draft weekend a memorable experience for our fans,” O’Reilly said. “The passionate fan base and iconic location will ensure a unique experience that is unlike anything fans have ever seen.”
Besides McGraw and Bentley, the league has also announced that more than 20 Nashville-based acts will provide live music during three-day duration of the draft. With all the music going down in Music City, Nashville mayor David Briley is confident that his city will be hosting the best draft ever.
“Nashville’s NFL Draft is shaping up to be the best ever,” Briley said this week. “Dierks and the other acts announced will only add to the amazing atmosphere we are creating for the event. Nashville’s music scene is truly special, one of the major reasons I believe the NFL wanted to come to our city.”
With the NFL Draft still just over one month away, here’s a friendly reminder that you can pass the time by clicking here and reading each of our mock drafts here at CBSSports.com.
