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The best thing I can say about my mock draft: I am cautiously optimistic about hitting my first two picks. Before you see my mock draft and commence tomato-throwing at your screens—Penei Sewell, dropping to seven?! You are nuts!!!—a few headlines about what’s coming this week, prepping for the 8 p.m. Thursday kickoff to the three-day draft in downtown Cleveland: Another draft of hope, just a different kind. Last year, with Roger Goodell announcing picks from his basement and coaches and prospects all with in-home cams and Bill Belichick’s dog the hit of the weekend, the NFL put on a show that said, “Hey, this kind of sucks, but we’re plowing ahead and showing the country we can be business-approximately-as-usual in a pandemic.” This year, there will be Goodell on a downtown Cleveland stage, on the south shore of Lake Erie nestled between the Browns stadium and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, announcing picks in front of two distinct fan groups: one fully vaccinated, closer together, with masks, and one non-vaccinated, spread apart, also with masks. Thirteen players on site walking the stage, 45 more (including top pick Trevor Lawrence) with home cams.