Annual life-altering event set to begin tonight

The weirdest year many of us have experienced (so far) deserves the weirdest NFL draft that we’re likely to, but one constant remains whether the draft is held in downtown Nashville, the Superdome, or on Roger Goodell’s Google Hangout at a local Arby’s—a lot of guys (and possibly some dudes) lives are going to change forever.

Assuming everyone on this site is at least college-aged or above, I’m sure we all fondly recall the constant struggle to pay for tuition, rent, utilities, gas, and a host of other things that scarcely left enough money for food which is why several items from the Cheap Food Hall of Fame were staples for our sleep-deprived bodies. If you couldn’t eat carbs, you probably wouldn’t last long since Ramen, Mac n Cheese, and french fries were the easiest delivery method for sustenance. Of course, you needed your energy to study for exams or for working a late shift at Arbys (hey, is that Roger Goodell?). And most of kept those balls in the air without having to get up at 5:30 for mandatory gym and/or film sessions. This is where student/athletes slightly deviate from the rest of their peers...there are certain trade-offs mind you, but the constant toil of any college-aged youth isn’t likely to net you a lot of cash. Tonight, a few of those more intrepid souls will be repaid...WITH INTEREST.

It’s hard to imagine just what it’d be like to go from counting tip money to being able to pay for a house (in cash). Honestly, I can’t imagine it. Even us folks who feel like we’re doing “okay” in life financially, are really one pandemic away from living paycheck to paycheck. And any large lump sum of money would frankly be pretty life-changing for the average Joe/Josephine. A million? Heck, gimme $50k and I can do some DAMAGE on this mortgage. But many athletes are about to make many times that tonight...and since some of those athletes are OUR athletes, that’s pretty freaking cool.

Ezra Cleveland, Curtis Weaver, and John Hightower should all hear their names called this weekend, with Cleveland probably the first Bronco off the board (possibly even tonight). John Molchon and David Moa are distinct draft possibilities as well and a few others could finagle a camp invite or free agent signing. The first three mentioned should see a life-changing amount of money cross their paths in the next 6 months while others in the Bronco family will be hanging up their cleats for good. To those few whose football journey has come to an end, enjoy the opportunities afforded to you by your education and considerable network of contacts...not being a millionaire overnight isn’t really all that bad—and you’ll probably only have to buy ramen and mac n cheese for your future kids. The guys that will no doubt get that call—make Boise proud, get your money, and take care of y’alls chickens.

We’ll do this again next year.