Quarterback turned NFL analyst Brady Quinn appeared on Dan Patrick’s eponymous show to discuss his draft night, among other things. Quinn recalled his long wait during the 2007 NFL Draft when the Cleveland Browns selected him in the first round.
Brady Quinn Describes Pressure of the NFL Draft Process
While reflecting on his draft night, which took five and a half hours, as he put it, Quinn also advised players who might find themselves sitting in the green room going through the arduous process. It’s often stressful for athletes to sit through each round, waiting for their names to be called.
With every passing pick, the heartbeat picks up pace. It’s a taxing experience for the player but also stressful for their family and friends, who are there with them, hoping for the best.
So, speaking from experience, Quinn told Patrick, “We all know what we signed up for. Whether it’s my girlfriend, my parents or anyone else. I think what I would do is I would ask them, does that individual believe, ‘Is their girlfriend strong enough or their family strong enough to be able to handle the camera, the pressure, everything else,’ because up until that moment, really they only experience things through you.
“They haven’t been there right with you in the spotlight. I think that’s one of the things that I wasn’t thinking about going up to the NFL Draft. You’re just thinking about your dream coming true and getting to play in the NFL.”
.@Brady_Quinn looks back on his long draft night and what advice he'd give a prospect going into that night. pic.twitter.com/HxIvYPQ5ca
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) February 4, 2025
Many pundits expected a team to use a top-five draft pick to select Quinn, with many projecting him to be the third pick by the Browns. However, as the draft went on, his name wasn’t called for hours. He had brought his family from Ohio to New York for the event and with each team passing on him, the stress grew. After the No. 9 pick, most teams did not need a quarterback.
Then, just two minutes before the 22nd pick, Quinn got a call. It was the Browns’ front office. They told Quinn that the Browns had traded with the Dallas Cowboys to get the pick and were going to select him. With this, his dream about playing for Cleveland also came true.
