Every year, the NFL has some special guests make selections during the NFL Draft, and 2022 will be no different. While Roger Goodell handles the majority of the duties on the first day, he will be joined on stage for a couple of selections by some special individuals from different organizations. So, who are the special guests making the selections at the 2022 NFL Draft?
2022 NFL Draft special guest selections
Across the three days of the NFL Draft, several special guests have already been announced to make selections for their designated teams. Let’s go day-by-day and examine who these guests are and the stories behind their appearance on stage.
Day 1
First up on Day 1 will be Sam Prince making the fifth overall selection for the New York Giants. Sam is a Make-A-Wish recipient and has battled a heart condition. His wish was to join Goodell on stage to announce his favorite team’s first-round selection.
The other special guests on Day 1 will be local youth football players. Six local high school student-athletes will join Roger Goodell on the stage for the Philadelphia Eagles’ 15th overall selection. A further six local high school student-athletes will be involved in the draft as they hand the selected prospect his New Era NFL Draft cap.
Day 2
We will see another wish come true on Day 2 for the New England Patriots’ second-round selection. Ben Lepper, who was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2017, will join Lawrence Guy on stage to announce the selection.
The NFL’s Salute to Service initiative will also get a spotlight shined on it during Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft. The organization being spotlighted is the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) — the Gadsden Family joins the commissioner on stage to announce the Atlanta Falcons’ second-round selection. The date of the pick (April 29) is significant as it is the date that Second Lieutenant Gadsden was killed in Iraq.
The third special guest appearance for Day 2 will be from three members of the National Gay Flag Football League (NGFFL). Joel Horton, Shiego Iwamiya, and Jodie Turner will announce a selection for the Arizona Cardinals. The league supports LGBTQ+ Flag Football in 22 cities across America. It has a mission to “foster and cultivate the self-respect of all LGBTQ+ people and promote respect, acceptance, and understanding from the larger community.”
Day 3
The third day of the 2022 NFL Draft will see a number of special guest selections being made. Three Purple Heart Award recipients will announce the 240th draft pick. Two of those, John Banaszak and Rocky Bleier, are former NFL players. Meanwhile, James McCormick is a three-time recipient of the award.
Deanne Moyle-Hicks will announce a selection for the Los Angeles Chargers. Moyle-Hicks will represent the College Football Playoff Foundation after being named Nevada’s 2022 State Teacher of the Year.
The Dallas Cowboys’ fourth-round selection will be announced by two Special Olympics athletes from Nevada, Samantha Aslin and Christine McCullough. Samantha has been a Special Olympics athlete for 25 years, while Christine has been a part of the Special Olympics for 27 years.
Here are the other special guests and the teams and organizations they will represent:
- John Brunson | United Service Organization
Kansas City Chiefs - Savana Scott | Fuel Up to Play 60
Carolina Panthers - Gwen Jenkins | American Cancer Society
Philadelphia Eagles (Mother of Malcolm Jenkins) - Kara L. Brumfield & Marshon Winter | Character Playbook
Las Vegas Raiders - Russell Black Jr. | Inspire Change
San Francisco 49ers - Ruben Cervantez | Wounded Warrior Project
Los Angeles Rams