It’s that time of the year again—the NFL draft.
While headlines will be dominated by which of football’s finest prospects head to which teams, and front offices across the league will face scrutiny (or praise) for their picks, let’s take a minute to give a hand to the most underrated storyline of the draft season: the red carpet.
Remember first-round pick Ezekiel Elliott‘s crop-top shirt and suit look from 2016? Or how about Lamar Jackson sporting all Gucci in ’18? We can’t forget Trey Lance and Patrick Surtain II showing up to the ’21 draft with show-stopping pieces, a Cartier timepiece for the former North Dakota State standout and a “PS2” chain made by Leo Frost for the former Alabama star.
Some outfits, though, have been more sentimental over the years. Kwity Paye told GQ’s Tyler R. Tynes before the ’21 draft that Chadwick Boseman is his hero, and the ex-Michigan defensive end honored the first Black superhero with his suit.
The question is: will the 2022 class be able to exceed the bar set by their predecessors? So far, Bearcats’ star Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner debuted two diamond-encrusted chains with the words “sauce” written on each one, the smallest shaped like a sauce bottle. But he was not the only one flashing new jewelry. Georgia’s Jordan Davis could not help but show off the program’s national championship ring.
Kayvon Thibodeaux sported a suit with stone detailing from Dolce & Gabbana while Garrett Wilson showed up in Prada and pearls.
Here’s a round-up of the show-stopping looks from some of college football’s finest players. Who had the best fit?
