J.J. McCarthy amongst those that didn't go to Detroit for 2024 NFL Draft

There is no place Drake Maye would slightly be.

When the NFL invited the previous North Carolina quarterback to attend the draft in Detroit, he had a fast reply.

Sure.

“I feel you at all times dream about coming right here and coming to stroll throughout the stage and be with the commissioner,” Maye mentioned. “It’s one thing I couldn’t flip down. It was a no brainer for me.”

Not everybody feels the identical manner.

Solely 13 gamers selected to rejoice their massive evening within the Motor Metropolis, representing a decline in NFL draft attendees for the third straight 12 months.

Former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy was among the many first-round prospects who selected to remain away Thursday evening.

When the draft was in Kansas Metropolis final 12 months, 17 gamers had been there. Two years in the past in Las Vegas, there have been 22 prospects current to listen to their title referred to as.

With COVID-19 protocols in place three years in the past in Cleveland, 12 school stars attended the draft in the course of the pandemic.

The league affords every invited participant two first-class and eight coach airline tickets together with transportation to and from a resort, the place 5 rooms are supplied. Gamers are usually not given an look payment by the league.

Within the inexperienced room, which is behind the stage in Detroit, gamers could be joined by as much as 9 visitors on white leather-based chairs and couches, whereas extra tickets within the theater are additionally obtainable upon request.

McCarthy merely needed to rejoice with much more individuals.

He deliberate to be surrounded by 100 individuals — together with members of the family, buddies from Illinois, teammates and staffers from the school soccer program — close to the airport, which is about midway between Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the location of the draft.

“I didn’t wish to go to Detroit as a result of I do know it took a village to get me right here, and I wish to rejoice with them,” McCarthy informed WXYZ-TV.