It’s almost time for the 2021 NFL Draft! While the world is starting to show small signs of normalcy again, the NFL is gearing up for an exciting season. We are so glad to be back at a live NFL Draft! Last year, working things out remotely was a bit of a challenge. This year, the 2021 NFL Draft is heading to Cleveland for the first time ever, taking place on April 29th – May 1st. This is one of our favorite events, but do you know why?
You’ve seen the moment – A smiling NFL rookie, freshly drafted and holding his new personalized jersey with his name and number. Have you ever wondered how that jersey was created so quickly, mere moments after the draft selection is announced? Well, that’s STAHLS’ magic!
We are so proud of our presence and work in making the NFL Draft a success! We’re also very thankful to partner with Nike each year. Preparation begins weeks in advance at our STAHLS’ Decorating Fulfillment Center. At DFC, we create the nameplates and numbers to match every NFL jersey font and color. It takes a full team effort to complete all of the prep work to be successful on the big day!
Since 2012, we’ve partnered with Nike to create jerseys behind the scenes at the NFL drafts. Creating stage ready jerseys in such a short amount of time is a bit of a challenge. The NFL entrusts us to perform up to our industry leading reputation – these jerseys are ready in under 60 seconds!
Like you, we don’t know what players will be selected in advance. We must prepare a nameplate and number for every draft prospect, for every NFL team. This year, the event is limited to 28 athletes; however, Stahls’ DFC is preparing 1,792 player names for the 1st round of the 2021 NFL Draft! Once a team drafts a player, we create two jerseys – one for the live pick and one for the player’s rookie trading card. This year, STAHLS’ team consists of Michael Cool & James Alves from Transfer Express, and Brent Kisha from Stahls’ HQ.
Tune into Day 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft at 8pm ET on Thursday, April 29th. Coverage continues Friday in primetime and Saturday afternoon on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network. The NFL is again sponsoring a Draft-A-Thon, with this year’s focus on raising funds for national nonprofit organizations that support pandemic recovery and relief. Lastly, to see what it takes to prep for the NFL Draft process, check out this video with Josh.
