PITTSBURGH (AP) — Preparing for any big show means dressing up and bringing style.
The red carpet for the NFL draft under the bright sunshine of Pittsburgh means sunglasses are a must.
So too tailored suits spanning a gamut of color. Embroidery featuring names of loved ones. And don’t forget the chance to show off a sponsorship with artwork or photos on the interior lining of jackets. Jewelry in the form of chains, watches or even bling on the teeth also showed up Thursday.
Ohio State defensive end/linebacker Arvell Reese’s jacket features his deal with Reese’s on the interior lining.
Buckeyes teammate Carnell Tate went with the names of his sisters and his late mother, who died in 2023 in a drive-by shooting in Chicago, on the inside of each lapel of his jacket. The wide receiver also switched up his cream-colored outfit with a waist-cut suit jacket or as he put it: “We got a crop top. A little different. Switch it up a little bit.”
Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood went with a blue suit with his family in the same matching shade. Inside his jacket? Photos of family and friends.
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs had company suiting up, and he joined his family wearing jackets lined with photos.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love’s brown suit featuring his own artwork on the left interior of his jacket promoting his sports anime comic book venture titled “ Jeremonstar.”
Love partnered with Sharpie to release a limited-edition comic book hours before the draft titled “Jeremonstar: Draft Day Ashcan” with the story of his football journey. Love showed up on the red carpet with one of the characters emblazoned on the inside of his suit jacket.
“This is the biggest stage of my life so far so I want to make sure I’m ready for it,” Love said.
Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa went even bolder with artwork across the back of the jacket covering his massive back to honor his American Samoan culture. He said Samoan culture built him and the least he could do was to give back to his community by representing them on this stage.
“This is the ulafala, and it represents the high chief or the high monarch,” Mauigoa said. “And it’s part of our culture and obviously my dad is a chief. So in the back it’s a little painting that kind of oversees the whole idea of the American Samoan community.”
Fernando Mendoza, the quarterback who led Indiana to a national championship, wasn’t at the draft. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is attending, and he went with a classic suit with white shirt. His teammate, offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor, took a different approach with dental jewelry he showed off on the red carpet.
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