When the Dallas Cowboys made their first NFL draft selection in franchise history, their newest player was in his TCU dorm, completely unaware.
It was Dec. 27, 1960. Bob Lilly was a 21-year-old consensus All-America and a Texan who dreamed of playing professional football in his home state. But the draft wasn't televised, and he wasn't expecting pick-by-pick updates.
"Because back then," Lilly said, "the draft wasn't a big deal."
Today, the buildup to the NFL draft is a yearlong process. Months of daily analysis, mock drafts and workouts leads to a nationally televised extravaganza, this year scheduled for Thursday through Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.