Hall of Famer Barry Sanders and NFL draft prospect C.J. Spiller arrive at Radio City Music Hall for the 2010 NFL Draft. Click the photo to view the gallery. (Ben Liebenberg / NFL.com)

NEW YORK — I just ventured outside with our photographer to catch the scene on the red carpet in front of Radio City Music Hall. One word: Wow. NFL Nation has really represented tonight.

It took just one red carpet to make tonight’s primetime debut of the draft even bigger. Anyone who had no idea the NFL Draft was tonight got a rude awakening after work. What you can’t see unless you’re here are the fans five-deep along Sixth Avenue, the reaction of the prospects when they realize how many people are looking on and NFL Network’s Deion Sanders getting the first reaction interview. Fittingly, Commissioner Roger Goodell got the first walk on the carpet earlier tonight.

It’s the closest I’ve been to a red carpet that I hadn’t already spilled something on.

I was on hand when C.J. Spiller arrived with Barry Sanders, and when the red carpet emcee (yes, it’s true) announced his name, you could hear Spiller …. Spiller … Spiller … echo a bit down the avenue. It’s a cool twist to the draft. We’re posting some flipcam videos on our facebook page, so check those out, and we’ll have more photos here, too.

– Frank Tadych

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