After one hour became two, defensive end Cameron Wake of the Miami Dolphins needed a recharge.
"My phone was about to die," said Wake, who eventually was selected by Jerry Rice’s team in Wednesday’s Pro Bowl draft. "I didn’t realize (the draft) would be that long. The first couple of picks, everyone was on edge. After that, we were tweeting and talking on the phone."
To resuscitate the National Football League’s annual all-star game, the teams were divided through a draft. Two Hall of Fame players — Rice and Deion Sanders — were head captains.
Rice won the coin toss during Tuesday’s news conference, selecting player captains quarterback Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints and defensive end Robert Quinn of the St. Louis Rams. Sanders was awarded player captains running back Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs and defensive end J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans, as well as the first picks in two drafts.
Team Sanders chose defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh of the Detroit Lions with the first pick in the draft of linemen and fullbacks.
His reward?
"I got a ‘Congratulations,’" Suh said, smiling. "That’s good enough for me."
That set up Wednesday’s draft, a made-for-television event that was part WWE, part "Jerry Springer," and all entertainment.
With Springer-like chants of "Jer-ry! Jer-ry!," Rice walked a red-carpet aisle toward the three-part outdoor stage. Many of the invited 1,000 fans chanted "Prime Time" — Sanders’ nickname — as he entered.
"I plan on playing as well," Sanders shouted.
Rice responded: "Deion, if you want to play, bring it."
Rice then added: "And Deion, thank you for so many years and so many touchdowns."
With the first pick, Team Sanders, which also featured a fantasy-football expert, debated between quarterbacks Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts and Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers.
Despite Newton’s pitch — "Why not me?" — the choice was pure Luck.
Although Luck was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, it still was a unique position. Asked if he was always chosen first while growing up, Luck said, "No, no, no. Especially not at home for board games, I’m never the first brother picked for anything. It’s nice to get this one."
In the tented area known as the "green room," tight end Jimmy Graham stared at the TV camera, his version of a Jedi mind trick to influence Brees, his Saints teammate.
"I was just making it so (Brees) would look at me in the eyes, you know, and he could see into my soul that I wanted to get picked," Graham said.
The tactic worked. Team Rice selected Graham, providing Brees with his favorite target.
"We’re kind of a little wolf pack," said Graham, referring to the five Saints on Rice’s team. "I’m sure, for (Brees), he’s getting all his weapons ready."
In this battle, Team Sanders decided to build arms. Its second selection was Newton.
"Hopefully, they can figure out a way to put us on the field together somehow," Luck suggested. "Maybe we can have some trick plays."
Newton said: "Everyone in that green room wanted to go No. 1, but that’s just the competitive nature of a lot of guys, including myself. In the end, who cares? We’re all out here to have fun. We’re playing the game we love dearly."
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant, who was chosen early by Team Sanders, said he benefits either way.
"You can’t go wrong with Andrew Luck and Cam Newton," Bryant said. "That’s a powerhouse. Man, I’m so grateful."
To fill out the NFL Network’s three-hour programming block, each team had to use the entire two minutes per pick. Fans were entertained with prize giveaways and dance routines from cheerleaders summoned from "Cheerleader Mountain."
In the green room, Tampa Bay cornerback Darrelle Revis had flashbacks of the 2007 draft, when he was the 14th overall pick.
"It’s not exciting to be in that room," Revis said. "It takes you back to the NFL Draft when you’re in the green room and anxious to be called."
Rookie running back Eddie Lacy of the Green Bay Packers was playing the waiting game for the second year in a row.
"This time it was a lot more fun," Lacy said. "It took a while for me to get picked, but I got picked, and I’m happy. It’s definitely a blessing to be a rookie out here."
Wake, meanwhile, tried reverse psychology, asking not to be selected.
"I’ve never been in a green room (before)," said Wake, who was not drafted following his senior season at Penn State. "This is my first draft. I know what it’s like not to be drafted. It makes you a different type of player. That chip has been on my shoulder since I graduated from Penn State. It’s worked out. I never got the shirt and to shake the commissioner’s hand (during the NFL Draft), never experienced that, but I got to be here. I got to be in the Pro Bowl. There are a lot of guys out here with big names. I’m not one of them. I had to scratch and claw to get on the field. I’m happy to be here."
PRO BOWL ROSTERS
TEAM RICE
QUARTERBACKS » Drew Brees, New Orleans; Philip Rivers, San Diego; Alex Smith, Kansas City
RUNNING BACKS » LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia; Matt Forte, Chicago; DeMarco Murray, Dallas
FULLBACK » Mike Tolbert, Carolina
WIDE RECEIVERS » Brandon Marshall, Chicago; Josh Gordon, Cleveland; Alshon Jeffery, Chicago; Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona
TIGHT ENDS » Jimmy Graham, New Orleans; Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta
OFFENSIVE TACKLES » Joe Thomas, Cleveland; Tyron Smith, Dallas; Jordan Gross, Carolina
GUARDS » Jahri Evans, New Orleans; Ben Grubbs, New Orleans, Evan Mathis, Philadelphia
CENTERS » Ryan Kalil, Carolina; Nick Mangold, NY Jets
DEFENSIVE ENDS » Robert Quinn, St. Louis; Cameron Jordan, New Orleans; Cameron Wake, Miami
DEFENSIVE TACKLES » Jason Hatcher, Dallas; Kyle Williams, Buffalo; Marcell Dareus, Buffalo
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS » Robert Mathis, Indianapolis; Justin Houston, Kansas City; John Abraham, Arizona
INSIDE LINEBACKERS » Vontaze Burfict, Cincinnati; Derrick Johnson, Kansas City
CORNERBACKS » Alterraun Verner, Tennessee; Joe Haden, Cleveland; Brandon Flowers, Kansas City; Antonio Cromartie, NY Jets
SAFETIES » Jairus Byrd, Buffalo; Antrel Rolle, NY Giants; Eric Reid, San Francisco
PLACEKICKER » Stephen Gostkowski, New England
PUNTER » Johnny Hekker, St. Louis
PUNT RETURNER » Dexter McCluster, Kansas City
SPECIAL TEAMER » Justin Bethel, Arizona
LONG SNAPPER » Matt Overton, Indianapolis
TEAM SANDERS
QUARTERBACKS » Cam Newton, Carolina; Andrew Luck, Indianapolis; Nick Foles, Philadelphia
RUNNING BACKS » Jamaal Charles, Kansas City; Alfred Morris, Washington; Eddie Lacy, Green Bay
FULLBACK » Marcel Reece, Oakland
WIDE RECEIVERS » A.J. Green, Cincinnati; Dez Bryant, Dallas; Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh; DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia
TIGHT ENDS » Jordan Cameron, Cleveland; Jason Witten, Dallas
OFFENSIVE TACKLES » Branden Albert, Kansas City; Trent Williams, Washington; Duane Brown, Houston
GUARDS » Marshal Yanda, Baltimore; Logan Mankins, New England; Kyle Long, Chicago
CENTERS » Mike Pouncey, Miami; Alex Mack, Cleveland
DEFENSIVE ENDS » J.J. Watt, Houston; Mario Williams, Buffalo; Greg Hardy, Carolina
DEFENSIVE TACKLES » Ndamukong Suh, Detroit; Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay; Dontari Poe, Kansas City
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS » Tamba Hali, Kansas City; Terrell Suggs, Baltimore; Brian Orakpo, Washington
INSIDE LINEBACKERS » Luke Kuechly, Carolina; Paul Posluszny, Jacksonville
CORNERBACKS » Patrick Peterson, Arizona; Darrelle Revis, Tampa Bay; Brent Grimes, Miami; Tim Jennings, Green Bay
SAFETIES » Eric Berry, Kansas City; Eric Weddle, San Diego; T.J. Ward, Cleveland
PLACEKICKER » Justin Tucker, Baltimore
PUNTER » Brandon Fields, Miami
PUNT RETURNER » Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota
SPECIAL TEAMER » Matthew Slater, New England
LONG SNAPPER » J.J. Jansen, Carolina
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