Notes: NFL releases details on in-person draft in Cleveland

After going completely virtual last year, the NFL is making efforts to host an in-person draft this year with some semblance of normalcy.

The league announced Monday the 2021 NFL Draft will be an in-person event that will allow a select number of prospects, fans, and media to be on-site.

From April 29 to May 1, the 86th annual NFL Draft will take place across several Cleveland locations including FirstEnergy Stadium, the Great Lakes Science Center, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The NFL says there will be a Main Stage where picks are announced by Roger Goodell and other “special guests.” There will also be a Draft Theatre to be used as a viewing zone for the Main Stage. Each team will select “Draft ambassadors” to attend and represent them — cheering on their team’s picks from that viewing zone. Those fans must have their shots.

“To further the NFL’s efforts in promoting the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine when available, and consistent with guidance from the CDC, fans selected to sit in the ‘Inner Circle’ must be fully vaccinated,” the league explains in a press release.

There will also be live musical performances each day on the Main Stage. The NFL Draft Experience, which is the the league’s interactive football theme park, will be free of cost and open to the public surrounding FirstEnergy Stadium.

The league says it will work closely with state and local officials to ensure safety, requiring attendees to wear face coverings and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

And onto the rest of your notes.

• Detroitlions.com’s Tim Twentyman offers another set of pro days to watch this week.

• The guys over at The Athletic examine how the new additions, including Jamaal Williams and Josh Hill, will fit into the roster. (Subscription required.)

• We saw some pictures but now here’s a neat video of the Lions coaches visiting Ford Field and the Henry Ford Museum.

• In Monday Morning Quarterback, Albert Breer explains how Matthew Stafford is “pinching himself” in his new situation.

• The Detroit Lions Charities online auction is live today through Friday:

• The Lions go receiver with the No. 7 pick in NFL Media Draft Analyst Lance Zierlein’s latest mock.