Report: NFL planning to hold draft as scheduled despite GMs' wishes

The NFL plans for the 2020 draft to go ahead as scheduled on April 23-25 despite the league's general manager subcommittee's unanimous recommendation to postpone it amid the coronavirus pandemic, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini.

With much of the league's operations shutting down in response to the COVID-19 crisis, general managers are reportedly concerned there won't be enough time for teams to do essential pre-draft tasks, such as conducting player physicals.

Another issue is reportedly that some teams could gain a competitive advantage by being permitted to be in their facilities during the draft, while staffs with other clubs can't because they're in locked-down states.

"I think a lot of owners aren't sold on keeping it on schedule," one league source told Schefter and Russini. "Of course the power owners are calling the shots. Plus, add to the fact that April is going to be the toughest month with this virus. It's really a poor look."

Commissioner Roger Goodell told teams to close facilities until at least April 8 in a memo Tuesday.

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