Australian punters Arryn Siposs, Dane Roy and Joel Whitford will have a nervous wait as the NFL Draft gets underway on Friday morning.
The draft is usually held in packed venues with thousands of screaming fans, but the coronavirus pandemic has forced it to be held virtually with team coaches, general managers and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell operating from their homes.
The first day of the three-day, seven-round draft begins 10am (AEST) with the Cincinnati Bengals expected to use the first pick on Louisiana State University quarterback Joe Burrow.
The Aussie punting trio, products of Prokick Australia, will likely have to wait for the third day (Sunday AEST) to hear their names called out or hope to be signed as undrafted free agents.
"Everything is unknown at the moment and you don't know until your name is called out," Siposs, who played AFL with the St Kilda Saints from 2011 to 2015, told AAP.
Siposs punted for University of Auburn, Roy was with University of Houston and Whitford was at University of Washington.
NFL teams have made bold moves for Australian punters the past two drafts, with San Francisco 49ers taking Perth punter Mitch Wishnowsky in the fourth round last year.
Seattle Seahawks grabbing former Sydney Swans junior Michael Dickson in the fifth round.
Siposs said the Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets are among the teams that have shown interest and Roy has fielded calls from the Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.
from WWOS http://wwos.nine.com.au/news/australian-punters-await-virtual-nfl-draft/937942d5-c93d-4852-a47a-b46df8f5c897
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