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Standing in the middle of a crowded plaza at the NFL Draft theater on Thursday, all three boys are dressed in Desert Pines sweats, but they know exactly what they’ll be wearing five years from now when it’s their turn to walk across the stage.
“A black suit with dark blue,” says Isaiah Rubin.
“An all-black suit with a nice tie,” says Idgerinn Dean. “Real classy.”
“I see myself in a good-looking suit, pants down to the calves, maybe a chain,” says Elijha Payne.
It’s something Rubin, Dean and Payne have put thought into, and for good reason. All three are Division-I college material, so hearing their name called on draft day at some point in the future is not such an unreasonable dream. And with the 2022 NFL Draft coming to Las Vegas for three days, that dream has never been more tangible, more attainable — more real — for local players than right now.
Rubin, Dean and Payne attended Thursday’s first round as fans, taking the opportunity to witness Las Vegas sports history while also priming themselves for a years-long journey they hope will bring them full circle. The next time they go to the draft, they intend to be the stars.
Watching a massive video board as it shows Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner walk the red carpet, Rubin can’t help but raise a broad smile.
“That’s going to be me someday,” Rubin says. “I know it. I believe it.”
The Desert Pines trio could almost pass for NFL players as is. Rubin, a 6-foot-1 cornerback, is a 4-star prospect in the Class of 2024. Dean, a junior edge defender, cuts an imposing figure at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds. Both already hold multiple offers from power-conference colleges.
Payne, a junior offensive lineman, draws the most attention from the general public. At 6-foot-7, 307 pounds, he is a magnet for fans attending the draft; several times he is stopped and asked if he’s a prospect expecting to be taken in the first round. Payne gives a friendly “Not yet.”
It’s a question he gets a lot, although he’s fairly new to the game. Payne did not play football his first two years in high school and only joined the Desert Pines team for the 2021 campaign. That’s all that college coaches needed to see, apparently, as he’s already got offers from schools across the Pac-12, ACC and SEC.
Though Rubin, Dean and Payne are big-time players at one of the city’s premier football schools, they’ve never been to an NFL game and they’re taken aback by the scope of the league’s mega-event. With an announced attendance of 100,000 fans, many of them decked out in jerseys, face paint and other diehard accoutrements, the draft is host to a more intense crowd than anything they’ve experienced.
“It’s way bigger than I thought it would be,” Dean says. “I knew it would be packed, but not like this. This is something else.”
While they explore the draft village they chat about the kind of stuff you’d expect future NFL prospects to talk about: upcoming college visits, which coaches are recruiting them well, which suitors are being “too random.” Dean jokes that he hopes Tom Brady is still playing by the time he gets to the league.
And as the start of the first round draws near they turn into fans, speculating on what they expect to happen at the top of the draft. Only they’re not so interested from the teams’ perspective — they’re interested in their positions.
“I want to see the DB’s go as high as possible,” says Rubin, who is scheduled to fly out later that night for visits to Georgia and Georgia Tech. “That’s good for me. Do you think we can get two DB’s in the top five?”
Dean is certain the top two picks will be defensive ends and slots four edge players in his personal top five. “It’s the most important position,” he reasons.
It makes sense, as the kids are really projecting themselves into those draft slots. They know it’s not going to be easy; the road from high-school star to NFL player is long and difficult, even for 4-star talents such as the Desert Pines trio. For the next four years their schedules will be filled with daily weightlifting sessions, individual football drills, practices and games.
“It’s going to take a lot of work and a lot of focus,” Payne says. “I’ve really sat and thought about it. It’s going to take a lot of time and investment and working on my craft to be able to go to the next step. But that’s what I want to do. I love it.”
When the Jacksonville Jaguars go on the clock for the No. 1 overall selection, the kids devote their full attention. Commissioner Roger Goodell announces Georgia’s Travon Walker as the pick. Walker is a former 5-star recruit from the Class of 2019, and much to Dean’s delight, he is a defensive end.
The second pick is Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson, another defensive end, followed by LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. at No. 3. The Stingley pick draws a fist pump from Rubin.
Gardner goes fourth overall, fulfilling Rubin’s wish for two defensive backs in the top five. That’s good enough for a double fist pump. “Back to back!” Rubin shouts.
The cameras capture Gardner’s emotional reaction to being drafted. Rubin thinks he understands what the new pro is going through, and more than anything, he hopes to experience that same feeling someday.
“All his dreams came true,” Rubin says, “all at one time, right in that moment. He made it.”
Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.
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