NEW YORK, March 14 (UPI) -- The NFL Players Association is urging top college prospects to boycott April's NFL draft in New York, multiple reports indicated Monday.
Citing anonymous sources, ESPN and The NFL Network reported the NFLPA has set in motion a plan first discussed during last month's Super Bowl in Dallas in which locked-out players would ask the draftees to skip the gala event.
Scores of top draft picks attend the league's draft event each year, appearing on television with smiling team officials and pulling on team jerseys after their names are called.
ESPN reported the now-decertified union had contacted 17 prospective top draft choices urging them not to attend.
League spokesman Greg Aiello told The NFL Network the league still plans to "invite the 15-20 top prospects and their families to New York as we normally do for this once-in-a-lifetime experience."
"And, as always, it is the decision of the players and their families as to whether they attend," Aiello said
