Notes: Detroit announces neighborhood events leading up to 2024 NFL Draft

One of the more interesting things to watch ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft is just how much it is impacting the City of Detroit.

City officials announced another wave of events leading up to the draft from April 25-27 — these ones focused mostly in the neighborhoods. This may be a welcome sight for Detroit residents concerned neighborhoods would be left out of the mass impact the draft is expected to have on the Motor City. The city announced the “On The Clock Tour” — a series of events taking place at seven different locations across the city from January through April 2024.

The tour kicks off January 13 at the Kemeny Recreation Center—at 2260 S. Fort St. in District 6—with the Winterfest, featuring winter activities of all sorts, food trucks, a visit from Roary, arts and crafts, arcade-style games, football stations that allow participants to run the 40-yard dash and kicking field goals.

“When the 2024 NFL Draft was awarded to Detroit in 2022, our first priority was to ensure that all residents of the City of Detroit would have the opportunity to experience the excitement of the NFL Draft in their own neighborhoods and in our downtown,” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said in release. “The “On The Clock Tour” will deliver on that promise and bring the fun and spectacle of the NFL Draft to our communities for everyone to enjoy.”

Visit Detroit has even turned its mobile visitor center into the Draft Rover, featuring a 2024 NFL Draft design. Detroit residents who attend “On The Clock Tour” events can also learn about temporary paid positions supporting the draft. You can find a list of tour dates and locations here.

This is one of many ways both the city and the state are hoping to engage residents in all that is the 2024 NFL Draft. Officials say in their bid to host, they promised to make a “positive and enduring impact on our community as a legacy of the draft in Detroit,” said W.K. Kellogg Foundation Michigan Director Faye Nelson. Last month, the Detroit Sports Commission and Visit Detroit contributed $1 million towards a living-legacy initiative, to be used to help fund “existing programs that address the youth literacy gap in Detroit and fostering the need for active play among our youth, including girls’ sports.”

And onto the rest of your notes.

• Sam LaPorta joins the St. Brothers podcast over on The 33rd Team.

• Still time to help some Detroit Lions get to the Pro Bowl — now you can win a jersey while you’re at it.

• Speaking of the Pro Bowl, once again players won’t be competing in an actual game but instead 10 events, including a new one this year.

• “Just when it seemed safe to start questioning his ball security and playoff-readiness, Goff returns to full force by shredding Denver’s defense.” Quarterback power rankings over at CBS Sports lists Jared Goff at ninth in the league, while he jumped three spots to eight on NFL.com.

• Jeez, the Broncos game was quite the Alabama reunion.

• The director’s cut of this week’s “Sights and Sounds” is out, featuring a mic’d up Aidan Hutchinson.

• One key piece of the Lions’ offensive line made Pro Football Focus’ list of top 100 upcoming free agents.