As if being a 6-foot-tall, 225-pound brick powerhouse who decimated college defenses during three years at Ohio State wasn't enough to make Ezekiel Elliot stand out in Chicago, the coveted running back surprised everyone on Thursday's NFL Draft red carpet with his midriff-baring gingham dress shirt—complete with columbia-blue tuxedo jacket, matching loafers, and a clip-on white bow tie.
Fortunately (or unfortunately; your call) Elliot rolled his shirt down and wore it properly tucked when accepting his new Cowboys jersey from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as the fourth pick. But the look, a nod to Elliot's signature No. 15 scarlet half-shirt—which is itself a tailored nod to the stretched-out cutoff jerseys worn by '80s college stars like Doug Flutie and Brian Bozworth—is pure football. It harkens back to summer two-a-days in swampy climates, saved only by wide-gauge mesh. We may not suggest it for your cousin's wedding, we can't totally fault it. When you look and hit like Elliot, and when you're soon to be worth millions, you can probably wear whatever you want.
The rest of the first-round attire didn't disappoint in its role as the gaudy-bordering-ridiculous stepbrother of the NBA style revolution led by Wade, Russ, Bosh, and LeBron. Everything is a bit more tucked and tailored throughout football now, pulled tightly over gladiatorial frames, but the big, loud looks are still only outmatched by the men wearing them. Primetime Deion Sanders's padded red-and-yellow suits wouldn't have been too odd among the flashy patterned jackets and spiky, studded loafers sported by Ole Miss teammates Laquon Treadwell and Laremy Tunsil.
Ronnie Stanley reigned in his outsized, textured ivory jacket with black and white pieces. Darron Lee matched his bright white smile with his bright white pants, pocket square, and giant peak lapels. Chris Jones let his mom pick out his black-and-red tuxedo. Jarran Reed's all-purple ensemble and large gold cross (a common accessory Thursday) would fit best behind a southern baptist pulpit, and Robert Nkemdiche's "all black everything" and circular frames could double as the wardrobe for the villain of a third Boondock Saints film.
Not everyone went big Thursday: Reggie Ragland wore a solid navy suit with charcoal vest, Vernon Butler donned classic black tie and perfect shades, and boring white quarterbacks Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, the top two picks Thursday night, dressed like boring white quarterbacks. But there are few wallflowers in the NFL, a sport with celebratory dances after every single play. So while the players may be following the NBA's lead a bit when they decide to dress up for the biggest night of their young lives, they do it their way. Sometimes that means baring your midriff under a tuxedo jacket—but again, we don't recommend it.
