One of the biggest events in all of professional sports, one that has absolutely no athletic competition to it whatsoever, is just days away.

And on the heels of the wildest, most unpredictable, star-swapping offseason in the league’s history, the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft should be building to an anticipatory fever pitch.

The draft is set in the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas. The stage is set in water, amidst active fountains. A national television audience expected to reach well into the high teens of millions will be tuned in worldwide. The attraction and dominance of the National Football League and its 365 day life cycle on full display.

And yet the main headline heading into this week’s draft seems to be that there’s no buzz to this year’s selection show.

Why, with all of the hype and analysis and mock drafts and overall ratings dominance of the NFL in recent years, coming off an awesome season with spectacular playoffs, are we not feeling the energy that usually begins generating this time of year? Could it be the lack of a true first pick overall?

There could be a line of thinking that the drama surrounding the first overall pick, let alone how the top 10 picks may go, would lead to excitement and perhaps enhanced interest. In a wild turn of events the gambling odds have four possible players as the favorite to go first overall! And yet even national analysts seem to be having a hard time getting a feel for what this draft is missing.

Not having any certified stud QBs at the top of the draft, or that may go in the first round, could be hampering the pre-draft excitement. It’s likely two to four QBs are taken in the first round – it’s a QB-driven league after all. But are any of them legitimate franchise QBs? That question, among many, along with the increasingly great need to hit on your team’s top picks, could also lead to one of the more dynamic elements potentially in play — first round trades!

Again, you’d think the possibility of an unknown first overall pick, multiple first round trades, plus the potential for busts and breakouts all over the first round, could entice fans of any team, no matter their status or number of picks, to find this compelling. Yet, still, it’s just missing that, well, that pre-draft feeling. Uncertainty doesn’t seem to always sell.

Locally there’s been debate for weeks as to whether the Patriots, who hold the 21st overall selection, will make their pick as slotted, trade back (a Bill Belichick favorite for the accrual of value), or maybe now even trade up with so many teams potentially entertaining the option? If any fan base won’t be informed as to its favorite team’s plans ahead of the first round it’s this one. Again, with many needs Belichick, Matt Groh and the rest of the collaborative brain trust at Gillette Stadium could go in any Choose Your Own Adventure direction. Should be exciting, right?

Meh, not so much.

From top to bottom and throughout the 32 NFL cities, including New England, there are nothing but questions surrounding the 2022 NFL Draft.

The game of football itself and really all of professional sports are so damn entertaining because they are unscripted and oftentimes viewers truly don’t know what to expect. It’s the best must-see drama on TV. Way better than any drama, comedy or supposed reality TV series. But apparently when it comes to the draft, uncertainty just isn’t all that entertaining.

Brewing buzz or not, the NFL Draft will kick off Thursday night. Fans of most teams will be watching as much out of addiction and habit as anything else. Because otherwise, if you’ve been paying attention, there’s really not all that much to get excited about.