Brandon Weeden passed on a chance to attend the 2012 NFL Draft in New York, choosing instead to find out his future from the comfort of his parents' home in Edmond, Okla.
The Oklahoma State quarterback is being projected as a possible late first- or second-round pick. However, no NFL.com or NFL Network analysts project Weeden to go in the first round in the latest mock drafts.
He received an official invite to the draft from the NFL last week, but the thought of spending a night -- or more -- backstage at Radio City Music Hall waiting for his name to be called wasn't appealing.
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"I really contemplated going," he said. "I hope to go in the first round, but there are a lot of unknowns."
Through the years, several high-profile quarterbacks -- including 2011 NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers -- have become the story of the draft because of when they weren't drafted.
Weeden is not in the conversation to go at the very top of the draft. No. 1 will likely be Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck to the Colts and No. 2 is penciled in to be Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III to the Redskins.
There has been, however, more and more speculation about Weeden being selected in the first round, especially after he visited the Cleveland Browns earlier this week.
The Browns own the No. 4 pick -- which could be used on Weeden's teammate, receiver Justin Blackmon -- and the No. 22 pick. Cleveland also picks early in the second round, No. 36 overall. NFL.com's Bucky Brooks rates Weeden as the draft's No. 38-ranked prospect, saying, "If not for his advanced age, Weeden would rank much higher based on his arm talent and pocket presence."
The trips serve as second interviews of sorts of the players and teams. The first time they meet is at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. When a team brings a player in for another face-to-face meeting it can only speak to the player. No workouts allowed.
If a team wants another look at a player performing, the team must go to the player.
Weeden said he's had at least one team come to Stillwater, Okla., to watch him throw again, and he's set to make another trip early next week.
On Wednesday, he found out from his agent, Sean Howard, that two more teams want to bring him in -- though those details are still to be worked out.
The Weedens have already started mapping out draft day plans, and it won't be a totally private party. ESPN will have a camera in the house to check in throughout the process and capture Weeden's reaction when he gets picked.
"When it starts to settle in that it's only three weeks out, I get pretty anxious," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
