All of Marshall will be on pins and needles tonight.

That’s because something special is expected to happen 900 miles from this town of 13,680 people in southwest Minnesota. The first round of the 2021 NFL draft will be held in Cleveland, Ohio.

A hometown boy is expected to be drafted by an NFL team to play quarterback. The so-called experts say Trey Lance will be one of the top-five quarterbacks to be drafted in the first round, which will be held on national television.

Wow!

Think about this: according to NCAA Recruiting Facts, fewer than 2% of NCAA student-athletes go on to be professional athletes. Statistically, of the 100,000 high school seniors who play football every year, only 215 will ever make an NFL roster. That is 0.2%.

While most draftees normally wait until after their junior or senior season to turn pro, Lance is expected to be drafted after redshirting his freshman year at North Dakota State University and only playing one full season after that — which resulted in a national championship for the Bison. He played one game in 2020.

Of course there’s lots of speculation among the experts where Lance will end up. But there is very little doubt on his ability to quarterback in the NFL.

“Heck yes,” was the answer from one NFL Network draft analyst who was commenting on the prospects of Lance’s skill-level to be drafted by the New England Patriots.

When Lance’s name is called tonight, (we have no doubt it will be tonight) we are sure it will be a special feeling for him. We also know it will be a proud moment for his parents Carlton and Angie. It will also be a special moment for his brother, Bryce.

But as we watch our television sets tonight, that special moment will be shared among us all. Because it will be a special moment for the neighborhood buddy who tossed a football with Lance. Every player who competed with and against him on the gridiron, baseball field and basketball court will be watching. Every fan who attended Marshall games to root on the Tigers will be cheering when Lance’s name is announced.

Indeed, this is a special moment that will go down as one of the biggest in Marshall’s history.