The NFL has just recently recognized the fact that they can basically print $$ with whatever they do. The draft has been available for some time, it's just recently (in the post ESPN age) that they have marketed it as an event. The move to prime time was a stroke of brilliance. They've taken a bunch of guys sitting around a desk, smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee, and turned it into The NFL Event of April. I look for them to open up the combine in Indy to fans relatively soon. Hell, they already have a stadium.
As far as the second point goes, I disagree to a certain point. No sense having media, fans, scouts, anyone for that matter, attending and saying "X player can't move to the left in coverage." I think we can give these guys some time to get acclimated to the game and we'll see them at camp this August.
