Watch what you tweet

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- The month of April is underway and that means we’re closing in on the start of the NFL Draft. Coronavirus has changed how the 2020 NFL Draft will operate, but one thing that will remain the same is the role that social media plays in the decision to draft a player. Almost every year, the old tweets of at least one player will resurface on draft night. There’s constant debate about whether people should be digging up these posts and how we should react to/judge things said in the past. However, we can all agree that the internet never forgets.

Regardless of if it’s funny, meaningless old tweets like players cheering for their now rival teams, or more concerning and offensive tweets, teams are constantly watching how a potential draft pick handles themselves on social media. The same applies to colleges looking to recruit high school athletes. Once a player becomes a part of a program, that player’s actions now also represent the team they play for. Coaches will avoid a talented player if they feel the player will cause problems on the internet. It doesn’t matter how good you may be, character issues are just not worth dealing with in this era. Teams will move on and move on quickly.

So, while we’re all quarantining at home and spending way too much time on social media, be aware of the things you tweet, retweet, and like. If you have plans of playing at the next level, go through your social media and think about what others might see. If you have to think about it being good or bad, it’s probably bad, so scrap it. Google yourself to see what your name is attached to on the internet.

Social media can be fun and informative, but it can also be damaging to your future. Don’t be the next person to have to post a screenshot of an iPhone notes apology after someone found a bad tweet from a couple of years ago. Have fun, but also, be safe and be smart while we wait for life to get back to normal.