Timepieces Wow on Day One of National Football League Draft Red Carpet

Fresh off Watches and Wonders in Geneva where one of the leading trends was the merging of sports and watch making, especially Formula One, on Thursday night the NFL Draft Red Carpet added more ideas to watch trends. Presented by Toyota and held on the iconic Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., the hottest NFL prospects for the 2025 draft were introduced.

When it came to the fashion, bold colors on fitted tailoring were the name of the game. But the real standouts on the carpet? The eye-catching, often one-of-a-kind, timepieces.

Rolex easily dominated with the Day-Date seen on linebacker Jihaad Campbell of Alabama and wide receiver/quarterback Travis Hunter of Colorado; the Submariner seen on offensive tackle Will Campbell of LSU, and the Sky-Dweller seen on edge rusher Abdul Carter of Penn State.

Audemars Piguet also had a strong showing with the iconic Royal Oak on edge rusher Shemar Stewart of Texas and safety Malaki Starks of Georgia. Cartier’s Santos was seen on wide receiver Matthew Golden of Texas and quarterback Will Johnson of Michigan, making it another highlight of the carpet.

Diamonds continued to be the embellishment of choice when it comes to customization with a massive amount of black and white versions of the precious gemstone turning the timepieces into the ultimate bejeweled statement.

Athletes’ influence in the watch world has been paramount over the last couple years and the NFL, in particular, has helped grow the U.S. market, reaching a new younger customer and watch collector. Sports stars are bucking the industry trend, going for more embellished and bright-colored timepieces rather than traditional neutral styles.