By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
When the Eagles made the selection of Carson Wentz at the 2016 NFL Draft, held in Chicago in April, that was when rumors started surfacing that the Draft was on its way to Philadelphia.
On Draft weekend, Philadelphia was rumored to be the leading candidate to host the 2017 NFL Draft. Two month later in late July, there were reports that Philadelphia was to be named the official host, potentially in a matter of days.
On Thursday, that news became official, as the NFL announced that the Draft will be hosted in Philadelphia from April 27-29, 2017.
The Draft was a staple of New York for 50 years before the Draft moved to Chicago for the last two years. This is the first time the Draft has been held in Philadelphia since 1936.
"Philadelphia is a passionate football town and will serve as a tremendous backdrop for the Draft and provide a great atmosphere for our fans and incoming players," commissioner Roger Goodell said. "Jeffrey Lurie has been a strong advocate and supporter of the draft on behalf of the City of Philadelphia throughout the entire selection process. We look forward to working with the Philadelphia Eagles, the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau to create a week-long celebration of football for our fans."
Philadelphia reportedly beat out more than 20 other cities vying to host the draft. Among the reasons Philadelphia prevailed: history, landmarks, location and experience with outdoor festivities.
More than 20 cities wanted to host NFL Draft. Why'd Philly win? History, iconic landmarks, experience w/ outdoor fests and location.
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) September 1, 2016
The NFL said that the Draft will be held on the Ben Franklin Parkway with selected players making the walk up the Art Museum steps, a la Rocky Balboa, when their name is called.
