It takes a special temperament to handle the scrutiny of draft season with style and grace. For Vernon Hargreaves III, a cornerback out of Florida, the cool came naturally. The 11th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Hargreaves has long looked and acted like a first-rounder.

In the final episode of Draft Season, SI’s Joan Niesen visits with Hargreaves on draft day as he lands with his hometown team. While he couldn't have dreamed of a better spot, the journey to that point was anything but perfect.

Vernon Hargreaves, the first-round pick | S1, Episode 6

Top prospects all face the same landmarks on their way to the NFL draft, but they each take their own unique path to get their. Each pick is a player. Each player has a story. Get ready for the return of Draft Season, a podcast miniseries from Sports Illustrated.

Welcome back to Draft Season

Draft Season returns for a second season as Sports Illustrated takes you behind the scenes of the crazy world of the NFL draft through the eyes of some of its most unique prospects.

In this year's first episode, Joan Niesen goes inside the mind of Northwestern WR Austin Carr, a former walk-on turned potential draft sleeper who wears many hats: musician, comedian, master's student, part-time philosopher ... and reigning Big Ten Receiver of the Year. Some NFL teams may be skeptical, but the multi-talented Carr has a lifetime of proof that football is his primary focus.

Austin Carr, walk-on warrior | S2, Episode 1

If anyone in this year's NFL draft is prepared for the pressure and expectations that come with being a top-10 pick, it's Jamal Adams. On the second episode of Draft Season's second year, SI digs deep on Adams to chronicle the making of a sure-thing first-rounder. In-depth interviews with Jamal’s family and mentors, as well as former LSU coach Les Miles and two-time Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark, reveal the big plays that put him on the national radar and the pedigree that has readied him for professional football.

Jamal Adams, the top-10 pick | S2, Episode 2

The MMQB’s Emily Kaplan tells the story of offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor’s cross-continental evolution from a football-fascinated child in North London to the latest in Texas A&M's long line of NFL-ready offensive linemen.

Jermaine Eluemunor, foreign import | S2, Episode 3

At USC, 6' 8" offensive lineman Zach Banner nearly topped 400 pounds. Now he's trying to prove to the NFL that he can trim his weight down to a more reasonable number—and keep it there. Lindsay Schnell chronicles Banner's quest, from an upbringing in which he always stood out to a pre-draft process in which he is working to fit into the NFL mold.

Zach Banner, big man on a mission | S2, Episode 4

To get to the University of West Georgia in tiny Carrollton, Alex Armah had to drive 88 miles from his parents’ house in Dacula, Ga. Dylan Donahue, meanwhile, had to go on a cross-country odyssey that included an NAIA school, a lost season spent on multiple roofs and a junior college. But once Armah and Donahue became teammates along the defensive line at West Georgia in 2015, they clicked immediately. When SI's Andy Staples went to visit them in the lead up to the draft, they’re fighting to reach the NFL—and neither of them expects to play defensive end again.

West Georgia's NFL long shots | S2, Episode 5

Gabe Marks has spent his entire football career hearing how he’s too small and too slow, but no one could ever accuse him of having too little personality. The Washington State wideout earned a reputation for telling it like it is at press conferences throughout his college career, leading to more than a few viral moments. Now he's preparing to be drafted into the NFL, where teams tend to look a little less fondly on unexpected headlines from outspoken players. In the final episode of the season, Lindsay Schnell gives Marks the mic one more time to dig into the person behind the one-liners, a prospect trying to prove he's not all talk.

This episode of Draft Season was produced by Alex Abnos. Theme song by Alex Abnos. Logo and artwork by Harry Swartout. This episode uses music by Podington Bear and Chris Zabriske.

Gabe Marks, the quote machine | S2, Episode 6

Think about the toughest job interview you’ve ever had. Now imagine that interview was monitored by more than 30 million people worldwide, and involved, somehow, being measured and judged in your underwear. For hundreds of 20- to 22-year-olds every spring, this is an unblinkingly natural part of vying for a roster spot in the NFL. Every week SI’s Draft Season will take you behind the scenes of this crazy and fascinating world of the NFL draft.

Draft Season

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