NFL Draft 2019: Meet Cody Webb, the country singer in the NFL Draft intro

When the NFL Draft kicks off in Nashville 7 p.m. Thursday, at-home viewers on the NFL Network will start the event with a 90-second, Nashville-centric mini-movie that draws parallels between the years-long preparation it takes to top your field as a football star and a country singer.

Up-and-coming country singer Cody Webb slipped right into character – as himself.

“I’m the country music singer coming to town, writing songs, playing little bars all the way up to walking out in front of a big crowd and making it,” explained Webb, whose new single “Gettin’ Somewhere” is out now. “And the football player will be making it by walking on the NFL Draft stage.”

Webb and a film crew spent two days filming in Nashville early this month, visiting places including Ryman Auditorium, Tootsies and Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk & Rock ‘n’ Roll Steakhouse.

“It’s my first acting gig,” Webb said. “Over 20 million people will see it. It’s kind of crazy, and I’ve never done anything like it before.”

Webb’s intro will also air 6 p.m. Friday at the beginning of Round 2 and Round 3 of the NFL Draft, and at 1 p.m. Saturday to launch the final day of the 2019 NFL Draft.

The acting job – and even his career in Nashville as a country singer – mark a professional swerve for Webb who graduated from Clemson University in his native South Carolina with a degree in mechanical engineering. Webb said his dad is an engineer, and since the singer knew the occupation came with a healthy salary, he initially chose to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“I had no idea what I was getting into,” Webb said. “When I got to Clemson, I realized I wasn’t nearly as good at math as I thought I was.”

'I had no idea a place like this existed'

He spent week nights studying in the school’s library and weekends playing shows in bars. His senior year in college, Webb visited Nashville and said he “fell in love.”

“I had no idea a place like this existed,” he said.

Webb started writing songs with fellow musicians in Nashville. At home in South Carolina, he moved in with his parents and saved money to fund a future move to Music City.  He and his wife Hayley were married in 2014, returned from their honeymoon, left the airport and drove to Middle Tennessee to start their new life. Webb signed a publishing deal and landed a cut – “Memories Are Made Of” – on Luke Combs’ debut album.  

“I knew I wanted to play guitar when I was 12 years old, but I didn’t know how to be a guitar player,” Webb said. “That turned into wanting to sing and write songs and build a career as an artist. I had to learn as I went. Now I want to take this as far as I can as an artist.”

But this weekend, Webb also hopes to get a little taste of his alma mater in Nashville.

“I’m a big Clemson fan, and they’re sending a ton of people to the draft,” he said. “And I get to go and hopefully hang out with (head) coach (Dabo) Sweeney and some of the Clemson guys. I’m super excited to be a part of it this year.”

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