NCAA needs to change NFL draft status.

[creamery freak]

With NIL and the transfer portal, I think it's time for NFL ready players to enter the draft as Freshman and Sophomores.

Jeremiah Smith doesn't need 2 more years of College. He's NFL ready now. Why should he have to wait? The one PSU player that could have entered draft as a Sophomore was Saquon with today's College football set-up.

What's other's opinions?

 

[LandoComando]

With NIL and the transfer portal, I think it's time for NFL ready players to enter the draft as Freshman and Sophomores.

Jeremiah Smith doesn't need 2 more years of College. He's NFL ready now. Why should he have to wait? The one PSU player that could have entered draft as a Sophomore was Saquon with today's College football set-up.

What's other's opinions?

The NFL has rules the prohibited that...not the NCAA.

But no one wants that. It's bad for the NFL and even worse for College football

 

[BOSCO2]

Yeah, I don't want to face Smith next year either.

 

[republion]

The NFL has rules the prohibited that...not the NCAA.

But no one wants that. It's bad for the NFL and even worse for College football

I never understood this line of thinking. Who cares if all the great players leave early for the NFL or go elsewhere? How does that hurt the game? The competition is all relative. We'd enjoy the sport just as much if the best players left for the NFL, because the players that stayed would now be "the best players" in college football.

 

[LandoComando]

I never understood this line of thinking. Who cares if all the great players leave early for the NFL or go elsewhere? How does that hurt the game? The competition is all relative. We'd enjoy the sport just as much if the best players left for the NFL, because the players that stayed would now be "the best players" in college football.

Why would college fans want to watch Jeremiah Smith for more than a year? Seriously?
It hurts the game because the best kids aren't playing. That hurts quality.
People want to see kids play for more than a year...otherwise everyone should take Colorado's approach
But ignore that even though we completely agree. The NFL will never allow it

 

[Lionsfan1000]

Depriving somebody from making a living based on their market should be a crime. The NBA solved this problem and NCAA basketball survived. Football hasn’t really needed to face it, as only a very small percentage of college football players are physically mature enough to play in the NFL. But a few are. They should be able to obtain what the market bears for their services. Pro sports leagues have been granted monopoly status in the US. What other industry has a draft, salary cap, age restrictions, etc. we in the US want our athletics pure but they haven’t been for a long time, if ever. Time to face reality.

 

[ryoder1]

With NIL and the transfer portal, I think it's time for NFL ready players to enter the draft as Freshman and Sophomores.

Jeremiah Smith doesn't need 2 more years of College. He's NFL ready now. Why should he have to wait? The one PSU player that could have entered draft as a Sophomore was Saquon with today's College football set-up.

What's other's opinions?

Why even go to college? Let them go from high school if they want. These super elite guys are not students anyway. In the case of Smith I get the feeling he was NFL ready when he was a sophomore in high school.

 

[Cowbell Man]

I never understood this line of thinking. Who cares if all the great players leave early for the NFL or go elsewhere? How does that hurt the game? The competition is all relative. We'd enjoy the sport just as much if the best players left for the NFL, because the players that stayed would now be "the best players" in college football.

QB’s are gonna stay anyway. The NFL doesn’t ever develop QB2 anymore. They get zero snaps during practice, in season. As a result they have to come come out ready…seeing all kinds of defenses for 30-40 starts. Only fools are going to pick one year starters like Trubisky and Richardson any more. The rest want Daniel’s, Penix, Nix.

 

[ryoder1]

Why would college fans want to watch Jeremiah Smith for more than a year? Seriously?
It hurts the game because the best kids aren't playing. That hurts quality.
People want to see kids play for more than a year...otherwise everyone should take Colorado's approach
But ignore that even though we completely agree. The NFL will never allow it

Let them go out of high school if they want and will get drafted high. If all the teams lose their super elite guys and the playing field is still the same for all teams then so what? If the games are still exciting and competitive but there is no Jeremaiah Smith or Abdul Carter but replaced with a lesser player then I'm fine with that. Is the NFL more exciting because their "quality" is better?

 

[republion]

Let them go out of high school if they want and will get drafted high. If all the teams lose their super elite guys and the playing field is still the same for all teams then so what? If the games are still exciting and competitive but there is no Jeremaiah Smith or Abdul Carter but replaced with a lesser player then I'm fine with that. Is the NFL more exciting because their "quality" is better?

Somebody gets it. Thank you.

 

[rrdd2021]

I never understood this line of thinking. Who cares if all the great players leave early for the NFL or go elsewhere? How does that hurt the game? The competition is all relative. We'd enjoy the sport just as much if the best players left for the NFL, because the players that stayed would now be "the best players" in college football.

I believe the NFL's reasoning is that 18 and 19 year old kids aren't physically ready for the violent NFL game

 

[ryoder1]

I believe the NFL's reasoning is that 18 and 19 year old kids aren't physically ready for the violent NFL game

There won't be many but a few like Jeremiah Smith. The kid is ridiculously good and should be in the NFL. I wonder what classes he takes?

 

[stf110]

Why even go to college? Let them go from high school if they want. These super elite guys are not students anyway. In the case of Smith I get the feeling he was NFL ready when he was a sophomore in high school.

Technically speaking the NFL rule is you have to be 3 years past your HS graduation year if you had gone on to graduate from HS.
You don't have to graduate HS nor go to college to play in the NFL, just be 3 years older than you would have been had/when you graduated from high school.

 

[LandoComando]

Let them go out of high school if they want and will get drafted high. If all the teams lose their super elite guys and the playing field is still the same for all teams then so what? If the games are still exciting and competitive but there is no Jeremaiah Smith or Abdul Carter but replaced with a lesser player then I'm fine with that. Is the NFL more exciting because their "quality" is better?

Why would the NFL do that?
Yes, the NFL is a better because of the better talent
College football needs elite guys--many people watch college football to see the next generation of NFL star develop
Just because you don't care about it doesn't make that a thing

 

[LandoComando]

There won't be many but a few like Jeremiah Smith. The kid is ridiculously good and should be in the NFL. I wonder what classes he takes?

Who cares what classes he takes?
Beau majored in Communications--like most kids--just wasting an education to play ball

 

[creamery freak]

Yeah, I don't want to face Smith next year either.

Marvin Harrison 2.0

 

[LandoComando]

Technically speaking the NFL rule is you have to be 3 years past your HS graduation year if you had gone on to graduate from HS.
You don't have to graduate HS nor go to college to play in the NFL, just be 3 years older than you would have been had/when you graduated from high school.

Where else are they going to play?
Reality is--eventually there won't be a 4 year limit--if anyone's enrolled they can play

 

[ryoder1]

Marvin Harrison 2.0

I think he's better. More physical. Incredible he is just a freshman.

 

[bison13]

NFL should be open draft like NBA, MLB, NHL. Doesnt matter your age, just HS grad or equivalent. NFL does not have a minor league like the others so they do not want to spent the money and resources when the NCAA does it for free. They throw the physically ready thing out there as an excuse.

When Bryan Bresee was being recruited out of HS I spent a lot of time talking to major D1 coaches and a couple of them said the same thing. 5 star recruits would be drafted out of HS every year if the NFL wanted to put all the time in to working with them. Ask Nick Saban why so many of those kids came to play for him (besides the bag)

 

[Obliviax]

With NIL and the transfer portal, I think it's time for NFL ready players to enter the draft as Freshman and Sophomores.

Jeremiah Smith doesn't need 2 more years of College. He's NFL ready now. Why should he have to wait? The one PSU player that could have entered draft as a Sophomore was Saquon with today's College football set-up.

What's other's opinions?

this isn't up to the NCAA. It is part of the collective bargaining agreement with the players association. part of that is to protect young kids who typically are not physically mature enough and part is to protect vets to allow them to hold onto those limited/high-paying positions.

Baseball has the minor leagues. The NBA had quite a mess with 18 year old kids being drafted and riding the pines while make more than many vets. So the NBA created their own minor league.

In any case, it is up to the NFL and NFL-PA to get together and renegotiate the CBA.

 

[Lionsfan1000]

this isn't up to the NCAA. It is part of the collective bargaining agreement with the players association. part of that is to protect young kids who typically are not physically mature enough and part is to protect vets to allow them to hold onto those limited/high-paying positions.

Baseball has the minor leagues. The NBA had quite a mess with 18 year old kids being drafted and riding the pines while make more than many vets. So the NBA created their own minor league.

In any case, it is up to the NFL and NFL-PA to get together and renegotiate the CBA.

The courts could decide it. . They shot down the reserve clause and required free agency for baseball. They required “hardship” for the NBA, plus the ABA took high school players. The NFL dodged anti-trust damages with the USFL only because the USFL made no money. They lost the case. The legal environment is a lot different today. Would be an interesting case.

 

[Obliviax]

The courts could decide it. . They shot down the reserve clause and required free agency for baseball. They required “hardship” for the NBA, plus the ABA took high school players. The NFL dodged anti-trust damages with the USFL only because the USFL made no money. They lost the case. The legal environment is a lot different today. Would be an interesting case.

I don't think so. The difference is that this is a CBA between the players union and the owners. The reserve clause was when the govt allowed collusion between baseball owners to "own" a player throughout his career even without a contract. They were reserved even though there was no contract. In this case, the players have agreed to the age restriction. There is a contract. At the same time, I don't think it would take much argument to show that it was put into place to protect young kids from getting injured. Especially now where top players are making as much or more than NFL players.

 

[RickinDayton]

With NIL and the transfer portal, I think it's time for NFL ready players to enter the draft as Freshman and Sophomores.

Jeremiah Smith doesn't need 2 more years of College. He's NFL ready now. Why should he have to wait? The one PSU player that could have entered draft as a Sophomore was Saquon with today's College football set-up.

What's other's opinions?

I guess the NFL would have to change their policy.

 

[republion]

I believe the NFL's reasoning is that 18 and 19 year old kids aren't physically ready for the violent NFL game

I get the NFL's reasoning. I don't get the fan's reasoning of "it'll hurt the college game!"

 

[heckmans]

Why even go to college? Let them go from high school if they want. These super elite guys are not students anyway. In the case of Smith I get the feeling he was NFL ready when he was a sophomore in high school.

This was a disaster for the NBA. It would be apocalyptic for the NFL.
Success is HS is not a good predictor of NFL success.
The NFL says 3 years after HS b/c it does 2 things for the NFL. 1) The physical maturity between 18-21 is generally substantial. 2) It creates evidence of football performance against a higher level of competition.

Basketball is not as physical as football. Few HS kids are NFL ready.
I can tell you, as someone who played collegiate rugby at PSU, there is a huge difference. When we played Men's clubs, we knew it the next day. We called it "man strength." Guys 25+ are just more solid than 18-20yos.

Further, can you imagine the situation if NFL teams were trying to make draft decisions on Quinn Ewers, Christian Hackenberg, etc? It would make the NBA experiment with HS kids look mild.

 

[mgkpsu]

I don’t think there should be any age restrictions to go to the NFL. Let the fake student athletes go get paid like they actually want, and let the kids who value education compete, like it was always supposed to be.

 

[91Joe95]

The courts could decide it. . They shot down the reserve clause and required free agency for baseball. They required “hardship” for the NBA, plus the ABA took high school players. The NFL dodged anti-trust damages with the USFL only because the USFL made no money. They lost the case. The legal environment is a lot different today. Would be an interesting case.

The courts did decide it when Maurice Clarett sued the NFL over the collectively bargained eligibility rules and lost.

 

[RickinDayton]

I get the NFL's reasoning. I don't get the fan's reasoning of "it'll hurt the college game!"

I agree with the NFL's reasoning. I don't think more than 5%, if that of HS seniors or college Freshman are physically able to play at the NFL level. Basketball, Baseball, Tennis, Soccer even Ice Hockey they can but the NFL, no way even with today's increase in HS & college S&C programs. Additionally, the NFL coaching staffs would have spend too much inividual time developing/prepping the young men. Given limited roster spots I don't see it happening.

 

[creamery freak]

I agree with the NFL's reasoning. I don't think more than 5%, if that of HS seniors or college Freshman are physically able to play at the NFL level. Basketball, Baseball, Tennis, Soccer even Ice Hockey they can but the NFL, no way even with today's increase in HS & college S&C programs. Additionally, the NFL coaching staffs would have spend too much inividual time developing/prepping the young men. Given limited roster spots I don't see it happening.

What about Jeremiah Smith now or Saquon after year 2? They would be NFL ready, because they are generational talents. There are probably 1 or 2 college football players out of 5,000 D1 kids that would fall into this category each year. My thought is, if they can play in the NFL now, why not?

 

[rrdd2021]

There won't be many but a few like Jeremiah Smith. The kid is ridiculously good and should be in the NFL. I wonder what classes he takes?

Let's be honest, there are a lot of CF stars in the same boat AT ALL SCHOOLS

 

[LionDeNittany]

With NIL and the transfer portal, I think it's time for NFL ready players to enter the draft as Freshman and Sophomores.

Jeremiah Smith doesn't need 2 more years of College. He's NFL ready now. Why should he have to wait? The one PSU player that could have entered draft as a Sophomore was Saquon with today's College football set-up.

What's other's opinions?

Better question for me? Why can't you play college go to nfl then back to college.

What's this make-believe cutoff point all about?

There is no amateur vs pro. There is only pro.

 

[OaktonDave]

Depriving somebody from making a living based on their market should be a crime. The NBA solved this problem and NCAA basketball survived. Football hasn’t really needed to face it, as only a very small percentage of college football players are physically mature enough to play in the NFL. But a few are. They should be able to obtain what the market bears for their services. Pro sports leagues have been granted monopoly status in the US. What other industry has a draft, salary cap, age restrictions, etc. we in the US want our athletics pure but they haven’t been for a long time, if ever. Time to face reality.

What you are talking about are products of the respective CBAs - when a player can enter the leagues, drafts, salary caps, etc. all exist because the owners and the player unions agreed to them. At one point, kids graduating were immediately eligible for the NBA draft. The NBAPA didn't like it since it reduced opportunities for veterans, so they agreed to the current rules. The same is true with the NFL rule on draft eligibility; it was collectively bargained, not unilaterally imposed by the league. The NCAA has no control over any of it, and the courts aren't going against anything that was collectively bargained and still supported by the parties involved. People are welcome to critical opinions of the current status, but I think the leagues and unions would argue that they have faced reality just fine.

 

[lurkerlion]

Better question for me? Why can't you play college go to nfl then back to college.

What's this make-believe cutoff point all about?

There is no amateur vs pro. There is only pro.

Pretty good question. If you don't make the cut, go back to school. Nightmare for schools and NFL, but kids would learn real quick that so few are NFL ready.

While there are maybe 5 19 year olds ready for the NFL (a few more 20 year olds), there are 500 kids who think they are ready. Watching guys get cut would be a huge wake up call. NIL money would look a lot better, as well as playing time. Of course, this wouldn't work but an interesting theory.

I still think the best idea is for all the Big10 teams, minus OSU, to chip in NIL money and send Jeremiah Smith to Hawaii to vacation and work out for 2 years.

 

[RickinDayton]

What about Jeremiah Smith now or Saquon after year 2? They would be NFL ready, because they are generational talents. There are probably 1 or 2 college football players out of 5,000 D1 kids that would fall into this category each year. My thought is, if they can play in the NFL now, why not?

Well certainly they could but I would think the NFL would not be able to limit who could enter early or some player would sue which could open the floodgates to players declaring for the draft. Of course only a handful would be drafted or even offered UDFA status.
I don't see it happening.

 

[heckmans]

I don’t think there should be any age restrictions to go to the NFL. Let the fake student athletes go get paid like they actually want, and let the kids who value education compete, like it was always supposed to be.

You may not, but the NFL does, because it would be a very expensive disaster for them.

 

[heckmans]

Better question for me? Why can't you play college go to nfl then back to college.

What's this make-believe cutoff point all about?

There is no amateur vs pro. There is only pro.

NIL, on paper, didn't break that amateur status as they weren't paid for playing, but as soon as the universities begin paying them as employees, they are, by definition pros... Unless I'm missing some nuance in how it's being conducted. It will be interesting to see how the NCAA tries to manage that line, because it certainly will get tested.

 

[The Spin Meister]

The courts did decide it when Maurice Clarett sued the NFL over the collectively bargained eligibility rules and lost.

Then Clarett started college as a freshman and separated shoulder because he was too young even for college. Then separated his other shoulder.

He sued to go early because of disciplinary issues plus health concerns…..wanted to cash in before more injuries.

So went pro after his third year and ended up so banged up he was never a star.

19-20 yrs old is a huge difference from 24-29. Few kids would survive playing before 21. And even at 21-22 is tough.

 

[LionDeNittany]

NIL, on paper, didn't break that amateur status as they weren't paid for playing, but as soon as the universities begin paying them as employees, they are, by definition pros... Unless I'm missing some nuance in how it's being conducted. It will be interesting to see how the NCAA tries to manage that line, because it certainly will get tested.

And it should.

Remember that worst heisman winner from FSU who played professional baseball for 6 years before going to college at age 26?

I do.

Now schools are officially paying players... not sure how you can prevent a player from going back to college at age 26 after failing out of the NFL

 

[mgkpsu]

You may not, but the NFL does, because it would be a very expensive disaster for them.

I haven't given a single shit about the NFL in about 25 years.

 

[LionDeNittany]

I haven't given a single shit about the NFL in about 25 years.

Was that when Ray Lewis killed two people and they made him into a saint?