Record 98 underclassmen declare for NFL Draft

Submitted by Cold War on

A record 98 underclassmen, including Johnny Manziel and Jadeveon Clowney, have made themselves eligible for the NFL draft in May. The league released the list of early entrants Sunday and said the number has risen six straight seasons.

The deadline for underclassmen to apply was Jan. 15. Last year, 73 underclassmen entered the draft. The year before it was 65, and in 2011 it was 56.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2014/story/_/id/10318142/record-98-undercla…

MGoBoard

Elwood

January 19th, 2014 at 8:21 PM ^

These kids are listening to agents and the uncertainty of the new rules pushes them to leave early. Once enough wash out/go undrafted, more are likely stay longer in school. It might stay higher than before the new cba, but it won't increase at this stupid rate for too much longer.

Joined: 01/16/2010

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maizenbluenc

January 20th, 2014 at 8:49 AM ^

waiting tables and working retail too.

That is what the whole debate about college ROI is. e.g., Michigan is 120 in state, and 183 out of state in that ranking: http://www.payscale.com/college-education-value-2013 - and even when you click on the top 20 listings for engineering, computer science or business major ROIs, we aren't on it. Clemson is 133/178. Auburn is 209/279. Bama is 375/515. Georgia is 375/515 and Mr. Clowney's education has an ROI ranking of 780/919.

I'd be willing to bet an African American studies major from UNC for example -- with an ROI rating of 359/490 -- is going to have trouble finding a job if they don't make the NFL. (I have selected this as the most recent public instance of althletes either be guided or taking an easy path through school to stay eligible.)

My neighbor is a huge NC State homer, and the UNC story is one that just keeps on giving. Especially since NC State with their engineering school -- UNC is pretty much a liberal arts college -- has an ROI of 168/207.

Joined: 07/21/2009

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snarling wolverine

January 20th, 2014 at 11:45 AM ^

I would actually bet that a UNC graduate who played football - even if it's in a crap major - can find work from a friendly fellow alumnus.  Being a college athlete gives you networking opportunities down the road that regular students don't have.  

(Having said that, a lot of college grads can find work if they really are willing to take what they can find, but a lot simply have overly-high expectations and prefer to be unemployed looking for their "dream job" instead.)

 

 

Joined: 12/14/2011

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UMgradMSUdad

January 19th, 2014 at 9:05 PM ^

The "We ain't here to play school" contingent is most likely far more concerned with meeting the minimum academic requirements for eligibility than they are in graduating.  In short, they are likely not on target to graduate in four or five years in the first place.

Joined: 07/02/2011

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JTGoBlue

January 19th, 2014 at 8:30 PM ^

It can't be organized like baseball and hockey, let them be drafted or not and they have the choice to stay in school. Or at least they can declare, and if not drafted come back to school.

Joined: 08/31/2009

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Death Reau

January 20th, 2014 at 8:08 AM ^

the majority of NFL teams are counting on 1-2 starters and multiple contributors out of each draft.  In MLB and NHL they're not even expecting to see them on the parent club for years.  It would be much more damaging to pin your hopes on the whims of 21 year olds in football.

Joined: 07/02/2008

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maizenbluenc

January 20th, 2014 at 8:27 AM ^

care more about what the NFL teams want than what's best for the student athlete? Or, OMG, some slimy agent may give them money to buy a suit and a car and take them to parties, and train for the combine?

Either way, if a guy doesn't get drafted, then he's really going to need to get serious about that degree.

Joined: 07/21/2009

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xxxxNateDaGreat

January 20th, 2014 at 9:53 AM ^

It speaks more about the rise of concussion awareness and how the new CBA (in addition to the two years before that when people were panicking whether any football games would be missed because neither side was interested in negotiation) means that there really isn't much point in staying in school to get that first round pay bump if it's not worth much more than a second round contract.

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LSAClassOf2000

January 19th, 2014 at 8:42 PM ^

I believe that the rule allowing underclassmen to declare was only relaxed in 1990, but it would be interesting to know what the progression has been since then when it comes to how many have declared for the draft. I am pretty sure that, in the early 90s anyway, it could not have been more than a couple dozen each year and it has likely slowly risen each year to this year's total. I want to say that, as late as even 7 or 8 years ago, you probably would not have seen more than 40-50 declare, so if that is indeed true, the doubling is intriguing. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

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MJ14

January 19th, 2014 at 11:58 PM ^

I think 2009 only saw 50 or so declare. That was a record at the time. And then it just kept going on like crazy. I could be wrong about 2009 and 50, but it is right around there. I'll double check. 

Edit: A quick google search shows it was right under 50 in 2009. And then went up really fast from there. So yeah not too long ago it was not this high. It's nearly double in 5 years. 

Joined: 01/09/2011

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NoMoPincherBug

January 19th, 2014 at 8:44 PM ^

I'd leave too if I were in a position to get paid.  There are too many variables and risks for most players to stay in school.  Anyone graded out to the first 4 rounds should hit it IMO.  That goes for any sport.  Look at McGary.  If you are smart, you can use that money to eventually get your degree.

Joined: 04/08/2011

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get-on-my-lawn

January 19th, 2014 at 8:48 PM ^

That, especially in qb's cases, that the spike has occured mostly in part due to the fact that young qb's (rookies and first-few-year players) are getting more and more chances to start immidiately rather than being groomed for 4-5+ years before getting an opportunity? Young qb's have become the hot commodity, therefore, why wouldn't you leave early? As far as other positions, that isn't as much the case of course, but it hasn't hust been qb's that this theme has belonged to.

Joined: 02/14/2013

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AlwaysBlue

January 19th, 2014 at 8:52 PM ^

"LSU for the second straight season had the most players of any school to leave early. The Tigers had seven early entrants this season, including wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr., after 11 LSU players left early last year."

 

Interesting.  

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GoBLUinTX

January 19th, 2014 at 8:53 PM ^

rule change for NFL rookie pay has a tremendous impact.  Because all rookies are now capped at the rookie wage, it makes sense to declare as young as possible to start putting time in the NFL to get to the next contract.  Which is the pay day.  NFL owners like this because they get cheap players and a chance to see how they do at the professional level before paying them the big bucks.  

As with basketball, nobody will benefit from this.  Not the NFL and certainly not college football. 

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BlueCube

January 19th, 2014 at 9:16 PM ^

While the intent is to hold down salaries for the NFL teams, the result is more players leaving early to get their years of service in and get to the bigger salaries. It makes sense for top recruits. You can see from the numbers that there will also be many losers.

It does seem like the rules should be allowed to let players return if they are not satisfied with the draft results. It's highly unlikely the NFL will want to change it. Maybe a minor league system for the NFL will come out of this.

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SysMark

January 19th, 2014 at 10:43 PM ^

There will never be a viable minor NFL minor league system.  The amount they could pay players wouldn't come close to the value of a free college education.  Take off the restrictions and let anyone go whenever they want - very few will be viable less than three years removed from HS.  All the fuss is around very few players, like Clowney etc.

Joined: 11/15/2008

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stephenrjking

January 19th, 2014 at 10:56 PM ^

I agree. I actually think there could be a successful major junior-type of basketball league, but the fact is that football has just too many scale issues and logistical challenges to produce a new minor league that actually pays players money.

It does put football prospects in an interesting bind, since the age limitation seems artificial, but I think there is some sense in the NFL's position that younger guys, for the most part, are just not ready to play.

Joined: 03/15/2012

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vablue

January 20th, 2014 at 5:41 AM ^

It would be just like the NBA.  Very few players would be ready, but many would be drafted on potential, with the result being a ton of players paid a lot of money that do little to nothing.  The NFL is a smart enough business to require some experience from there potential employees in the form of college football before they hire them.  Its a smart move.

Don't get me wrong, they will still draft and pay many players that are not worth it, but if they were drafting straight out of high school it would be far worse.

Joined: 11/28/2011

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SysMark

January 20th, 2014 at 11:25 AM ^

The problem is running a football team is much, much more expensive than running a basketball team.  More equipment, coaches, bigger facilities, insurance and on and on.  It's easy to put 12 guys on a basketball team, throw them in a gym with a coach and have a few games.

Joined: 11/15/2008

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maquih

January 19th, 2014 at 9:59 PM ^

I've always been against the benefit veterans get in terms of salary.  Why not let teams pay their players what they're worth, regardless of age.  Jamarcus Russel was obviously a bust, but some rookies are ready to play as well as or better than anyone in the league right away.  There's no good reason not to give them a contract that matches their abilities.

Joined: 11/04/2010

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ca_prophet

January 19th, 2014 at 10:23 PM ^

... They get to audition new players for a small fraction of their open-market worth. It is clearly to the benefit of the battle-hardened survivors of the injury gauntlet otherwise known as NFL veterans - this funnels more of the salary floor to them. That combination means it's unlikely to change at the pro level, since both bargaining sides gain something. It is not to the benefit of fans of the NFL or of the college game. It is probably not to the aggregate benefit of the underclassmen coming out, since most of them won't make it in the NFL and will need their degree to fall back on. It is likely not to the benefit of the NCAA to have still improving talent sucked out of its game. The solution seems to be, as others have mentioned, to allow college students to declare for the draft but not lose their eligibility until they sign a contract. That way only the guys who like their status can jump ship for their dream, and the rest can get another shot. That would require the NCAA to both take a practical look at their amateurism principle and be willing to bite the hand that feeds them, even if it's a love bite.

Joined: 09/07/2010

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trueblueintexas

January 19th, 2014 at 11:29 PM ^

I agree with everything you posted. I think there is simply a timing issue with your proposal of players being able to return to school if they do not like where they were drafted, if at all. The NFL draft isn't until April or May. The NFL is not going to move that date up. That is far too late in the college process to find out if someone is coming back or not. College coaches basically have until NSD which is the first week of February. If oversigning is already an issue at some schools (in say the south and southeastern regions of the country) could you imagine what it would be like if a coach (say Nick Saban for example) found out in May that 3 of his best players would suddenly be around for another year. Somehow three players would no longer be on scholarship. Those dates are just too far apart to find a solution that both the NFL and NCAA will accept.

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