Should undrafted college football players be allowed to return?
Thirty underclassmen who entered this year’s NFL Draft were not selected. The list included several SEC players.
Most, like Auburn’s Peyton Barber, tried to catch on as undrafted free agents because … well … what other choice did they have?
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema has noticed the trend (55 players in the past two years) and thinks it’s time to allow these undrafted underclassmen the right to return to college football.
Question: Is Bielema right? Assuming they preserve their eligibility and maintain their classwork, should undrafted underclassmen be allowed to return to school and play college football?
Answer: This is a double edged sword. I’m going with no on this one. The whole NFL Combine process needs to be amended for players who declare for the NFL Draft. Players should be able to attend an underclassmen combine that would allow coaches and scouts to get a better feel for how to really project the players prior to entering the NFL Draft.
It’s one thing to watch film and project a player. It’s another to actually see him in person and see how explosive and fast he really is. So, in short, the combine process needs to be amended; however, once players fully declare, they shouldn’t be allowed to return.
— SDS co-founder Jon Cooper (@JonCooperMedia)
Answer: I initially supported Bielema’s idea. However ,after allowing the idea to marinate for a bit, I could see it causing more issues for schools and the players themselves, particularly on their path to eventual graduation.
Once prospects determine they are ready to enter the draft, preparing for the NFL’s selection process turns into a full-time job. Some leave school and miss the entire spring semester, not to mention their team’s spring football session. If the rule changed and players were allowed to make the jump to the NFL without repercussions, a number of potentially ill-advised decisions could be made by prospects not yet ready for the rigors of the NFL and a professional lifestyle.
Agents, endorsements, payments and contracts could potentially muck up matters even worse. Immediately after declaring for the draft, players sign with agents, managers among other professional representation and typically take money from these people. As they are no longer college athletes, this is completely legal and the majority of the money goes to helping the prospects get the best possible training before any pro days, combines and the draft – not to mention travel expenses and housing for those events.
Like I said, the idea in itself is great on face value, but would likely open so many new issues for schools to deal with, I don’t see it become the new standard in college athletics anytime soon.
— SDS news writer Michael Wayne Bratton (@MichaelWBratton)
Answer: My position is college football should make this happen and allow them to return to school.
However, it’s worth pointing out some of the things that will make the NCAA reluctant to change the rule. First of all, the NCAA would have to worry about what happens between the time that the players have declared for the draft and when they potentially decide to return to school. Did they hire agents and accept money from a third party? Do schools try to offer some money under the table to convince the player to return? From the coaches’ perspective, they may have some concerns because they need to know what their positions of need are so they can be filled in recruiting.
Plus, players who do decide to return to school will have missed spring practice. Still, these days graduate transfers come in the spring or summer and start in the fall. Regardless, one thing that does need to change immediately is the deadline for underclassmen to declare because forcing them to decide in mid-January for a draft in late April is ridiculous.
— SDS News Editor Talal Elmasry (@TalalElmasrySDS)
Answer: Of course they should be allowed to return to school, assuming they maintained good academic standing and preserved their eligibility.
(Basketball is a different animal in terms of scholarship impact. There’s fewer scholarships, so each one is more precious. Allowing a basketball player to test the waters and then return after the June draft would no doubt cause scholarship problems. And those scholarship problems would be handed down to the last guy on the bench.)
Football coaches have more time, more scholarships, more wiggle room. They could always hold back one or two scholarships if they thought their player was an undrafted free agent candidate.
The key, as everybody has mentioned, is rules would have to be in place that prevent the football player from receiving any payments or benefits along the way, thus preserving his eligibility. But even that is subject to eye-rolling, considering how lavishly they are treated during the award banquets, most notably the Heisman Trophy presentation.
They’re not normal students. They never have been.
As for hiring an agent, high school baseball players have worked around the “agent/advisor” rule for decades in order to gain valuable draft information while also preserving their college eligibility. That’s semantics and both sides are fine with it. That’s a simple fix.
This isn’t the 1960s or 1980s or even 2000. The dynamics have changed. Football players are leaving earlier, and more of them are leaving earlier. The issue is expanding, not going away.
Logic dictates that the math will lead to more undrafted underclassmen each year.
If the NCAA is truly interested in their well-being, they’d allow them the opportunity to return — maybe even with a more realistic view of a world without football.
There are obstacles, but there isn’t a logical reason not to.
— SDS Executive Editor Chris Wright (@FilmRoomEditor)
No. Choices have consequences. They knew the risks going in. They need to seek and follow qualified advice.
Amen
Agreed
No. The reality is that life doesn’t normally give you an immediate second chance when you make a wrong choice. How many would declare for the draft with a no foul, no harm safety net. Nothing is stopping them from returning to school to finish their education but they need to do so without playing eligibility or scholarship.
Absolutely let them come back and play. The rules could be tweaked a little to prevent them from falling behind in school and also the work that’s put in from working out with the combine could account for spring training sessions. There’s ways to work this in. I even agree with the guy who mentioned having something separate and earlier for scouts to get a look at the prospects. If they feel they’re ready then go for it, or if not, they can suggest staying another year. But sure, if they don’t sign by a certain date, then they should allow them to return.
I’m sorry I don’t agree…if u leave before u graduate cus u think ur good enough and go to combine and do good and go to the draft but nobody picks u. Not even off free agent list. Now if they left early and can come back for a year or 2 to graduate, I’m all about it, but if u declare for NFL then u shldnt be allowed back to college just cus nobody wanted u. Just my opinion tho…
im guessing by the grammar and spelling you are using that you were not able to return to school either
Chris wright’s comparison of basketball and football scholarships is rediculous of course a football coach has more scholarships but where as a basketball two deep is 10 a football two deep is at least 45 players.
I can’t believe this is up for debate! No, they shouldn’t be allowed back. Every school has “experts” come in and discuss the player’s chances. The player knows where he stands in the draft. It’s not a lottery where their name is picked purely by chance. It’s a science and these players are given the best info available before they declare.
Lord no!!! Thats crazy to me. You should stay ur 4yrs and get ur degree even if u think ur ready for the NFL and if u don’t and declare anyways and don’t get drafted or picked up in F.A. THEN go play European or Canadian or arena ball cause u messed up. Wld be totally unfair to let some who declares for NFL, go to combine, go to the draft and not get picked up to go back to college to play….now, I’m all for letting them go back to get or finish a degree but as for playing football again should not even be a question. Just my opinion tho… Lol let’s go Vols!!!!! GBO!!! VFL!!!
YES definitely, no question.
You go to a restaurant and don’t like the menu… do you refuse to eat anything else? It’s a stupid rule.
They should be able to return.
I’m not saying this just because the head coach of my team is saying this. I’d agree with it even if Saban or Miles, or the HBC himself suggested it.
I think the NCAA should move back the date to declare as well. I think that if the player is academically by the time fall camps begin, they should be able to play. As for the agent issue, that would be a risk the agents take by signing a player. The contracts would be void if the player is not signed by an NFL team and the player returns to school.
Once that starts happening the courting of players less likely to be drafted would dramatically slow down due to the higher risk that the agents would not be paid. That will result in fewer underclassmen declaring for the draft.
Since someone brought up other college sports, I would have no issue with all sports having a rule like baseball. Where a player can be drafted by a pro team after their senior year in High School or after three years from their High School graduation date. That allows the really outstanding talents to go to the draft (I doubt any NFL team would ever draft a High School player, but the option is there). Being in the draft should not end a players eligibility.