NIL Keeping More College Underclassmen Out of NFL Draft

rcade · April 29

I heard this during the NFL Draft over the weekend: Only 58 underclassmen declared for this year's draft, the lowest since 2011.

https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/2024/1/19/24044307/2024-nfl-draft-fewest-underclassmen-declare-in-over-a-decade

This is way down from a peak of 130 in 2021. The chance to earn serious NIL money in college is keeping more athletes from shortening their college careers.

One pundit said this trend meant there were a lot fewer NFL-ready players available during the final day of the draft. I don't know if that's true since the team here in Jacksonville has a long tradition of avoiding NFL-ready players.

rcade · April 29

How does this topic make someone barf? It's one of the only things about the NIL that isn't bad for fans!

NT93 · April 29

I didn’t give you the barf, but it’s unbelievable that people are staying in college to make more money. Isn’t the purpose of college to be able to get a job and make more money? It’s just insane.

UNTLifer · April 29

3 minutes ago, NT93 said:

I didn’t give you the barf, but it’s unbelievable that people are staying in college to make more money. Isn’t the purpose of college to be able to get a job and make more money? It’s just insane.

Yes, but they won't make the same amount of cash with that degree in "General Studies".

rcade · April 29

19 minutes ago, NT93 said:

I didn’t give you the barf, but it’s unbelievable that people are staying in college to make more money. Isn’t the purpose of college to be able to get a job and make more money? It’s just insane.

Athletes are the only college students who had to overcome a presumption that it's wrong for them to make money while in school. Everyone else -- like the dot-com types -- didn't have the NCAA blocking them from income. When I was in college in the 1980s, Michael Dell was running a computer business out of his dorm room at UT-Austin. He made $200,000 profit his first year.

I don't think it's insane for college athletes to want some of that sweet green cheese. A lot of them won't make the NFL or will only be there for a short time on cheap rookie deals. When the money truck arrived on campus of course everybody got in line.

Shark84 · April 29

Does the NCAA still have any academic eligibility requirements anymore? Do these student athletes still have to pass a certain number of hours? How does that apply to grad transfers? Do they have to take /pass a certain number of hours?

NorthTexasWeLove · April 29

1 minute ago, Shark84 said:

Does the NCAA still have any academic eligibility requirements anymore? Do these student athletes still have to pass a certain number of hours? How does that apply to grad transfers? Do they have to take /pass a certain number of hours?

The rigor of collegiate academics aren't your daddies standard academics. Some places are said to be comparable to a good high school academics or that of your local community college.

And that's just for the normal Joe blow students. Imagine being an athlete.

rcade · April 29

21 minutes ago, Shark84 said:

Does the NCAA still have any academic eligibility requirements anymore?

Yes. You must take at least 12 credit hours a semester and pass 9 credit hours with a 1.8 GPA (year 2), 1.9 GPA (year 3) or 2.0 GPA (year 4-5). Or someone who looks like you and can fake your signature must meet those requirements.

NT93 · April 29

5 hours ago, rcade said:

I don't think it's insane for college athletes to want some of that sweet green cheese. A lot of them won't make the NFL or will only be there for a short time on cheap rookie deals. When the money truck arrived on campus of course everybody got in line.

What I think is insane is just the way things have turned, not that kids want a part of it. My goal when I started college was to get out as soon as I could. Now kids are going to take a pay cut when they graduate. That’s crazy. I don’t blame the kids though. I blame the system.

Edited April 29 by NT93

rcade · April 29

2 hours ago, NT93 said:

What I think is insane is just the way things have turned, not that kids want a part of it. My goal when I started college was to get out as soon as could. Now kids are going to take a pay cut when they graduate. That’s crazy. I don’t blame the kids though. I blame the system.

I am glad the athletes are making money but there has to be a better way to do it. The current NIL and transfer portal are bonkers. They're taking a jackhammer to the foundation of the sport.

NT93 · April 30

24 minutes ago, rcade said:

I am glad the athletes are making money but there has to be a better way to do it. The current NIL and transfer portal are bonkers. They're taking a jackhammer to the foundation of the sport.

I completely agree with the last two sentences. The first one? Maybe, maybe not. I wouldn’t say I’m “glad” that the athletes are making money, but I definitely wouldn’t mind them making money via a true and legitimate NIL.

MeanGreenZen · April 30

1 hour ago, rcade said:

I am glad the athletes are making money but there has to be a better way to do it. The current NIL and transfer portal are bonkers. They're taking a jackhammer to the foundation of the sport.

You are correct. But the problem is that the SEC and the Big 10 have all the power and the current system only benefits them as it allows them to funnel all of the talent from the less funded schools. The Power 2 have the money to retain all their own talent and can take whatever they want from us. They aren’t going to change this system voluntarily.

NT93 · April 30

2 minutes ago, MeanGreenZen said:

You are correct. But the problem is that the SEC and the Big 10 have all the power and the current system only benefits them as it allows them to funnel all of the talent from the less funded schools. The Power 2 have the money to retain all their own talent and can take whatever they want from us. They aren’t going to change this system voluntarily.

Especially when the wealthy alumni are paying the salaries and it costs the schools nothing. Why would they ever want that to change?

NT80 · April 30

Playing college football is not employment, but they do get free education for their participation. Band members, team managers and cheerleaders don't get that.

This demand for pay and constant roster turnover is driving fans away. The players have killed their own hall of fame invites.

97and03 · April 30

11 hours ago, rcade said:

Athletes are the only college students who had to overcome a presumption that it's wrong for them to make money while in school. Everyone else -- like the dot-com types -- didn't have the NCAA blocking them from income. When I was in college in the 1980s, Michael Dell was running a computer business out of his dorm room at UT-Austin. He made $200,000 profit his first year.

I don't think it's insane for college athletes to want some of that sweet green cheese. A lot of them won't make the NFL or will only be there for a short time on cheap rookie deals. When the money truck arrived on campus of course everybody got in line.

Preface: I am not opposed to NIL as originally intended (signatures, video game royalties, etc) but absolutely hate the collectives-based cheating.

Your analogy doesn’t quite work, however, as Dell (or pretty much any other student making money) isn’t being subsidized by the university up front. And I don’t mean the scholarships for athletes, I mean the brand, equipment, facilities, transportation, meals, training, medical, and everything else that the university- and by extension, donors and taxpayers- provides to them in order for their name, image, and likeness to matter. The university profits from this, of course, but football players are not just comparable to everyday students, even those who have scholarships or fellowships. Again, not opposed to NIL in theory but the comparison wasn’t quite equal.

Arkstfan · April 30

21 hours ago, Shark84 said:

Does the NCAA still have any academic eligibility requirements anymore? Do these student athletes still have to pass a certain number of hours? How does that apply to grad transfers? Do they have to take /pass a certain number of hours?

Kentucky just had to back off a football player they really wanted because he didn't have enough transferrable hours.

Both the NCAA and NAIA will dock you for taking a transfer who doesn't meet your requirements for regular transfers. It is the one place where athletes are treated exactly like other students.

People whiz and moan about the higher NCAA admission standards for athletes. Out of 134 schools in FBS only about 5 will unconditionally admit a regular student who only meets the NCAA initial eligibility standard. Liberty, ULM, Jacksonville State, and I think Sam Houston. Not looked at Delaware.

The NAIA has the right rule. If kid meets the standard applied for unconditional admission at your school, he's eligible. If he doesn't he's got to sit a year and pass like 24 hours with a 2.0 GPA or better.

Edited April 30 by Arkstfan

Cougar King · April 30

High end NIL pays more than rookie contracts plus the college experience.

Same reason why NIL killed G-League Ignite in basketball.

keith · April 30

Transfer every year if you want, but it should be 4 years to ~~play~~ (make money) 4 years. No red-shirt year, no waivers, no appeals, no exceptions (there, I just got rid of an entire corrupt NCAA process). Injured and can't play, though break...get used to it, life is full of them.