NFL considering not inviting academically ineligible players to the Combine

[ChrisPozz]

NFL considering not inviting ineligible players to Combine - CBSSports.com

 

[Flyingiguana]

who cares if they're too dumb to get good grades

 

[deep9er]

ok with me if it went along with some other 'benefits' for players? for example, more tutoring help, more scholarships/aid/loan, more players able to eat at the 'meal table'. this way less stress on players allowing them a better chance at academics.

help their academic environment first, then install this rule.

 

[JDM]

I like this.

 

[imac_21]

I like this.

Can you elaborate?

 

[JDM]

Simple. If you want to join the NFL, keep your shit together.

It's not hard to be academically eligible. It's really not.

 

[imac_21]

ok with me if it went along with some other 'benefits' for players? for example, more tutoring help, more scholarships/aid/loan, more players able to eat at the 'meal table'. this way less stress on players allowing them a better chance at academics.

help their academic environment first, then install this rule.

I'm fairly certain the NCAA would suspend the shit out of any player taking any sort of aid from the NFL that could have a value applied to it (tutoring, scholarships, loans etc).

I also don't see the NFL being really keen on supporting football players that may never be under the league's employ. The league is doing its best to limit the support it gives to retired players, I can't see it wanting to do shit for guys that will end up in the Arena League, the CFL or working at Walmart or something (if they are academically ineligible they are unlikely to graduate or get anywhere with their BA in Psychology).

I don't know of many corporations that will invest in non-employees.

Unless there is some concrete evidence that classroom intelligence positively correlates to on-field performance I can't see them going for what you suggest. At the same time, unless that evidence exists, I can't see a reason behind barring academically ineligible student-athletes from the combine.

 

[JDM]

Being academically ineligible means you don't care about your classes, and bare minimum, is a sign of serious immaturity.

 

[imac_21]

Simple. If you want to join the NFL, keep your shit together.

It's not hard to be academically eligible. It's really not.

It isn't, but at the same time, they aren't banishing these players from the NFL, their banning them from the combine (assuming this goes through).

Hypothetically speaking, if Tayvon Austin was academically ineligible this year and therefore banned from the combine, would teams have simply ignored him, or would the WV pro day just been insane?

And yes, Austin was a top 10 pick, but I think the same would apply to a mid round guy.

Banning these guys from the combine would just make the pro days for those players more of a gong show as teams would come in to do the interviews and med checks that the player missed out on.

 

[imac_21]

Being academically ineligible means you don't care about your classes, and bare minimum, is a sign of serious immaturity.

So if Aaron Colvin (currently the #2 CB on CBS' 2014 prospect list) were academically ineligible this year and therefore banned from the combine, would he not get a shot in the NFL?

Should this also apply to players who lose eligibility for other reasons? I'm thinking of guys like Janoris Jenkins and Da'Rick Rogers. Should they have been banned from the combine/NFL (since you have implied they shouldn't get to play in the NFL)?

 

[JDM]

Yeah, but the combine is the best shot for most players. It would be rare for a big player to be academically ineligible anyways because much of the same discipline required to be a good player allows you o be a good student. Borderline people lose their shot if they don't keep their shit together, and the end result is something I'm happy with.

 

[imac_21]

Ultimately, the NFL is a results-based business and intelligence and commitment to Psych 200 are not requirements for on-field success. If there is a position battle between a guy with a 4.0 GPA at Stanford vs a guy with a 1.1 from Spokane Falls Community College, the education isn't going to play a role in who gets the job. The player who performs better wins the job.

Somehow I can't see investment firms insisting that their potential employees work out 5 times per week and eat healthy. If the person who will make the company the most money is 5'10, 350 lbs and eats a large pizza for dinner every night he will get hired.

 

[imac_21]

Yeah, but the combine is the best shot for most players. It would be rare for a big player to be academically ineligible anyways because much of the same discipline required to be a good player allows you o be a good student. Borderline people lose their shot if they don't keep their shit together, and the end result is something I'm happy with.

But if teams think a guy is capable of playing in the NFL, his presence at the combine will not influence whether or not he gets drafted. Teams will do their due diligence and draft players they feel can help them, regardless of academic eligibility in college.

The other problem with this proposal is that, as you said, it's not difficult to stay academically eligible. Guys that can't stay academically eligible are likely not motivated well enough to go to class as a sophomore or junior just to ensure they are combine eligible, so if any part of the goal is to motivate college players to be committed to their studies I don't see it being successful.

Also, I think there's more of an issue with college players having legal problems than academic. I don't like the idea of punishing the lazy students while ignoring the "bad" ones.

I'm also wondering, is the academic eligibility only considered in their draft year? If a guy is academically ineligible as a freshman or sophomore but doesn't enter the draft until after his senior year (and has been academically eligible as a junior and senior) can he go to the combine?

 

[Flyingiguana]

Ultimately, the NFL is a results-based business and intelligence and commitment to Psych 200 are not requirements for on-field success. If there is a position battle between a guy with a 4.0 GPA at Stanford vs a guy with a 1.1 from Spokane Falls Community College, the education isn't going to play a role in who gets the job. The player who performs better wins the job.

Somehow I can't see investment firms insisting that their potential employees work out 5 times per week and eat healthy. If the person who will make the company the most money is 5'10, 350 lbs and eats a large pizza for dinner every night he will get hired.

sounds like a government employee

 

[NinerSickness]

This doesn't make sense to me. The combine isn't like some sort of perk for college football players; it's an evaluation tool for GMs. An athlete doesn't gain or lose anything by being allowed to participate or not; it just makes it harder for teams to evaluate said player if he's not there. So his stock has an equal chance of going up as it does down versus a scenario wherein they participated. Teams will just have to rely on private workouts. But should that player not be allowed to participate in private workouts either? That would effectively be the same thing.

And if he's talented enough, they're going to get drafted anyway. I'm sorry, but his seems like PR BS for people who don't put a whole lot of thought into this kind of stuff. And it seems like a pain in the ass for NFL management.

To play devil's advocate, I could see someone arguing that this incentivizes students to do well in their classes. However, if millions of dollars isn't enough incentive to show up to class, I don't know that this will make any difference.

 

[Flyingiguana]

This doesn't make sense to me. The combine isn't like some sort of perk for college football players; it's an evaluation tool for GMs. An athlete doesn't gain or lose anything by being allowed to participate or not; it just makes it harder for teams to evaluate said player if he's not there. So his stock has an equal chance of going up as it does down versus a scenario wherein they participated. Teams will just have to rely on private workouts. But should that player not be allowed to participate in private workouts either? That would effectively be the same thing.

And if he's talented enough, they're going to get drafted anyway. I'm sorry, but his seems like PR BS for people who don't put a whole lot of thought into this kind of stuff. And it seems like a pain in the ass for NFL management.

To play devil's advocate, I could see someone arguing that this incentivizes students to do well in their classes. However, if millions of dollars isn't enough incentive to show up to class, I don't know that this will make any difference.

ya its gonna hurt the teams, not just the player

 

[dredinis21]

Deep, you have no idea what the F you are talking about. Scholarship athletes are given priority registration, built in study halls for some/most programs, and academic tutoring for any and every class whenever it is convenient to them. If their tests/projects/quizzes fall on a day that they may be gone for a game, then with just a little bit of communication they can easily get those deadlines moved.

Guys that aren't taking care of business in the classroom are idiots plain and simple. What the NFL is in essence saying if they follow through with this, much like any other job, if you don't have your "degree" in football (in other words, do what is necessary to stay eligible to play the game you are planning to do as your career), then you don't get the job. NCAA gives these athletes most of everything they need to succeed. What the hell else do you want them or the NFL to do that is LEGAL?!?

 

[dredinis21]

But if teams think a guy is capable of playing in the NFL, his presence at the combine will not influence whether or not he gets drafted. Teams will do their due diligence and draft players they feel can help them, regardless of academic eligibility in college.

The other problem with this proposal is that, as you said, it's not difficult to stay academically eligible. Guys that can't stay academically eligible are likely not motivated well enough to go to class as a sophomore or junior just to ensure they are combine eligible, so if any part of the goal is to motivate college players to be committed to their studies I don't see it being successful.

Also, I think there's more of an issue with college players having legal problems than academic. I don't like the idea of punishing the lazy students while ignoring the "bad" ones.

I'm also wondering, is the academic eligibility only considered in their draft year? If a guy is academically ineligible as a freshman or sophomore but doesn't enter the draft until after his senior year (and has been academically eligible as a junior and senior) can he go to the combine?

My interpretation of this is that they are trying to limit the guys that may be ineligible for grades that year to enter the combine/draft as an escape route to their own stupidity. If a player was ineligible his freshman or sophomore year but gets their shit together and shows improvement in their grades, then not only are they eligible at that point, but they are showing commitment to their craft and maturity at the same time.

 

[MarkOU]

Real talk.

Some jobs in the real world have requirements. Like pass a drug test, take an ethics test, pass a background check and yes have a college degree. The NFL can't make this change but they can speed it along. The owners have the power and should require employees have a degree before they sign contracts but they don't give a shit so the NFL will just force more free agency with this move, which they also restrict, putting a burden on ownership.

I would also like to see felons out of the league. How many of you work with felons? I sure as hell don't.

 

[-AC-]

Some shoe company would just create a a new event, similar to he NFL combine...

And guess what...? The NFL team scouts would show up for it...