Wait, something seems weird!

[Screamin12th]

So I was going through this draft, the FULL draft not just our picks, this is something I do every year. Just trying to gauge what teams were doing and the way they went about doing it. I like to see how the teams in our division tried to fix holes and what not, Well something popped up or I shouldn't say popped up but I just noticed it over and over again.


WHY ARE THESE KIDS SO OLD!!!!!

Is this the oldest draft class ever? What happened to these kids going to college and getting drafted at 20-21 years old? Is it just the thug asses saying i'll go to JC after gang banging a year or two and try to transfer to a Div 1 for a couple years or something? I'm not joking this class is full of older players at a higher level.

Then i got to thinking and so i went back 10 years, 20 years and sure as shit these kids ARE getting older.

Explain this to me if you know why this is happening please. Hell you get a 5 year contract ( 1st round option year ) and some of these guys will be 29 years old! a age that teams start to balk at new contracts for many positions.

Hawks got 0 at 20 years of age one at 21 and then they have 5 that are 23 or OLDER!

 

[Screamin12th]

I know 20 is rare but if I had to make a guess I would say the average age in the draft was 24+ years of age. Thats just from looking over it real fast. Last years draft was also old. Whats going on.... in 2014 the average age was barely over 23.

24 isn't old but it is when you think of a rookie.

 

[Podunkparte]

COVID gave lots of players extra years of eligibility?

 

[Wolverine830872]

Covid gave extra eligibility and with transfers now being easier, guys can go to places that allow them to showcase their talents while getting some NIL money. The center we drafted from Michigan is the perfect example.

 

[Anointed One]

COVID gave lots of players extra years of eligibility?

Yeah this and the transfer portal...

 

[Screamin12th]

oh sheet I forgot about how much easier it is to transfer, also yeah covid. Don't ask me why my brain at that time didn't connect the two. LOL Sleep Deprivation, Yep thats it. It was at almost 3 in the morning! Forgot a lot of these kids took a year off.

 

[seahawksfan234]

So I was going through this draft, the FULL draft not just our picks, this is something I do every year. Just trying to gauge what teams were doing and the way they went about doing it. I like to see how the teams in our division tried to fix holes and what not, Well something popped up or I shouldn't say popped up but I just noticed it over and over again.


WHY ARE THESE KIDS SO OLD!!!!!

Is this the oldest draft class ever? What happened to these kids going to college and getting drafted at 20-21 years old? Is it just the thug asses saying i'll go to JC after gang banging a year or two and try to transfer to a Div 1 for a couple years or something? I'm not joking this class is full of older players at a higher level.

Then i got to thinking and so i went back 10 years, 20 years and sure as shit these kids ARE getting older.

Explain this to me if you know why this is happening please. Hell you get a 5 year contract ( 1st round option year ) and some of these guys will be 29 years old! a age that teams start to balk at new contracts for many positions.

Hawks got 0 at 20 years of age one at 21 and then they have 5 that are 23 or OLDER!

Good observation, although the obvious reasons have already been addressed, I'll add another reason:

With the NIL deal, college players are able to earn money while playing college football. I'm assuming that lowers the urgency for guys who otherwise would've been day 3 picks to jump to the draft. I have to assume that's one of the reasons why so many UW players who otherwise would've been drafted decided to stay another year.

 

[JMR]

Good observation, although the obvious reasons have already been addressed, I'll add another reason:

With the NIL deal, college players are able to earn money while playing college football. I'm assuming that lowers the urgency for guys who otherwise would've been day 3 picks to jump to the draft. I have to assume that's one of the reasons why so many UW players who otherwise would've been drafted decided to stay another year.

Beat me to it, was going to mention NIL as well. Some people don't like the notion of college players getting paid, but there may actually be some positives from it for the college game. Better players staying in college a little longer than they would have otherwise may make for better leagues.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Fortunately most of our picks were guys that are 22 not turning 23 until after the season or just turned 22.

Interesting observation though. Although mind you guys like Cross, Lance, and even Richardson (will be 21 in 2 weeks) is not the norm... @Screamin12th average around 24 though, yeesh - that does seem high as hell.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Beat me to it, was going to mention NIL as well. Some people don't like the notion of college players getting paid, but there may actually be some positives from it for the college game. Better players staying in college a little longer than they would have otherwise may make for better leagues.

I actually think UW is a great example. They had a handful of guys who would've been drafted. As much as I'd like to believe that Kalen DeBoer is an amazing coach who convinced his guys to stay to win a natty, I think if the players weren't already getting decent money, they'd jump to the draft.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Beat me to it, was going to mention NIL as well. Some people don't like the notion of college players getting paid, but there may actually be some positives from it for the college game. Better players staying in college a little longer than they would have otherwise may make for better leagues.

I will admit I may have been a bit wrong about the NIL stuff. Initially I just thought it would result in college football becoming a semi-pro league where the best recruits went to the highest bidders, but it doesn't seem to have resulted in that. I could be overestimating it's impact on players deciding to stay, but it would make sense.