Record 65 players enter draft early

[truebluefan]

Six players from the Allstate BCS Championship Game -- including Alabama tailback Trent Richardson and LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne -- are among college football's underclassmen declaring for the NFL draft.

They've got plenty of company.

The two All-Americans are among a record 65 players who have been declared eligible for the April draft, a field that also includes Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III and runner-up Andrew Luck as the top quarterbacks. Counting Richardson, the top three Heisman vote getters are all leaving early to start cashing NFL paychecks.

[jferg20]

It seems like more and more players leave early every year, eventually it will have to stop. But every year the best draft talent is always juniors, but the whole LSU/Alabama could go pro if they really wanted to.

[rschn360]

It really bothers me that players leave school early. I understand wanting to make that money but Id like to see an emphasis placed more on education in the NCAA.

[dexterlablab1]

(03-06-2012 10:15 PM)rschn360 Wrote:  It really bothers me that players leave school early. I understand wanting to make that money but Id like to see an emphasis placed more on education in the NCAA.

I have to agree with rschn360.

This is a problem in all sports. The NBA has been known to take people from high school even. Like Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Kevin Garnett, the list goes on.

But at the same time, you only live once. So who was to say something could have happened to them in college that could have stunted their careers.

[iebo]

Its all about the money. They want those millions of dollars and won't risk getting hurt in a senior year. I wonder what happens to any player who declares and then doesn't get drafted. Are they able to finish school?

[kcareconnections]

Wow that is a lot of players that are entering early. I would like to see the athletes finish their degrees. There is no guarantee that a person will end up having success in the NFL or that they will be able to play for many years to come. I would like to see more finish their education first.

[Joe Robinson]

This fact actually surprises me. With the new rookie wage scale there isn't much financial incentive anymore to want to come out early. Might as well pad your stats and get a degree for life after football.