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Underclassmen across the College Landscape

Swampcity

Swampcity

All American
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Oct 16, 2017
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Are declaring for the NFL... it's the era we now live in.

Checkout:
USC
Notre Dame
Va Tech
UCLA
FSU
Michigan
Ohio State
Clemson ... so on and so on ...
 
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NFL has it made. No farm system. Colleges develop talent. When they're get to a position of maximum benefit to the schools bam they're gone.
 
The only reason our fanbase is b!tching and complaining about early declarations is because we have no one to replace them. If we did, we'd be thanking them for their service and putting together appreciation threads with their highlights and stories.

Other schools fans likely do the same, but this fanbase demonstrates their selfishness pretty regularly in these discussions. Its always a strange discussion, too. Norton stinks, but we NEED him. RJ McIntosh got pushed around late in the season, but he's VITAL to our success next year. If they are good enough and important to us next year, why can't they be good enough and important to an NFL team next year while getting paid to do it?

Then there is the "well, they are losing MONEY by leaving early"...which is the dumbest discussion when it comes to early declarations. Like any of us have a crystal ball that tells us what kind of money they are missing out on.

70% of underclassmen declaring for the draft end up getting drafted (or some number like that)...and the ones that don't usually fall into a few categories...players never really on the radar anyway (small school kids or D1 backup types), grade or discipline issues (would have gotten kicked off the team or something), incredibly poor athletic testers (like...bottom 5% types), or ones with an injury none of us are privy to.
 
Lets get real - 95% of the people on this board would make the exact same decision to leave early - this is their dream
- Stop arguing that they are costing themselves money
- That is crap --- they make NO money by staying and even if they are drafted late will make more money than their families have ever seen

Wish them well and understand that Coach Kool is texting future Dline recruits TODAY and telling them he can help them play on Sunday
 
Swampcity said:
Are declaring for the NFL... it's the era we now live in.

Checkout:
USC
Notre Dame
Va Tech
UCLA
FSU
Michigan
Ohio State
Clemson ... so on and so on ...
Click to expand...

True, and it's not just the kids coming from hardship situations where they grew up dirt poor with alot of family issues.
It appears to be across the spectrum of backgrounds.
We need to adapt to it.
Plain and simple.
Like I said in a similar thread, we need to recruit all positions hard every recruiting cycle and we
need to dip into the JUCO route more often and proactively, not when things are getting bleak at
a certain position.
Also, this is why it is dumb to redshirt kids these days unless they are not physically ready.
 
Just because everyone is doing it doesn’t necessarily make it the right decision.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
BoxingRobes said:
The only reason our fanbase is b!tching and complaining about early declarations is because we have no one to replace them. If we did, we'd be thanking them for their service and putting together appreciation threads with their highlights and stories.

Other schools fans likely do the same, but this fanbase demonstrates their selfishness pretty regularly in these discussions. Its always a strange discussion, too. Norton stinks, but we NEED him. RJ McIntosh got pushed around late in the season, but he's VITAL to our success next year. If they are good enough and important to us next year, why can't they be good enough and important to an NFL team next year while getting paid to do it?

Then there is the "well, they are losing MONEY by leaving early"...which is the dumbest discussion when it comes to early declarations. Like any of us have a crystal ball that tells us what kind of money they are missing out on.

70% of underclassmen declaring for the draft end up getting drafted (or some number like that)...and the ones that don't usually fall into a few categories...players never really on the radar anyway (small school kids or D1 backup types), grade or discipline issues (would have gotten kicked off the team or something), incredibly poor athletic testers (like...bottom 5% types), or ones with an injury none of us are privy to.
Click to expand...

Lots of fair points there Robes.
But in fairness, some of the disappointment within our fanbase has merit.
It is one thing for a kid who is an underclassman, who has dominated at his position, to leave early.
I think everyone gets that.
Another thing to see a kid who isn't a finished product to bolt early.
That is what irks folks.
 
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MedleyCane said:
BoxingRobes said:
The only reason our fanbase is b!tching and complaining about early declarations is because we have no one to replace them. If we did, we'd be thanking them for their service and putting together appreciation threads with their highlights and stories.

Other schools fans likely do the same, but this fanbase demonstrates their selfishness pretty regularly in these discussions. Its always a strange discussion, too. Norton stinks, but we NEED him. RJ McIntosh got pushed around late in the season, but he's VITAL to our success next year. If they are good enough and important to us next year, why can't they be good enough and important to an NFL team next year while getting paid to do it?

Then there is the "well, they are losing MONEY by leaving early"...which is the dumbest discussion when it comes to early declarations. Like any of us have a crystal ball that tells us what kind of money they are missing out on.

70% of underclassmen declaring for the draft end up getting drafted (or some number like that)...and the ones that don't usually fall into a few categories...players never really on the radar anyway (small school kids or D1 backup types), grade or discipline issues (would have gotten kicked off the team or something), incredibly poor athletic testers (like...bottom 5% types), or ones with an injury none of us are privy to.
Click to expand...

Lots of fair points there Robes.
But in fairness, some of the disappointment within our fanbase has merit.
It is one thing for a kid who is an underclassman, who has dominated at his position, to leave early.
I think everyone gets that.
Another thing to see a kid who isn't a finished product to bolt early.
That is what irks folks.
Click to expand...

This is my thought process...

More and more, players are becoming educated on their short shelf life in the sport. The business side of the game has become more important than the love for it. Especially with the recent (generally speaking) knowledge of the long term effects of head trauma, players are weighing risk v. reward a lot more. With that, comes the cash grab as soon as possible...maximizing your time in the game with your earning potential. For many players, playing for free until 22, 23 years old is buffoonery.

Even if you are an unfinished product, one year playing the game for free in a limited capacity (the grind for a CFB athlete is intense, even with limited practice time as they balance school and the game) versus playing the game with a hefty salary - even as a mid-late round draft pick seems like a no brainer, to me. If football is my life and my goal as a short term career, I am going to bounce, even if I am going to go 75 picks later this year versus next. Especially for a defensive position...I'm on the clock and I've got limited time to make as much money as possible. Its not just about the money I am making as a pro athlete...its the business ventures I can start with that money (even a mid-late round pick can start investing in real estate or whatever) or business ventures I've had to hold off on as an amateur athlete.

All players are "unfinished products"...but how much better will some players get (for free, mind you) versus what they could do in the NFL? You've got limited, split time versus unlimited time and the best resources. The same goes for athletes in other major sports. Its a risk versus reward for college these days while doing it for little to no money.

McIntosh is what...21 years old already? Norton, too? Age matters in the NFL evaluation process, too. Both dudes birthdays are in June...22 years old versus 23 years old starting your first NFL season does matter.
 
Former HS teammate of mine from UCLA Austin Roberts just declared who’s a TE/WR. His dad Alfredo used to play here. Great kid but terrible choice, only started part of the season and won’t get drafted.
 
When you play “to feed the family” or as a “business decision”, leaving early is mandatory.

It’s definitely not the best decision, in every case. But it’s their plan from Day 1.

Just listen to the signing day announcements:

“I’ll be spending the next 3 years at ....”.

No redshirt, no senior season, and certainly no 5th year is in their future.

All of these schools have gotten away from selling the college experience. They’re all selling NFL dreams!

Hard to get mad at a kid when he buys the dream they’re selling, and leaves the 1st chance he gets.
 
BoxingRobes said:
MedleyCane said:
BoxingRobes said:
The only reason our fanbase is b!tching and complaining about early declarations is because we have no one to replace them. If we did, we'd be thanking them for their service and putting together appreciation threads with their highlights and stories.

Other schools fans likely do the same, but this fanbase demonstrates their selfishness pretty regularly in these discussions. Its always a strange discussion, too. Norton stinks, but we NEED him. RJ McIntosh got pushed around late in the season, but he's VITAL to our success next year. If they are good enough and important to us next year, why can't they be good enough and important to an NFL team next year while getting paid to do it?

Then there is the "well, they are losing MONEY by leaving early"...which is the dumbest discussion when it comes to early declarations. Like any of us have a crystal ball that tells us what kind of money they are missing out on.

70% of underclassmen declaring for the draft end up getting drafted (or some number like that)...and the ones that don't usually fall into a few categories...players never really on the radar anyway (small school kids or D1 backup types), grade or discipline issues (would have gotten kicked off the team or something), incredibly poor athletic testers (like...bottom 5% types), or ones with an injury none of us are privy to.
Click to expand...

Lots of fair points there Robes.
But in fairness, some of the disappointment within our fanbase has merit.
It is one thing for a kid who is an underclassman, who has dominated at his position, to leave early.
I think everyone gets that.
Another thing to see a kid who isn't a finished product to bolt early.
That is what irks folks.
Click to expand...

This is my thought process...

More and more, players are becoming educated on their short shelf life in the sport. The business side of the game has become more important than the love for it. Especially with the recent (generally speaking) knowledge of the long term effects of head trauma, players are weighing risk v. reward a lot more. With that, comes the cash grab as soon as possible...maximizing your time in the game with your earning potential. For many players, playing for free until 22, 23 years old is buffoonery.

Even if you are an unfinished product, one year playing the game for free in a limited capacity (the grind for a CFB athlete is intense, even with limited practice time as they balance school and the game) versus playing the game with a hefty salary - even as a mid-late round draft pick seems like a no brainer, to me. If football is my life and my goal as a short term career, I am going to bounce, even if I am going to go 75 picks later this year versus next. Especially for a defensive position...I'm on the clock and I've got limited time to make as much money as possible. Its not just about the money I am making as a pro athlete...its the business ventures I can start with that money (even a mid-late round pick can start investing in real estate or whatever) or business ventures I've had to hold off on as an amateur athlete.

All players are "unfinished products"...but how much better will some players get (for free, mind you) versus what they could do in the NFL? You've got limited, split time versus unlimited time and the best resources. The same goes for athletes in other major sports. Its a risk versus reward for college these days while doing it for little to no money.

McIntosh is what...21 years old already? Norton, too? Age matters in the NFL evaluation process, too. Both dudes birthdays are in June...22 years old versus 23 years old starting your first NFL season does matter.
Click to expand...

You make fair points but if one is to argue the "short shelf life" of your average football career then one might also argue for the extreme inportance of maximizing your FIRST contract value too (ie your ability to get drafted at the highest possible position).

If we're going to always focus on the potehtial risk of playing another year for "free" then the risk of never even seeing a second NFL contract should be given equal or greater weight.

We just need to admit that in these discussions there are people on both sides with motives that don't necessarily apply honestly to each individual case. Sure, we have people that are ONLY concerned about the depth of their favorite college team. We also have those that blindly want a kid to get paid ANYTHING no matter what or when because they're on a crusade either against the current NCAA structure and/or want any perceived "poor" kid to cash in asap.

And then you have the rest of us that argue these things on individual case/position levels and actually do want what's best for any kid that represented and entertained us for 3 or more years. So it's not necessarily routine "selfishness" you're seeing by our fanbase but more of a feeling that at least one of these kids is leaving money on the table at a monied position in today's NFL. That (again) is why we're seeing minimal criticism of Walton leaving early.
 
Robes, Medley, Tad, Great points by all. I'd also add that this is also part of the reason(s) why the NFL product is declining. Quite a few of these young men are nowhere near ready/ Starting to look like the NBA(unwatchable to me) to me, watered down talent. Robe, I think your line " The business side of the game has become more important than the love for it." It's noticeable on the field, you can tell who loves the games and plays with passion. As opposed to the players just going through the motions.
 
glazed67 said:
Robes, Medley, Tad, Great points by all. I'd also add that this is also part of the reason(s) why the NFL product is declining. Quite a few of these young men are nowhere near ready/ Starting to look like the NBA(unwatchable to me) to me, watered down talent. Robe, I think your line " The business side of the game has become more important than the love for it." It's noticeable on the field, you can tell who loves the games and plays with passion. As opposed to the players just going through the motions.
Click to expand...

Yep.
All of this.
 
BoxingRobes said:
MedleyCane said:
BoxingRobes said:
The only reason our fanbase is b!tching and complaining about early declarations is because we have no one to replace them. If we did, we'd be thanking them for their service and putting together appreciation threads with their highlights and stories.

Other schools fans likely do the same, but this fanbase demonstrates their selfishness pretty regularly in these discussions. Its always a strange discussion, too. Norton stinks, but we NEED him. RJ McIntosh got pushed around late in the season, but he's VITAL to our success next year. If they are good enough and important to us next year, why can't they be good enough and important to an NFL team next year while getting paid to do it?

Then there is the "well, they are losing MONEY by leaving early"...which is the dumbest discussion when it comes to early declarations. Like any of us have a crystal ball that tells us what kind of money they are missing out on.

70% of underclassmen declaring for the draft end up getting drafted (or some number like that)...and the ones that don't usually fall into a few categories...players never really on the radar anyway (small school kids or D1 backup types), grade or discipline issues (would have gotten kicked off the team or something), incredibly poor athletic testers (like...bottom 5% types), or ones with an injury none of us are privy to.
Click to expand...

Lots of fair points there Robes.
But in fairness, some of the disappointment within our fanbase has merit.
It is one thing for a kid who is an underclassman, who has dominated at his position, to leave early.
I think everyone gets that.
Another thing to see a kid who isn't a finished product to bolt early.
That is what irks folks.
Click to expand...

This is my thought process...

More and more, players are becoming educated on their short shelf life in the sport. The business side of the game has become more important than the love for it. Especially with the recent (generally speaking) knowledge of the long term effects of head trauma, players are weighing risk v. reward a lot more. With that, comes the cash grab as soon as possible...maximizing your time in the game with your earning potential. For many players, playing for free until 22, 23 years old is buffoonery.

Even if you are an unfinished product, one year playing the game for free in a limited capacity (the grind for a CFB athlete is intense, even with limited practice time as they balance school and the game) versus playing the game with a hefty salary - even as a mid-late round draft pick seems like a no brainer, to me. If football is my life and my goal as a short term career, I am going to bounce, even if I am going to go 75 picks later this year versus next. Especially for a defensive position...I'm on the clock and I've got limited time to make as much money as possible. Its not just about the money I am making as a pro athlete...its the business ventures I can start with that money (even a mid-late round pick can start investing in real estate or whatever) or business ventures I've had to hold off on as an amateur athlete.

All players are "unfinished products"...but how much better will some players get (for free, mind you) versus what they could do in the NFL? You've got limited, split time versus unlimited time and the best resources. The same goes for athletes in other major sports. Its a risk versus reward for college these days while doing it for little to no money.

McIntosh is what...21 years old already? Norton, too? Age matters in the NFL evaluation process, too. Both dudes birthdays are in June...22 years old versus 23 years old starting your first NFL season does matter.
Click to expand...

It's diluting the product of the NFL.

The Draft is flooded with players that simply aren't ready for the next stage. Saban had it right - the NFL loves these players coming out early as they get them at a bargain price and can develop them. That's the ELITE ones though and even they take a few years to develop.

The ones who really could use that senior year to improve themselves instead end up on a practice squad if they're lucky. It has a knock on effect for the next year too.
 
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I will tell you, I support whatever the player decides. However, I will point out the pro's and con's.

Chad Thomas was faced with this decision last year. He made the best decision for his situation.
 
BoxingRobes said:
The only reason our fanbase is b!tching and complaining about early declarations is because we have no one to replace them. If we did, we'd be thanking them for their service and putting together appreciation threads with their highlights and stories.

Other schools fans likely do the same, but this fanbase demonstrates their selfishness pretty regularly in these discussions. Its always a strange discussion, too. Norton stinks, but we NEED him. RJ McIntosh got pushed around late in the season, but he's VITAL to our success next year. If they are good enough and important to us next year, why can't they be good enough and important to an NFL team next year while getting paid to do it?

Then there is the "well, they are losing MONEY by leaving early"...which is the dumbest discussion when it comes to early declarations. Like any of us have a crystal ball that tells us what kind of money they are missing out on.

70% of underclassmen declaring for the draft end up getting drafted (or some number like that)...and the ones that don't usually fall into a few categories...players never really on the radar anyway (small school kids or D1 backup types), grade or discipline issues (would have gotten kicked off the team or something), incredibly poor athletic testers (like...bottom 5% types), or ones with an injury none of us are privy to.
Click to expand...

I would stay...
 
One of the soph. goofs at the army game just said that junior year is all-important because senior year is for staying healthy. He was talking about high school. There’s your love if the game.
 
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