Should undrafted players be allowed to return to school?

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoot...return-to-play
Good column by Jon Solomon about possibly allowing football players who go undrafted to return to school. I'm sure the devil is in the details when it comes to how to deal with agents and runners, but it seems like a potential win-win for both the players and their schools. Solomon does mention the potential roster management problems, which we already see in baseball. It seems to me that guys who want to go pro early because of their family financial situation would be the ones who would most benefit later in life by being able to complete their degrees if they thought they would be drafted and weren't. Also, Bear is the perfect example of someone who could've used another year of football development in college.

Stupidity has consequences.

I don't think so. You'd have everyone and their brother declaring.

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Originally Posted by AusTexDawg

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoot...return-to-play
Good column by Dennis Dodd about possibly allowing football players who go undrafted to return to school. I'm sure the devil is in the details when it comes to how to deal with agents and runners, but it seems like a potential win-win for both the players and their schools. Dodd does mention the potential roster management problems, which we already see in baseball. It seems to me that guys who want to go pro early because of their family financial situation would be the ones who would most benefit later in life by being able to complete their degrees if they thought they would be drafted and weren't. Also, Bear is the perfect example of someone who could've used another year of football development in college.

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That'd be fine, but I'm not sure it'd make much of a difference. I don't think underclassmen are surprised by not getting drafted, I think they just decide they want to take their shot. Surely Bear knew that if he got drafted at all, it'd be in a round late enough that it wouldn't be much different from being an undrafted free agent. And I don't think Bear's decision really cost him anything. If he had come back, he woudl have gotten to enjoy one more year of college ball, but he wouldn't be in better position next year draftwise. His 40 time is what it is, and next year's draft will be deeper for WRs.

If the NFL wanted to do anything for those players, they would set up the rookie contract to where playing an extra year of college ball gets you closer to a second contract just like leaving early does. Have juniors leaving early be subject to 3 years of a rookie scale and seniors be subject to 2 years of it. Of course then you've made juniors more valuable in the draft.

You could make it like baseball where you don't have to declare. If you're drafted and wanna go, go.

It would be great for them to have a second chance, but every draft eligible player would declare because they have nothing to lose. Plus you would have to somehow police agent contact and benefits. Agents pay a fortune on the front end for training, travel and other living expenses from January until the draft.

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Originally Posted by msstate7

You could make it like baseball where you don't have to declare. If you're drafted and wanna go, go.

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I don't see how that could work with the combine and more importantly limited number of rounds in the NFL.

These kids that didn't get drafted got NFL feedback that they weren't top round picks and chose to go anyway.

As others have said above...

Fundamentally, I have no issue with it, but the chaos and other unforeseen stuff that would come up just makes it a Pandora's box. Let's not go there.

Do most combine invites get drafted?
If so, that wouldn't be an issue

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Originally Posted by msstate7

You could make it like baseball where you don't have to declare. If you're drafted and wanna go, go.

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You would have to move up the draft, and the NFL is never going to agree to that. If the date stays where it is, it would make it impossible for college coaches to know what their roster will look like, which would also make it impossible to figure out recruiting slots. And you would likely have to change the 25 scholarship limit to allow the better schools to bring in enough to replenish their roster.

For those that think Bear should have come back maybe you forget about the game that he was hit on the sideline and carried out on a strecher. I bet he doesn't. Football is a violent game and can be very dangerous. Plus, you don't get faster by playing another year of college football. So he did what was in HIS best interest in order to provide for himself and his two children now rather than later. Calling former players stupid because they made a decision that you don't agree with (probably because you aren't aware of the entire situation) is not helpful to our program. Just say you wouldn't have done it but let's support our guys in their sometimes difficult life situations.

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Originally Posted by msstate7

You could make it like baseball where you don't have to declare. If you're drafted and wanna go, go.

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The NFL and the NBA would never want drafted players to have the option to go back to school like HS and college JR baseball players have but I'm not sure why there would be an objection from the NCAA or the pros to allow undrafted underclassmen players to come back as long as they haven't signed with an agent.