Leroy Jenkins
05-09-2016, 12:16 AM
http://coachingsearch.com/article?a=Dan-Mullen-on-undrafted-underclassmen-People-are-taking-advantage-of-kids
A pair of Mississippi State juniors who left school early went undrafted last weekend, and Dan Mullen doesn?t believe enough players are getting the right advice.
Of the 107 players who left school with eligibility remaining, 30 went undrafted. Each player has their own reasons for leaving, some of which isn?t public, but Mullen believes some are getting bad advice and aren't maximizing their chances to succeed.
?I talk to all them. The advice I?d give to future players is the same advice I gave to them,? Mullen said on the SEC West coaches teleconference. ?Make sure you?re doing your research and be very, very smart and try to listen to people that you trust and will help you make the right decisions.
?Too many times in the process, people are trying to sell kids everything. They?re trying to take advantage of these kids. They?re trying to sell them a dream. Sometimes, when people tell them the truth and the reality, they don?t like that.?
The two Mississippi State players who went undrafted, wide receiver De?Runnya Wilson and linebacker Beniquez Brown, each signed UDFA deals. Another underclassman, defensive lineman Chris Jones, was picked in the second round.
Mullen said he's always upfront with players, but they don't all want to hear that. He can only hope they listen to the right people.
?Most people like to be told what they want to hear, not what they need to hear sometimes,? Mullen said. ?In the (past), we?ve had some guys leave early and be very successful, and we kind of knew that was going to happen and we talked to those guys. One of the players that was drafted this year, he said something great to me, which I love to hear from young men: 'Coach you don't always tell us what we want to hear, you?re always going to tell us the truth. It?s amazing how you tell things are going to be and how they turn out that way.?
?I said, ?It?s because I care about you guys and want to make sure you?re successful and understand the situation you?re getting into.? I think guys in the future are going to have the opportunity to look at that situation and hopefully listen to people who give them advice and then make good decisions off the advice they get.?
A pair of Mississippi State juniors who left school early went undrafted last weekend, and Dan Mullen doesn?t believe enough players are getting the right advice.
Of the 107 players who left school with eligibility remaining, 30 went undrafted. Each player has their own reasons for leaving, some of which isn?t public, but Mullen believes some are getting bad advice and aren't maximizing their chances to succeed.
?I talk to all them. The advice I?d give to future players is the same advice I gave to them,? Mullen said on the SEC West coaches teleconference. ?Make sure you?re doing your research and be very, very smart and try to listen to people that you trust and will help you make the right decisions.
?Too many times in the process, people are trying to sell kids everything. They?re trying to take advantage of these kids. They?re trying to sell them a dream. Sometimes, when people tell them the truth and the reality, they don?t like that.?
The two Mississippi State players who went undrafted, wide receiver De?Runnya Wilson and linebacker Beniquez Brown, each signed UDFA deals. Another underclassman, defensive lineman Chris Jones, was picked in the second round.
Mullen said he's always upfront with players, but they don't all want to hear that. He can only hope they listen to the right people.
?Most people like to be told what they want to hear, not what they need to hear sometimes,? Mullen said. ?In the (past), we?ve had some guys leave early and be very successful, and we kind of knew that was going to happen and we talked to those guys. One of the players that was drafted this year, he said something great to me, which I love to hear from young men: 'Coach you don't always tell us what we want to hear, you?re always going to tell us the truth. It?s amazing how you tell things are going to be and how they turn out that way.?
?I said, ?It?s because I care about you guys and want to make sure you?re successful and understand the situation you?re getting into.? I think guys in the future are going to have the opportunity to look at that situation and hopefully listen to people who give them advice and then make good decisions off the advice they get.?