ADVERTISEMENT

Nick Bosa tOSU leaving school to focus on the NFL

Yea I don’t like it as a fan but I don’t understand hoping these guys lose their draft status over it. For what? I can’t say it my kid was in that same position I wouldn’t advise them the same, as would most folks. Oh well, enjoy the kids that are still playing. If they win a title he won’t be a part of it and I’m sure some small part of him might regret not having those memories. Or maybe not. Who knows.

Its a cop out bitch move. If i was his teammate i would rough him up a bit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nail1988
Do you really think if you were 10 months away from signing a $20-$30m NFL contract (top 5 average last year) and coming off an injury, you would put that at risk, playing half a season of football for free? I wouldn’t think twice about it.

$30m? If you’re smart, that’s a nice house, nice cars, send your kids to the best schools, take care of your parents when they’re old, no money stresses in your life. I would never put that at risk unnecessarily.
Why not? Nobody was doing what he was doing just 5 years ago. Why now? I guess I just grew up in a different time.
 
Its a cop out bitch move. If i was his teammate i would rough him up a bit.

Thought so initially too but after learning more I don’t feel the same. Apparently after the surgery he wouldn’t even be cleared to begin working out until December, much less actually play. So assuming he’s even 100% he’d only be back for the playoffs or whatever bowl game they’re playing in. How likely is it he’d even be in game shape by then? The chances of a reinjury seem high. And the other way to look at it is how fair is it to whoever takes his place that he’s out for basically the entire season and comes right back and gets his job back? I still don’t like it from the standpoint of he could be there with the team showing support, but it’s not the selfish move i oringinally thought based on more information.
 
When millions are at stake..we are talking (if managed correctly) his kids kids would be set up to start adult life on the right foot. I do understand.

But where does it stop in ths future? Will a 4/5 star prep player who received numerous offers decide to sit out his senior year in prep ball? Will the freshman/Sophomore sensation start to sit out their third year knowing they are a lock for the NFL?

Yep. Saban has already started evaluated these kids on the assumption that they will be gone after 3 years,, so he looks at whether or not they can play effectively as soon as they are signed or not. If it gets to the point where these kids will want to sit their junior year, then he has to start evaluating them based on only having them for 2 years, and can they play effectively immediately?

If it reaches a point where coaches know they will only get to play these prep players for 2 years, then they will recruit the prep blue chippers less, and put more emphasis on the blue chippers in JUCO.
 
What will be interesting is when healthy players start sitting out regular season games and not just bowls. Like, you've got a hyped sophomore defensive back who's on his way to all-america status and projected as a top-10 pick, and they just announce in week 7 or 8 that they're leaving the team to focus on the draft. I imagine that's coming. There is just too much money at stake.

Bingo. Let's say you are Saban, you can sign anyone and you can develop any player.

Do you sign this 5-star who has made it known he's going to sit out his junior year, or to do sign the 4-star who you think you can develop into a 5-star talent after 4 years.

It's not an easy calculation. Is it worth getting maybe a year and a half of solid play from a 5-star, or 2 and a half years of solid play from a 4-star?

I don't think it's going to help anyone. Not the players, not the college teams, not the NFL.
 
Bingo. Let's say you are Saban, you can sign anyone and you can develop any player.

Do you sign this 5-star who has made it known he's going to sit out his junior year, or to do sign the 4-star who you think you can develop into a 5-star talent after 4 years.

It's not an easy calculation. Is it worth getting maybe a year and a half of solid play from a 5-star, or 2 and a half years of solid play from a 4-star?

I don't think it's going to help anyone. Not the players, not the college teams, not the NFL.

Well, it will help the top players , because they’ll have less mileage and injuries when they get their money. Top recruits and projected top draft picks possess one of the most marketable skills in the world. That they would be expected to practice it for free, mke their coaches and athletic departments millions, all while putting their future earnings at risk should be offensive to a champion of the free market like yourself.
 
Thought so initially too but after learning more I don’t feel the same. Apparently after the surgery he wouldn’t even be cleared to begin working out until December, much less actually play. So assuming he’s even 100% he’d only be back for the playoffs or whatever bowl game they’re playing in. How likely is it he’d even be in game shape by then? The chances of a reinjury seem high. And the other way to look at it is how fair is it to whoever takes his place that he’s out for basically the entire season and comes right back and gets his job back? I still don’t like it from the standpoint of he could be there with the team showing support, but it’s not the selfish move i oringinally thought based on more information.

What if OH st goes to the playoffs tho.... Then he would want in. Imagine them playing bama and losing by a point tho. He could have made the difference. I understand with the injury. If oh state was 3 and 3 like fsu with a small chqmce at only winning 4 games....fine i get it. If his team goes to the playoff tho.... I would be PISSED if i was in that locker room.
 
Well, it will help the top players , because they’ll have less mileage and injuries when they get their money. Top recruits and projected top draft picks possess one of the most marketable skills in the world. That they would be expected to practice it for free, mke their coaches and athletic departments millions, all while putting their future earnings at risk should be offensive to a champion of the free market like yourself.

Here's a hypothetical: Let's say the #1 DB in the country is from Hoover. He's down to Alabama and aubarn.

He tells both schools that he will sit his junior year. Saban says he's not interested, Gus says that's no problem, come on down.

The kid signs with aubarn. He gets coached for 2 years by Kevin Steele instead of Nick Saban.

IOW, his skills aren't as developed at aubarn as they would have been at Alabama. He sits his junior year, and ends up going in the 2nd round.

If he had gone to Alabama and gotten proper coaching and development, AND if he had played his junior year, he is a Top 10 pick.

If he had played his first 2 years and then gotten hurt as a junior, that probably drops his stock from.....Top 10 to 2nd round.

You're approaching this as if there is no downside for the player, and I think there is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fsu939913
Here's a hypothetical: Let's say the #1 DB in the country is from Hoover. He's down to Alabama and aubarn.

He tells both schools that he will sit his junior year. Saban says he's not interested, Gus says that's no problem, come on down.

The kid signs with aubarn. He gets coached for 2 years by Kevin Steele instead of Nick Saban.

IOW, his skills aren't as developed at aubarn as they would have been at Alabama. He sits his junior year, and ends up going in the 2nd round.

If he had gone to Alabama and gotten proper coaching and development, AND if he had played his junior year, he is a Top 10 pick.

If he had played his first 2 years and then gotten hurt as a junior, that probably drops his stock from.....Top 10 to 2nd round.

You're approaching this as if there is no downside for the player, and I think there is.

There can be huge downside from tye player. I dont understand what people dont understand about that
 
There can be huge downside from tye player. I dont understand what people dont understand about that

You guys act like there's no downside to the player, currently. For every hypothetical five-star defensive back whose draft stock hypothetically slides because Saban won't take a two-year player, there are half a dozen real 4 stars a year who get processed out of Alabama, because they can't get playing time or because they lose their job to the next big thing coming out of high school.

The point is everybody is doing what's in their best interest. Saban is going to play the guys who will win him games and get him paid. He doesn't care about anybody's draft status. That being the case, you can't blame the kids for looking out for themselves when they've got an NFL contract locked up.
 
You guys act like there's no downside to the player, currently. For every hypothetical five-star defensive back whose draft stock hypothetically slides because Saban won't take a two-year player, there are half a dozen real 4 stars a year who get processed out of Alabama, because they can't get playing time or because they lose their job to the next big thing coming out of high school.

The point is everybody is doing what's in their best interest. Saban is going to play the guys who will win him games and get him paid. He doesn't care about anybody's draft status. That being the case, you can't blame the kids for looking out for themselves when they've got an NFL contract locked up.

Actually Saban cares a ton about the draft status of his players, it's one of the biggest recruiting tools he has. Every year he shows recruits a copy of the first NFL check his players got. Makes a huge impact.

And that's Saban acting in his best interest. If all 5-stars start sitting their junior years, Saban will stop recruiting some of them, again, acting in his best interests.

Is it in the best interest of the players to put themselves in a position where some of the best programs in the country will NOT recruit them? I don't think so.

There are no free lunches. If players want to start down this path, there will be consequences.
 
Actually Saban cares a ton about the draft status of his players, it's one of the biggest recruiting tools he has. Every year he shows recruits a copy of the first NFL check his players got. Makes a huge impact.

And that's Saban acting in his best interest. If all 5-stars start sitting their junior years, Saban will stop recruiting some of them, again, acting in his best interests.

Is it in the best interest of the players to put themselves in a position where some of the best programs in the country will NOT recruit them? I don't think so.

There are no free lunches. If players want to start down this path, there will be consequences.

Does he show them the transfer paperwork for the 10 guys a year he processes off his roster to Division 2?

I agree he’s acting in his best interests. So is Bosa. So is any kid who sits once he has an NFL contract secure.

And your argument presupposes that kids are going to announce they’re going pro in 2 years or that they’re going to sit, while they’re being recruited. They’re not going to do that any more than Saban is going to tell recruits that he’s recruiting 35 guys for 25 spots.

Your overall point seems to be that the players have very little leverage and they should just pipe down and take what they can get. I agree that they have little leverage, and that’s why I don’t fault a kid for looking out for himself when he gets the opportunity.
 
Does he show them the transfer paperwork for the 10 guys a year he processes off his roster to Division 2?

I agree he’s acting in his best interests. So is Bosa. So is any kid who sits once he has an NFL contract secure.

And your argument presupposes that kids are going to announce they’re going pro in 2 years or that they’re going to sit, while they’re being recruited. They’re not going to do that any more than Saban is going to tell recruits that he’s recruiting 35 guys for 25 spots.

Your overall point seems to be that the players have very little leverage and they should just pipe down and take what they can get. I agree that they have little leverage, and that’s why I don’t fault a kid for looking out for himself when he gets the opportunity.

He tells every recruit the same thing: Come here and work hard, do what we tell you, and you'll always have a spot on this team. The players that don't do what they are told, end up leaving.

Yes, Saban is quite clear about that when he recruits these kids. Kids come here anyway because they know that no program does a better job of sending kids to the NFL. They also aren't idiots, they are well aware that Saban processes kids every year. They know WHY these kids get processed, because they aren't doing what the coaches demand of them. Again, they aren't idiots. And they likely aren't the kind of player who would sit a year just to save himself for the NFL.

My overall point is that if kids start sitting as juniors, it doesn't help anyone.

Players - They will have less development in college, and fewer offers, especially from top schools. So they won't perform as well during the combines and in workouts.

Colleges - Will have to deal with players suddenly announcing as juniors that they have decided not to play. That means the coach has starters that he has to scramble to replace (likely the best player(s) on the team, and the team as a whole is upset that a teammate quit on them. Team chemistry is easily affected.

NFL - They get players who are less ready to play in the NFL. That means they have to hire players then finish developing them because they didn't get the development they needed in college because they sat their junior season.


It seems that you are only focusing on the advantage that the player can get from being less likely to be injured headed to the draft. That's one potential benefit while ignoring the many potential disadvantages.

And you keep talking about life-changing money.....what's the difference in pay between a Top 10 pick and the #1 pick? If it's all about the money, then why shouldn't the kid who is projected to be a Top 10 pick as a junior stay for his senior season and try to be the #1 pick? The bump in salary would be pretty huge. Bama has actually had a couple of kids recently (Jon Allen and Reggie Ragland) who were projected to be 2nd or 3rd round picks as juniors. Saban told them both to come back, they did, both went first round.
 
Last edited:
We’re just arguing different things. I’m not saying that players leaving during the season is overall good or bad for the game, coaches, players, whatever. I’m saying that you can’t blame a kid for trying to secure an NFL contract when he knows it’s there. And anyone expecting players to play for the love of the game or for their school or for their team and to put that money at risk are very naive as to the realities of the sports business.

Maybe it’s different at ‘Bama, since they’re all getting paid anyway. Ragland probably would have had to take a pay cut to sign a second-round NFL contract.
 
We’re just arguing different things. I’m not saying that players leaving during the season is overall good or bad for the game, coaches, players, whatever. I’m saying that you can’t blame a kid for trying to secure an NFL contract when he knows it’s there. And anyone expecting players to play for the love of the game or for their school or for their team and to put that money at risk are very naive as to the realities of the sports business.

Maybe it’s different at ‘Bama, since they’re all getting paid anyway. Ragland probably would have had to take a pay cut to sign a second-round NFL contract.

I don't think anyone here is blaming the kid, just pointing out how his teammates, coaches and the NFL will react if he does. As for putting money at risk, they are also putting money at risk by deciding to sit for a season.

As for Saban paying players, I saw Julio in Orange Beach the Summer after Bama won the 09 NC. He was driving the most hideous 2000 Yukon with huge gaudy chrome wheels and painted metallic PURPLE.

And he was the top recruit in the nation in 2008. If we were paying him I hope we are paying more than an 8-year old Yukon now.
 
I don't think anyone here is blaming the kid, just pointing out how his teammates, coaches and the NFL will react if he does. As for putting money at risk, they are also putting money at risk by deciding to sit for a season.

As for Saban paying players, I saw Julio in Orange Beach the Summer after Bama won the 09 NC. He was driving the most hideous 2000 Yukon with huge gaudy chrome wheels and painted metallic PURPLE.

And he was the top recruit in the nation in 2008. If we were paying him I hope we are paying more than an 8-year old Yukon now.
He might have chose that. I mean I ain't saying anybody is paying anybody but I remember around my area in 2008 the thing to have for many youngins were a 90's model box Chevy or Ford LTD on chrome 26's with a paint job that remembled Nascar sponsor. Majority African American young dudes. The Caucasian kids wanted some aged Honda Civic with an ugly spoiler on the back, street glow lights, and mufflers that sounded like a sick bumble bee.

If many if these kids came up on a walk a cash that's what they chose. It was always obvious at tax time. I held partnership at a body shop and it was unbelievable the cash they wasted on janky colored paper jobs.
 
Also thinking back to the Spurrier/Debose days. It was either Travis Carroll or the older Britt brother. Dude was rumored to have gotten a free Nissan Hardbody pickup. Not everyone will be too obvious riding in Cadallics or such.
 
He tells every recruit the same thing: Come here and work hard, do what we tell you, and you'll always have a spot on this team. The players that don't do what they are told, end up leaving.

Yes, Saban is quite clear about that when he recruits these kids. Kids come here anyway because they know that no program does a better job of sending kids to the NFL. They also aren't idiots, they are well aware that Saban processes kids every year. They know WHY these kids get processed, because they aren't doing what the coaches demand of them. Again, they aren't idiots. And they likely aren't the kind of player who would sit a year just to save himself for the NFL.

My overall point is that if kids start sitting as juniors, it doesn't help anyone.

Players - They will have less development in college, and fewer offers, especially from top schools. So they won't perform as well during the combines and in workouts.

Colleges - Will have to deal with players suddenly announcing as juniors that they have decided not to play. That means the coach has starters that he has to scramble to replace (likely the best player(s) on the team, and the team as a whole is upset that a teammate quit on them. Team chemistry is easily affected.

NFL - They get players who are less ready to play in the NFL. That means they have to hire players then finish developing them because they didn't get the development they needed in college because they sat their junior season.


It seems that you are only focusing on the advantage that the player can get from being less likely to be injured headed to the draft. That's one potential benefit while ignoring the many potential disadvantages.

And you keep talking about life-changing money.....what's the difference in pay between a Top 10 pick and the #1 pick? If it's all about the money, then why shouldn't the kid who is projected to be a Top 10 pick as a junior stay for his senior season and try to be the #1 pick? The bump in salary would be pretty huge. Bama has actually had a couple of kids recently (Jon Allen and Reggie Ragland) who were projected to be 2nd or 3rd round picks as juniors. Saban told them both to come back, they did, both went first round.

I think you’re presuming schools will stop offering those top players, which doesn’t seem likely given what we know at this very second. The average 5-star believes they’re 3 and out anyway, and in fact most top programs sell exactly that. “Come here and we’ll develop you for the NFL and you’ll be a first round pick in 3 years!” Assuming players start sitting out their junior years, that’s still 2 years of great play a coach is getting. If anything it would make it even easier for the top teams to recruit because now the next wave of 5-stars don’t have to wait 3 years to get their shot, they only have to wait 2 years at most which means more immediate playing time. It’s the same reason a top school gets a ton of blue chips in any particular class at a position being heavily vacated.

And the NFL has already shown they don’t care as I outlined in a previous post. Fans were outraged when Fournette and McCaffrey missed their bowl game saying they quit on their teams, they were selfish, blah, blah, blah...both were top 10 picks, one went 4th overall. And both were praised by NFL folks for being smart enough not to get more wear and tear on their body before the combine. As in the example I gave with Ed Oliver NFL folks were saying he shouldn’t even play this year to protect his stock. Bosa by and large was praised for his decision by NFL folks, i.e it’s smart not to risk further injury and making sure he’s the best he can possibly be come draft time. The NFL sees it as their future assets protecting their value, they don’t care about college football teams. It seems the only people outraged are college football fans, understandably, and your dislike for what is happening is causing you to state what you HOPE happens. But the exact opposite is happening...so far.
 
I think you’re presuming schools will stop offering those top players, which doesn’t seem likely given what we know at this very second. The average 5-star believes they’re 3 and out anyway, and in fact most top programs sell exactly that. “Come here and we’ll develop you for the NFL and you’ll be a first round pick in 3 years!” Assuming players start sitting out their junior years, that’s still 2 years of great play a coach is getting. If anything it would make it even easier for the top teams to recruit because now the next wave of 5-stars don’t have to wait 3 years to get their shot, they only have to wait 2 years at most which means more immediate playing time. It’s the same reason a top school gets a ton of blue chips in any particular class at a position being heavily vacated.

And the NFL has already shown they don’t care as I outlined in a previous post. Fans were outraged when Fournette and McCaffrey missed their bowl game saying they quit on their teams, they were selfish, blah, blah, blah...both were top 10 picks, one went 4th overall. And both were praised by NFL folks for being smart enough not to get more wear and tear on their body before the combine. As in the example I gave with Ed Oliver NFL folks were saying he shouldn’t even play this year to protect his stock. Bosa by and large was praised for his decision by NFL folks, i.e it’s smart not to risk further injury and making sure he’s the best he can possibly be come draft time. It seems the only people outraged are college football fans, understandably, and your dislike for what is happening is causing you to state what you HOPE happens. But the exact opposite is happening...so far.

I'm just using logical thinking and being a realist. Right now, players wanting to sit out their junior season is an isolated incident. I don't think it's technically happened even once.

If we reach a point where it happens EVERY year, then logically, coaches and programs will adjust their recruiting efforts to account for it.

Bosa is being praised for sitting out. Fine. That's because he's hurt and because he's being praised by the people that think they will benefit from his move. What happens when we reach a point where every year perfectly healthy players with NO history of injury decide to sit on the bench for their junior year?

Skipping a bowl game is completely different from skipping a season. Kids have every right to do it, just like top programs (who can put them in the best position to get that huge NFL contract) have every right to not recruit them.

We could reach a point where 5-star kids that have sure-fire NFL potential are having to sign with 2nd or 3rd tier programs because the blue chippers don't want to have them for just 2 years.

I can see how individual cases like Bosa could benefit. But overall, the players as a whole aren't going to benefit, and the college programs won't either. Neither will the NFL franchises, who will now have to invest at least a season in developing these players to make up for college not being able to do it.

Think about that.....these kids that skip their junior season, by the time they get into an actual NFL camp, it will have been TWO years since they would have been on a field. That will greatly hamper their ability to play well their first season in the NFL, so again, the NFL doesn't benefit either.

Again, just logical thinking. I think it's incorrect to look at the Bosa example and assume that any kid that sits out his junior season would benefit.
 
I think you’re presuming schools will stop offering those top players, which doesn’t seem likely given what we know at this very second. The average 5-star believes they’re 3 and out anyway, and in fact most top programs sell exactly that. “Come here and we’ll develop you for the NFL and you’ll be a first round pick in 3 years!” Assuming players start sitting out their junior years, that’s still 2 years of great play a coach is getting. If anything it would make it even easier for the top teams to recruit because now the next wave of 5-stars don’t have to wait 3 years to get their shot, they only have to wait 2 years at most which means more immediate playing time. It’s the same reason a top school gets a ton of blue chips in any particular class at a position being heavily vacated.

And the NFL has already shown they don’t care as I outlined in a previous post. Fans were outraged when Fournette and McCaffrey missed their bowl game saying they quit on their teams, they were selfish, blah, blah, blah...both were top 10 picks, one went 4th overall. And both were praised by NFL folks for being smart enough not to get more wear and tear on their body before the combine. As in the example I gave with Ed Oliver NFL folks were saying he shouldn’t even play this year to protect his stock. Bosa by and large was praised for his decision by NFL folks, i.e it’s smart not to risk further injury and making sure he’s the best he can possibly be come draft time. The NFL sees it as their future assets protecting their value, they don’t care about college football teams. It seems the only people outraged are college football fans, understandably, and your dislike for what is happening is causing you to state what you HOPE happens. But the exact opposite is happening...so far.

I was going to post this as well. Malone is pointing out how he thinks the NFL will react. But then I remembered his thoughts trump facts and reality.
 
It is concerning to me that you think you are intelligent and that there are many more like you. That would be accurate.

Well then you need to get over yourself, this is just a message board.

I've said all along that I had no problem with Bosa doing this, I think in his case, it's probably a smart move as he needs to heal and there is a potential risk of further injury if he continues to play.

I'm commenting on what could happen if it becomes commonplace for perfectly healthy players to decide they want to sit their junior years and get ready for the draft.

Colleges won't just eat it, they will adjust. Players will have to face the consequences of them doing so.

Again, just an opinion. GhostOfMatchesMalone assumes no responsibility for any snowflakes that may have melted in the process of sharing this opinion.
 
I'm just using logical thinking and being a realist. Right now, players wanting to sit out their junior season is an isolated incident. I don't think it's technically happened even once.

If we reach a point where it happens EVERY year, then logically, coaches and programs will adjust their recruiting efforts to account for it.

Bosa is being praised for sitting out. Fine. That's because he's hurt and because he's being praised by the people that think they will benefit from his move. What happens when we reach a point where every year perfectly healthy players with NO history of injury decide to sit on the bench for their junior year?

Skipping a bowl game is completely different from skipping a season. Kids have every right to do it, just like top programs (who can put them in the best position to get that huge NFL contract) have every right to not recruit them.

We could reach a point where 5-star kids that have sure-fire NFL potential are having to sign with 2nd or 3rd tier programs because the blue chippers don't want to have them for just 2 years.

I can see how individual cases like Bosa could benefit. But overall, the players as a whole aren't going to benefit, and the college programs won't either. Neither will the NFL franchises, who will now have to invest at least a season in developing these players to make up for college not being able to do it.

Think about that.....these kids that skip their junior season, by the time they get into an actual NFL camp, it will have been TWO years since they would have been on a field. That will greatly hamper their ability to play well their first season in the NFL, so again, the NFL doesn't benefit either.

Again, just logical thinking. I think it's incorrect to look at the Bosa example and assume that any kid that sits out his junior season would benefit.

Well logically if NFL folks are praising players for sitting one game to preserve themselves, why wouldn’t they also praise them for sitting an entire season to preserve themselves? You’re looking at it from the colleges perspective and I agree with you wholeheartedly...it isn’t going to be good for the colleges. But it will be for the NFL, they get their asset with less wear and tear on their bodies which means most likely a more prolonged career. They don’t care about the colleges. They don’t have to worry about their future 1st round pick getting ran into the ground in college. Plus once players are removed from college they’re free to workout with and be in contact with whoever they please, including NFL teams, which means they can workout with NFL trainers in their time off if they so please. So essentially NFL teams will have players develop on the college dime for two years during which time they get to evaluate their talent then have them then preserve their bodies while still training. Win-win for NFL teams, which is why these moves to date have been praised by them. You’re assuming they’ll have a negative view if players sit a whole year as opposed to a game but their current views don’t reallt support that. That’s your hope more than anything.

Plus think about what you’re arguing. Let’s assume you’re correct and major programs stop offering these players...so? Why would that hurt them in anyway? These are the same players who only intend to play 2 years and be done anyway. Which means they don’t care about the college experience, competing for titles, etc. They’re mercenaries, they want to get in and out as fast as possible. So it’s not going to particularly matter to them WHERE they go to school. SOMEONE will take them for those two years.
 
Well logically if NFL folks are praising players for sitting one game to preserve themselves, why wouldn’t they also praise them for sitting an entire season to preserve themselves? You’re looking at it from the colleges perspective and I agree with you wholeheartedly...it isn’t going to be good for the colleges. But it will be for the NFL, they get their asset with less wear and tear on their bodies which means most likely a more prolonged career. They don’t care about the colleges. They don’t have to worry about their future 1st round pick getting ran into the ground in college. Plus once players are removed from college they’re free to workout with and be in contact with whoever they please, including NFL teams, which means they can workout with NFL trainers in their time off if they so please. So essentially NFL teams will have players develop on the college dime for two years during which time they get to evaluate their talent then have them then preserve their bodies while still training. Win-win for NFL teams, which is why these moves to date have been praised by them. You’re assuming they’ll have a negative view if players sit a whole year as opposed to a game but their current views don’t reallt support that. That’s your hope more than anything.

Plus think about what you’re arguing. Let’s assume you’re correct and major programs stop offering these players...so? Why would that hurt them in anyway? These are the same players who only intend to play 2 years and be done anyway. Which means they don’t care about the college experience, competing for titles, etc. They’re mercenaries, they want to get in and out as fast as possible. So it’s not going to particularly matter to them WHERE they go to school. SOMEONE will take them for those two years.

But will it really help the NFL team that drafts these players?

The only way it would help that team is if they draft the player, and the player spends his entire career with the same team. Then at the end of his career they could say "Well we got an extra year out of him. Ok, but it's at the end of his career, when his skills were greatly diminished. Plus, most players don't spend their entire careers at one team, most play for several. So the team that drafts a player that sits his junior year probably won't benefit at all.

I've never said all top programs will stop offering these kids. I'm saying IF this becomes commonplace and IF certain programs continue to get burned by it, those programs likely WILL make adjustments to their recruiting of these players, as a result.

Again, there are no free lunches. A few of you seem to think this is a win-win for the player and the NFL, and that the colleges will just have to eat it. That's not going to happen, I can assure you.
 
But will it really help the NFL team that drafts these players?

The only way it would help that team is if they draft the player, and the player spends his entire career with the same team. Then at the end of his career they could say "Well we got an extra year out of him. Ok, but it's at the end of his career, when his skills were greatly diminished. Plus, most players don't spend their entire careers at one team, most play for several. So the team that drafts a player that sits his junior year probably won't benefit at all.

I've never said all top programs will stop offering these kids. I'm saying IF this becomes commonplace and IF certain programs continue to get burned by it, those programs likely WILL make adjustments to their recruiting of these players, as a result.

Again, there are no free lunches. A few of you seem to think this is a win-win for the player and the NFL, and that the colleges will just have to eat it. That's not going to happen, I can assure you.

Of course colleges will adjust, I just don’t think it will be as drastic as you assume. Because for every college that decides they won’t recruit those players, 5 more will welcome them with open arms. Think about the current nature of recruiting, a handful of schools pretty much have a monopoly on all the 5-star players. Let’s say Alabama and Ohio St. decide they’re no longer recruiting players who only want to stay for 2 years...do you think a team like a Kentucky or Michigan State won’t take those players? They don’t get ANY 5-star players ever, so for them having 5-star players for two years is a great deal for them and gives them a two year window to win at a level they otherwise wouldn’t win at. That’s just a simple example but it gets the point across. The response from the power schools is limited by the fact that there are so many options...120+ D1 schools in this case.
 
Of course colleges will adjust, I just don’t think it will be as drastic as you assume. Because for every college that decides they won’t recruit those players, 5 more will welcome them with open arms. Think about the current nature of recruiting, a handful of schools pretty much have a monopoly on all the 5-star players. Let’s say Alabama and Ohio St. decide they’re no longer recruiting players who only want to stay for 2 years...do you think a team like a Kentucky or Michigan State won’t take those players? They don’t get ANY 5-star players ever, so for them having 5-star players for two years is a great deal for them and gives them a two year window to win at a level they otherwise wouldn’t win at. That’s just a simple example but it gets the point across. The response from the power schools is limited by the fact that there are so many options...120+ D1 schools in this case.

Of course Kentucky would take any 5-star that Alabama and OSU would refuse to sign. All day and twice on Sunday!

Now ask yourself this: Will the average 5-star get better player development at Alabama and Ohio State......or at Kentucky?

I think we both know that he will get better development at Alabama and Ohio State. And that better development will translate into a higher draft position, which will translate into more bucks.

Like I said, there are no free lunches here, if players decide to do this regularly, it will ultimately result in fewer offers for them, and it will result in them making, as a group, less money when they sign that first NFL contract.

I am sure there will be some individuals who will benefit. But as a group, I think it will hurt all the college players collectively if they start sitting out their junior years regularly.
 
Of course Kentucky would take any 5-star that Alabama and OSU would refuse to sign. All day and twice on Sunday!

Now ask yourself this: Will the average 5-star get better player development at Alabama and Ohio State......or at Kentucky?

I think we both know that he will get better development at Alabama and Ohio State. And that better development will translate into a higher draft position, which will translate into more bucks.

Like I said, there are no free lunches here, if players decide to do this regularly, it will ultimately result in fewer offers for them, and it will result in them making, as a group, less money when they sign that first NFL contract.

I am sure there will be some individuals who will benefit. But as a group, I think it will hurt all the college players collectively if they start sitting out their junior years regularly.

But that assumes everything stands still which it wouldn’t. Continuing with the example, let’s assume Kentucky is signing any 5-star that will come. That means they’ll win more, which means more exposure, which means better bowl games, likely more championships, and ultimately more money to reinvest into their program. And now with a team of 5-star players they’re able to attract better coaches as well who want access to that talent. It’s a feedback loop.
 
But that assumes everything stands still which it wouldn’t. Continuing with the example, let’s assume Kentucky is signing any 5-star that will come. That means they’ll win more, which means more exposure, which means better bowl games, likely more championships, and ultimately more money to reinvest into their program. And now with a team of 5-star players they’re able to attract better coaches as well who want access to that talent. It’s a feedback loop.

They still have to develop those players, and remember, they are only going to have them for 2 years, at most. Those 5 stars will only keep coming to Kentucky if they can keep going high in the draft, say Top 15.

That's not going to happen at Kentucky. Eventually these players are going to realize they would be better off going to a program that can actually develop them into a top NFL prospect.

If it's no-lose for the kids, why haven't they already started doing it?
 
They still have to develop those players, and remember, they are only going to have them for 2 years, at most. Those 5 stars will only keep coming to Kentucky if they can keep going high in the draft, say Top 15.

That's not going to happen at Kentucky. Eventually these players are going to realize they would be better off going to a program that can actually develop them into a top NFL prospect.

If it's no-lose for the kids, why haven't they already started doing it?

Two years is more than enough time, presuming they’re able to stock their depth with 5-stars also, which would happen if the top schools stop offering these players like you assume they would. They have to go somewhere, so a team filled with 5-stars 1-85 would win consistently.

Also, I haven’t argued it’s no-lose for players. I’ve argued it’s mostly no-lose for NFL teams and that the schools ability to respond is limited because there’s so many options for players. And the nature of competition means teams who have less to lose aren’t going to take the same path as an Alabama or Ohio State. But like with anything else it takes time. Before, it was unheard of for fully healthy players to sit out bowl games. Before it was unheard of for players to declare for the draft before their junior season even started. I think you get the point. Eventually someone will do it, and then others will follow, just like with anything else.
 
Two years is more than enough time, presuming they’re able to stock their depth with 5-stars also, which would happen if the top schools stop offering these players like you assume they would. They have to go somewhere, so a team filled with 5-stars 1-85 would win consistently.

Also, I haven’t argued it’s no-lose for players. I’ve argued it’s mostly no-lose for NFL teams and that the schools ability to respond is limited because there’s so many options for players. And the nature of competition means teams who have less to lose aren’t going to take the same path as an Alabama or Ohio State. But like with anything else it takes time. Before, it was unheard of for fully healthy players to sit out bowl games. Before it was unheard of for players to declare for the draft before their junior season even started. I think you get the point. Eventually someone will do it, and then others will follow, just like with anything else.

Teams like Kentucky are teams like Kentucky for a reason. They don't have blue chip facilities and they don't have blue chip player development. It would take a LOT of years of poaching a LOT of 2-year 5-stars to change that AND they would have to come in and contribute immediately. Which isn't going to happen very often at Kentucky.

I don't think there will be many 5-stars coming out of high school that are so hell-bent on sitting their junior year that they will sign with Kentucky just so they can do it.

I think most players will continue to do just like they have done so far, they will do as well as possible and see how it goes. If they are Juniors and already think they are going high in the draft and get hurt their JR season, they might sit like Bosa is doing.

FWIW I believe the NFL will only give a projected draft analysis for 5 players a year from each team. I think those typically go to the underclassmen.

I don't think players will start sitting in their JR year if they are healthy. It won't help their performance for the coming combine and it WILL be looked down on by SOME NFL teams.
 
You guys act like there's no downside to the player, currently. For every hypothetical five-star defensive back whose draft stock hypothetically slides because Saban won't take a two-year player, there are half a dozen real 4 stars a year who get processed out of Alabama, because they can't get playing time or because they lose their job to the next big thing coming out of high school.

The point is everybody is doing what's in their best interest. Saban is going to play the guys who will win him games and get him paid. He doesn't care about anybody's draft status. That being the case, you can't blame the kids for looking out for themselves when they've got an NFL contract locked up.

The NFL GMs should take that as a huge negative for not playing. I can understand a situation like derwin james last yr. He was a sure fire 1st rounder.... We were 6 and 6 playing in some shit bag bowl.... No reason for him to chance it....However, if we were in the playoffs and he did that....i would have disowned him and thrown oranges at his house
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: nail1988
Not sure how the ratings are doing but they could be way up from last year and still be way down from historic levels. What are they like today vs 5 years ago?

Kneelers have killed NFL ratings

https://www.lifezette.com/2018/09/n...ive-amid-continuing-national-anthem-protests/

NFL Ratings Take a Huge Dive Amid Continuing National Anthem Protests
Football fans are giving the cold shoulder to the controversial sports league
By Tom Joyce | Tuesday, September 18, 2018



The NFL still faces the number-one issue that has led to these ratings declines, according to a JD Power poll and a Seton Hall Sports Poll from 2017: the protests against the national anthem.

This may also explain why fans do not seem to be attending as many games in person, either.

Many photos of NFL stadiums with loads of empty seats popped up online this week.
 
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT