early entry free-for-all?

[rake]

>>>>NFL | League, NFLPA Working On Adjusting CBA - from www.KFFL.com
Thu, 18 Mar 2004 2220 -0800

Seth Wickersham, of ESPN The Magazine, reports the NFL and the NFL Players Association have been involved in discussions regarding the current collective bargaining agreement that would require all draft-eligible players to be three years removed from their high school graduation, league and union, sources confirmed to ESPN.com. The rule being discussed between both parties will not be applied in time to affect the draft status of former Ohio State RB Maurice Clarett, USC WR Mike Williams, or the six high school players who have entered April's NFL Draft. The move is designed to prevent future players who are not three years out of high school from entering the draft. "The league doesn't want this to ever happen again, and neither does the union," one source said. "What Clarett and the other guys got was a one-time deal."<<<<<



What I am wondering is, will other high school players be able to somehow squeeze into this years draft thinking “it’s now or never”? It’s my impression that the time for declaring is long over but is anyone aware of extenuating circumstances in which late entries are accepted? If so it could open a floodgate of flunkies seeking to take advantage of this “one-time deal” before the door is closed and boarded up.

 

[magnus]

The NFL will occasionally let out a couple guys to the draft that have lost their eligibility. If a high school kid did something really stupid like sign with an agent, which is likely what would have to happen, it would be hard to go either wya because it's an intentional act. Getting kicked off a college team and being three years removed, or deciding late to join up, they're vastly different and I think the NFL would fight any such attempt.


I don't like the high school thing. How many Ronald Curries and Randy Fasanis do we need to go through before we realize how great the NCAA is in weeding out pro talent?

 

[lde]

What I am wondering is, will other high school players be able to somehow squeeze into this years draft thinking “it’s now or never”? It’s my impression that the time for declaring is long over but is anyone aware of extenuating circumstances in which late entries are accepted? If so it could open a floodgate of flunkies seeking to take advantage of this “one-time deal” before the door is closed and boarded up.

I don't know that its a one time deal. The judges decision said the NFLPA did not have the right to deal a young players entry away, even if it was in the CBA. She said the NFL and NFLPA could agree on some evaluative standards, maybe like weight, or some kind of maturity test. I bet if someone sues again, this will go just as fast as the other.

As far as more HS players, the deadline has passed. And most of the HS players who declared didn't even play HS football. The declarations were obviously a joke. In fact, all of them may have been like this.