Thoughts on players skipping College bowl games for NFL draft

[meltingfeather]

What other people choose to do with their lives that doesn't affect me?
No opinion.

[BitBackShot]

A lot of the kids that are top prospects as sophomores and juniors get insurance policies that guarantee a certain payout if they're injured.

That said, I can't really blame a player if they're in a situation where they're basically gambling the livelihood of their entire extended family to play in a game that will only benefit the school and fanbase.

"If you don't play in this game, you will be guaranteed $35 million. If you do, you might get zero. In exchange for playing, you get to be super happy if your team wins and you get out injury free."

It's a lot to risk, and some of these players have a lot of people depending on them.

And anything less than the National Championship is completely meaningless anyways, so my above answer is basically assuming you get there.

[breederbuck33]

if i were a coach i would be encouraging it. You have three jobs as a coach.

Job #1 - Teach young men about the real world and prepare them to be positive contributors to it.
Job #2 - Win championships
Job #3 - get players to their dream which is the NFL.

If you have failed goal #2 already of winning a championship then do not fail goal #3 by letting them play in a bowl game that means absolutely nothing.

Exactly how I feel about the topic.

[Burntorange Bowhunter]

Yup! Guys say they love the game.. play the game they love with your team!

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Liar. LOL.

[rosco11]

Liar. LOL.

Lol.. i know man i know! The money is huge, but you'd only..maybe...miss out if you get hurt which is a very small possibility.

I went to Nebraska in the mid-late 90s.. in the years i was there, multiple players went to the NFL, Not a single one missed a bowl game.

I can only think of one player that declared early and after his Jr season went into the draft. But he didn't bail before that season was over.

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[Leemo]

I didn’t get drafted

[Fig]

Average NFL careers are short so you might as well get started with as little wear and tear as possible. Case in point - Justice Hill from Oklahoma State. He's not coming back for his senior year anyway and the team is in a meaningless bowl (Liberty) He is a running back - the average NFL career for that position is 3 years. Why take the extra hits before you get your shot as a professional?

But he was also healthy for the TCU game and decided not to play. Bowls I don’t care, but regular season is where there needs to be a line drawn. Ed Oliver is another.

[Bayouboy]

https://www.tigerdroppings.com/lsu-football/lsu-lb-devin-white-wins-the-butkus-award/80653541/

And he is going to play in the Fiesta Bowl.

[elkaholic9292]

Lol.. i know man i know! The money is huge, but you'd only..maybe...miss out if you get hurt which is a very small possibility.

I went to Nebraska in the mid-late 90s.. in the years i was there, multiple players went to the NFL, Not a single one missed a bowl game.

I can only think of one player that declared early and after his Jr season went into the draft. But he didn't bail before that season was over.

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This is also during the years where Nebraska was stacked so deep up front that offensive linemen wouldn’t start until their senior season, then get picked up in the draft. Plus playing for National Championships.

[Abctx]

There are so many meaningless bowl games now, including teams with a barely .500 record. Don’t see a reason to risk a serious injury on those bowl games.

[AntlerCollector]

I see both sides of this. My opinion is:

I think if any athlete leaves a university before they graduate with a degree by going to the NFL or any other applicable Pro League then all scholarship money needs to be paid back to the school in full before they can declare.

Once again this is just my 2 cents.

I agree...if you've gotten the exposure and limelight for free, and bail on the team, pay back the scholarship. Just my opinion, I don't care if anyone agrees or disagrees

The flip side of that is the school also has benefited by having that NFL caliber player on the team.

[TxDispatcher]

The flip side of that is the school also has benefited by having that NFL caliber player on the team.

While true, and I agree, there is also this...the vast majority of college fans think that their team is stacked with NFL players and are ravenous about their team, and will go to the games and spend their money freely to support them with or without a true NFL caliber player on their team. If you need proof, visit any sports page/section on social media platforms. Heck, I'm a die hard Longhorn fan, and even when we have sucked over the last decade, there were horns fans who believed every year that UT was back and the team was awesome

[Pedernal]

Have not read any of the post other than the original post.

It is far from a game and actually a business. If you consider all the long term health issues associated with playing football I think it is a smart decision. Health issues coupled with the potential for a career ending injury on every play it's a no brainier IMHO.

It's not like it's players on the playoff teams that are going to sit out. I am pertty certain they want to win the championship. There are too many bowl games with little to no significanse other than to make money none of which will benefit a single player specially ones that get seriously hurt.

[sotol]

Out of 32 first round prospects, how many are on the 4 playoff contenders?

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[stickemhard3]

I say fork em and feed em fish heads!! The only reason they are getting drafted is because the coaches and schools invested A LOT of time and money recruiting, educating, pampering, strengthening, conditioning and coaching them. Most importantly teaching them discipline and how hard they have to work both physically and more important mentally to get them where they want to be. Very small % go on to pro ball. 100% will get jobs and contribute to society. These are the successful ones you will work with everyday at your work place.
They didn't NOT want to play the 3rd game of their junior year, or the bowl game of their sophomore year did they.. In fact they probably were gripping and complaining about not playing enough.
It would be like coaches not coaching bowl games because it will hurt their chances to get other jobs!
Most of this advise is coming from handlers who have been talking to agents who have been talking to moms and dads .... blah blah blah!
JUST PLAY! PLAYERS PLAY!
It's just another soft turn in a very rough sport that is getting softer and softer.

The only reason the school has so much money, time, etc invested in these football players is because the ROI is astronomical. D1 football is a business, there's no 2 ways about it. I vote let the players do as they wish.