Thread: Do all college players HAVE to enter the draft to get on a team?

Kind of a long question, here goes...

Often you here about a player that would have flourished if said player was drafted t a different team. Say maybe if Tebow was drafted later, and to a team that was already set up for a running type QB, or Akili Smith, Cade, Tim Couch and all those guys might have flourished, or at least done better, if drafted to a different team. So what if a player that is in college knows that he is not suited in a certain system (RG3 in Denver's system, or Luck running chip Kelly's offense)? Why cant instead of going into the draft, why cant he just come out of college and choose what team he would like to apply/tryout/workout for. What if (enter top rated college RB Here) was a die hard Broncos fan, and knowing that Denver has a need at RB, decided to forgo the draft, and try to sign with Denver early. Maybe after the college and NFL season instead of going to the draft. Maybe it's a simple answer like more money if you get drafted, or "everyone would be running to winning organizations (see above RB example)".



If those are the answers then fine, but is there a rule that states that all new players have to enter the draft?

I googled and I couldn't find the answer. I would assume they have to though or else you would see players forego it to sign wherever they wanted to.

The only thing I could really find said that if a player refuses to play for the team who drafts him, he can sit out the season and enter the draft again next year. It doesn't look like you can skip the draft process entirely.

I can't find any examples of a player ever being signed by an NFL team without first entering the draft.

If they are drafted in the seven round draft a team holds exclusive rights to negotiate with the player for one year.

It's more about the collective bargaining agreement than the college player's ability to "opt out."

Originally Posted by olathebroncofan

"everyone would be running to winning organizations (see above RB example)".

It's that, or was initially. The Hidden Game of Football had a nice overview in the chapter on "The Draft Dodge:" Before he was NFL Commissioner, Bert Bell owned the Eagles, and got so sick of losing each years best players to marquee teams like the Giants and Bears that he dreamed up the draft. Of course, he had to convince the OWNERS of teams like the Giants and Bears to go along, but pointing out that forcing players to sign with whomever drafted them would reduce their payrolls did the trick, especially since revenue sharing didn't exist yet. Thus the NFL Draft was born.

The book goes on to note Bell couldn't afford and didn't sign the original #1 overall pick (Jay Berwanger,) but traded Chicago the RIGHTS for a couple solid linemen. The Bears didn't sign Berwanger either, but did get a couple HoF linemen to replace the ones they traded Philly, so Bell still got screwed. Berwanger, like all his 1936 picks, told the NFL, "thanks, but no thanks," and never played for anyone, but the draft stuck.

It's a HUGE restraint of trade though if you think about it. Imagine the owner of ANY non-sports business telling a college grad, "sorry, you can't work for your favorite company, even though they've got an opening and are offering more money. In fact you can't work for ANYONE but us, at whatever we're willing to pay, because WE drafted you." The kids lawyer would have such a field day with that he'd probably NEVER have to work, period. But the NFL wangled themselves an anti-trust exemption as part of the N/AFL merger, partly by bribing LA senators Russell Long and Hale Boggs to vote for it in exchange for creating the Saints.

I knew players could skip the draft if they skipped their rookie year, but what BtB said about still having to re-enter the draft was news to me. It makes sense though; the teams still don't want to have to outbid each other for each player in each college class, so they might agree to re-draft them after a year, but not to free agency. And until/unless the courts overule say it's unconstitutional (unlikely,) that's that.

Good question. I've always wondered the same thing. I assumed you had to go through the draft or supplemental draft to get into the league. It seems like there could possibly be loopholes. I don't know. Like if Michael Jordan had chose football instead of baseball. Would he really have to enter a draft?

Originally Posted by dbfan2007

Good question. I've always wondered the same thing. I assumed you had to go through the draft or supplemental draft to get into the league. It seems like there could possibly be loopholes. I don't know. Like if Michael Jordan had chose football instead of baseball. Would he really have to enter a draft?

As far as I know, yes. I have looked for an example of an NFL player signing with a team without ever having entered the draft but I can't find one.

That dude from Philadelphia walked on to the Eagles...granted that was the 70s and I'm not sure if he went to college. I don't know if any team is worth missing out on the money you'd be missing out on by not being drafted.

Originally Posted by Nomad

That dude from Philadelphia walked on to the Eagles...granted that was the 70s and I'm not sure if he went to college. I don't know if any team is worth missing out on the money you'd be missing out on by not being drafted.

You think if a player like Andrew Luck were able to forego the draft, he would have made less money? I think he would have made more. Think of the bidding war that would have happened for his services.

I remember there being some kind of a rule requiring those who choose not to enter the draft to be ineligible for a couple years. Don't remember how long, but it was definitely more than one year.

Originally Posted by BaileyTheBest

As far as I know, yes. I have looked for an example of an NFL player signing with a team without ever having entered the draft but I can't find one.

Wouldn't there be something where a player like Michael Jordan gave up his amateur status to become a professional athlete? Other than Cam Newton, I'm thinking professional athletes can't enter the draft.

If you play college ball, then teams know your name. You HAVE to let the NCAA know if you are coming back to college, or, moving on to pro. If they inform the NCAA that they are not going to return to play college football, then you are eligible to be drafted by the NFL. If any team calls your name, then you are drafted by that team, and they have the rights to you. You don't even have to be a college athlete to be drafted, but if your name is called out, that NFL franchise has the rights for your contract if you decide to play in the NFL. If you decide to skip that year, then you can take your chances on another team drafting you again after you sat out, but there might be something that gives the original NFL team first rights to you.

Originally Posted by dbfan2007

Wouldn't there be something where a player like Michael Jordan gave up his amateur status to become a professional athlete? Other than Cam Newton, I'm thinking professional athletes can't enter the draft.

You may be right. I can't think of an example where an athlete has tried to move from one pro sport to the NFL though.

I found the answer. Apparently if you are already a pro athlete in one sport, you don't have to enter the draft.

An excerpt from this ESPN article on if LeBron wanted to join the NFL:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4194437

If he wanted to enter the NFL, he wouldn't have to declare for the draft. He'd be free to sign with any team.

Originally Posted by BaileyTheBest

You may be right. I can't think of an example where an athlete has tried to move from one pro sport to the NFL though.

Then again...what about players that dabble in the minor leagues like Elway and then declare for the draft. I didn't think of that until just now.




Obviously, in the end, it doesn't matter. I've just yet to see the rule stating that a player must declare for the draft to be signed by an NFL team at any time later on. I'd just like to see that somewhere, with something to back it up.

Originally Posted by BaileyTheBest

You may be right. I can't think of an example where an athlete has tried to move from one pro sport to the NFL though.

Bo Jackson is the only guy that comes to mind in a similar scenario.