Topic: Question about eligibility

[MUther]

Could a player go to the NFL their junior year, decide they could make more money in college, and then return to college for their senior and/or COVID year?  Seems like with NIL the line between amateur and professional sports is blurred as they can now get paid and remain eligible.  Or is their a specific bylaw that prevents that situation, and, if so, how long will that still be a thing with the way things are changing. 

Was thinking a pro linebacker or something like that would have a field day on a rich G5 team after playing against NFL speed and making league minimum.

[Johnnyherd]

If they allowed that, every player freshman-senior that was all conference or just had a high opinion of themselves, would declare for the NFL every year and just comeback to D1, if things didn?t work out.

Hell there?s probably guys whose time is up in the league but still could contribute majorly in D1.

[MUther]

If they allowed that, every player freshman-senior that was all conference or just had a high opinion of themselves, would declare for the NFL every year and just comeback to D1, if things didn?t work out.

Hell there?s probably guys whose time is up in the league but still could contribute majorly in D1.

Except the NFL doesn't take just anyone and they won't let anyone under junior equivalent play in the league.  I think they have to be 20 or 21 to play in the NFL.  This happened to Maurice Clarett and he got fat and out of shape in the year he had to take off to wait till he was old enough iirc.  The NBA allows kids out of high school so that would be different.

The older NFL guys wouldn't have any eligibility left.  There's still the 5 to play 4 rule with +1 for COVID.  That's why they'd have to go NFL as a junior and only have 1 or 2 years when they came back.  It's much more complex that you're alluding.  Think of it as sitting out a year of college but in the NFL.

[Johnnyherd]

Except the NFL doesn't take just anyone and they won't let anyone under junior equivalent play in the league.  I think they have to be 20 or 21 to play in the NFL.  This happened to Maurice Clarett and he got fat and out of shape in the year he had to take off to wait till he was old enough iirc.  The NBA allows kids out of high school so that would be different.

The older NFL guys wouldn't have any eligibility left.  There's still the 5 to play 4 rule with +1 for COVID.  That's why they'd have to go NFL as a junior and only have 1 or 2 years when they came back.  It's much more complex that you're alluding.  Think of it as sitting out a year of college but in the NFL.

I knew most of that, I think I just didn?t consider it.  I was more focused on the NFL tryout players going back to college, presenting problems.  Underclassmen Players can get NFL analysis on their chances in the offseason.  As far as COVID years, I believe 26 is the last year for that group. 

[MUther]

I knew most of that, I think I just didn?t consider it.  I was more focused on the NFL tryout players going back to college, presenting problems.  Underclassmen Players can get NFL analysis on their chances in the offseason.  As far as COVID years, I believe 26 is the last year for that group.

Maybe even '25.  20-21-22-23-24-25 is 6 years.  Not sure how they work it.

I was mostly concerned with playing experience in the NFL going against college players.  Still don't know if it's allowed or not now that pay for play isn't an issue.  Evaluation gives them no competitive edge.

[Randall_Moss]

I believe the ncaa has rules that say, essentially, once you?ve been paid to play a sport professionally, you can?t compete as an ?amateur? in the ncaa. Otherwise you could have a guy retire from the pros and go play college; a guy like LeBron could retire from the nba and enroll at duke, because he?s got four years of eligibility still.

[MUonium]

interesting subject

[s1uggo]

Could a player go to the NFL their junior year, decide they could make more money in college, and then return to college for their senior and/or COVID year?  Seems like with NIL the line between amateur and professional sports is blurred as they can now get paid and remain eligible.  Or is their a specific bylaw that prevents that situation, and, if so, how long will that still be a thing with the way things are changing. 

Was thinking a pro linebacker or something like that would have a field day on a rich G5 team after playing against NFL speed and making league minimum.

you have to be 3 yrs removed from HS to be eligible for the NFL.  Once you declare for the NFL draft, there is no coming back to college. So you cant play in the NFL not coming back to the NFL.
 Once you declare for the draft , no coming back to college.  Basketball has different rules.