Any chance we see a college football draft in the future?

[CoastRat.sixpack]

With the NIL and the reality of college football actually being treated like the business that it is, and all the hoopla (my fancy legal term) surrounding the college playoff, etc., how long before we see a draft. I have/had an idea, that I expect you all to pan mercilessly. But I am curious of other ideas similar to this that might work.

My idea before all the NIL started, was to have a draft by conference. That would still give the players some control over where they might go, by conference or area of the country. And, walk-ons could be exempted from the draft. In other words, if you wanted a scholarship you would have to declare for the draft of whatever conference you wanted to play in and then model that draft after the plenty of examples out there. If you chose not to play for the team that drafted you, you sit out a year and re-enter, or maybe you allow trades like the pros.

After all, it is just a minor league at this point. Critique away.

**I recognize a loophole could be that a 5* player could get enough NIL money to not need the scholarship, and then just "walk on" and avoid the draft. NIL money might have to also be tied to it to avoid that, although I don't know if that would ever fly.

 

[Smoked Toag]

No. College is about picking where you want to go, assuming you get accepted. That's why I'm so glad NIL happened, because that is so much better than paying players like employees. That is a victory for amateurism, and that is what makes college sports so great. That's the bond between fans and players - they all chose to go to a certain school.

There will always be fanbases that try and buy success. Sometimes it works, most times it doesn't. You have to do the work.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

No

But Minor league football is not out of the question. (I wish it would happen)

Not everyone should go to college, and it appears many are doing so, just to get on the stage.

Education is not their objective, that is very obvious.

 

[thatsbaseball]

I believe we'll see a very active player's union.

 

[Dawgg]

No.

 

[codeDawg]

No. College is about picking where you want to go, assuming you get accepted. That's why I'm so glad NIL happened, because that is so much better than paying players like employees. That is a victory for amateurism, and that is what makes college sports so great. That's the bond between fans and players - they all chose to go to a certain school.

There will always be fanbases that try and buy success. Sometimes it works, most times it doesn't. You have to do the work.

More pro-competitive rules have to come. A draft could work for the top X number of athletes, but there are likely a big number of changes we’ll see ahead of that.

I fully expect the SEC to grow and exit the NCAA before the end of the decade. Unfortunately for people who want that to happen so that they can “preserve the purity of the game”, it’s only so they can make the league more professionalized. I would expect some form of player compensation to rise, an expanded playoff format, and other rules that attempt to redistribute the talent more evenly without completely destroying the tradition of CFB.

People dismissing the NIL contracts just don’t understand the implication of where this will go. The companies doing this today just haven’t gotten organized enough. It’s going to grow fast, and it will grow to a level that schools and conferences will want their cut and control over the money. The only way to do that is funnel those funds back into the school and conference by attracting those dollars back in and paying them back out.

Money is like flowing water. You can try to stop it, but eventually it’s going to flow where it wants to go. Your best bet is not to try to dam it, but direct it.

 

[G-Dawg]

You're 100% right, but I was listening to Mark Packer and he made a very smart comment...a listener said the NFL should create a minor league like the MLB does. Pack said, "Why would the NFL pay one penny when the colleges are already doing it for them?" He's right. They SHOULD, but they won't.

 

[Smoked Toag]

More pro-competitive rules have to come. A draft could work for the top X number of athletes, but there are likely a big number of changes we’ll see ahead of that.

I fully expect the SEC to grow and exit the NCAA before the end of the decade. Unfortunately for people who want that to happen so that they can “preserve the purity of the game”, it’s only so they can make the league more professionalized. I would expect some form of player compensation to rise, an expanded playoff format, and other rules that attempt to redistribute the talent more evenly without completely destroying the tradition of CFB.

People dismissing the NIL contracts just don’t understand the implication of where this will go. The companies doing this today just haven’t gotten organized enough. It’s going to grow fast, and it will grow to a level that schools and conferences will want their cut and control over the money. The only way to do that is funnel those funds back into the school and conference by attracting those dollars back in and paying them back out.

Money is like flowing water. You can try to stop it, but eventually it’s going to flow where it wants to go. Your best bet is not to try to dam it, but direct it.

Brother the dam already burst. They should have had NIL a long time ago and they've been damming this thing for years. You are seeing the free for all right now, at its worst. If anything, things are going to calm down over the next few years. NIL will be normalized, COVID will slowly disappear, and if they ever finally get it right and expand the playoff, the game will be better than its ever been.

 

[Smoked Toag]

You're 100% right, but I was listening to Mark Packer and he made a very smart comment...a listener said the NFL should create a minor league like the MLB does. Pack said, "Why would the NFL pay one penny when the colleges are already doing it for them?" He's right. They SHOULD, but they won't.

I agree, but I do think it would be smarter of them to allow guys to go pro one year earlier.

 

[PirateDawg]

What you said is true for College Students. Not so much for college football or basketball players. Amaterism for 4 and 5 star athletes died years ago. Bag men secured committments even back when Bear Bryant was coaching at Alabama. Recruiting has been a business for as long as I've been watching and that is a long time! NIL just makes it obvious where the money is coming from. How many kids have you seen that grew up Mississippi State fans but went to Ole Miss and vice versa? Same all over the country. And yes, MSU is involved as well. Remember Auburn outbidding us on a QB?

Another flaw with your thinking. If your first statement is true why is there a portal? It's not the school they are choosing. Its a combination of pay and playing time to get to the NFL.

My dad told me years ago that they should just seperate the football teams from the schools and call it a semi-pro league. He thought it was punishment making those kids go to classes just to play the game.

 

[Smoked Toag]

What you said is true for College Students. Not so much for college football or basketball players. Amaterism for 4 and 5 star athletes died years ago. Bag men secured committments even back when Bear Bryant was coaching at Alabama. Recruiting has been a business for as long as I've been watching and that is a long time! NIL just makes it obvious where the money is coming from. How many kids have you seen that grew up Mississippi State fans but went to Ole Miss and vice versa? Same all over the country. And yes, MSU is involved as well. Remember Auburn outbidding us on a QB?

Another flaw with your thinking. If your first statement is true why is there a portal? It's not the school they are choosing. Its a combination of pay and playing time to get to the NFL.

My dad told me years ago that they should just seperate the football teams from the schools and call it a semi-pro league. He thought it was punishment making those kids go to classes just to play the game.

You are getting rid of what makes college sports great. It's a simple choice to make. You don't have to go down that route if you don't want, there's nothing that says you do.

 

[PirateDawg]

For you and me this is correct

You are getting rid of what makes college sports great. It's a simple choice to make. You don't have to go down that route if you don't want, there's nothing that says you do.

For highly rated college athletes selecting a school is a tough decision. You have all these Universities recruiting you whether you like it or not. They are getting calls and visits by the big dollar schools that ruthlessly persue them. Then, they are contacted by the boosters that offer financial inducements. That's a lot to absorb for a high school kid. Some are even contacted when they are in the 8th or 9th grade by coaches. I met a guy selling cars in MS and his son's picture was on his desk. I asked when he was graduating and he said in 4 years. His son was huge. Mississippi State had hired his wife and he was at a local dealership. Remember when Ole Miss hired a doctor with two football sons? That goes on even at Mississippi State. Of course, that kid doesn't have to sign with State but think of the pressure.

 

[DawgInThe256]

Not in the framework of college football as we know it, but that's definitely changing...

I saw a report this morning that Charlie Batch offered Caleb Williams a $1 million NIL deal to play for Eastern Michigan. I don't think this is technically allowed under the NCAA NIL rules, but it was just a matter of time.

https://www.mlive.com/sports/ann-ar...s-1-million-to-play-for-eastern-michigan.html

 

[PirateDawg]

Thanks for starting the debate. Nothing would be better to level the playing field than a college draft. However, it won't happen because it would upset the unbalance the networks want to $ee. They like having the Ohio States, USCs, Alabamas, Floridas, Clemsons, etc at the top for viewership. College football is all about money and nothing else. Do you believe ESPN wants State in the playoff picture? They didn't want Cincy. They will want to expand the playoff field using March Madness as an example of making more money.

Sadly, we have reached the point of no return. We are doomed to watch the same 5 or 6 schools fight it out ever year for the NC with no change in site.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

The solution for parity would be to limit the scholarships for the winning teams the next year. Pass any scholarships that are "lost" to women's sports so this would help Title IX. Just come up with some formula that playoff teams lose 5 scholarships, the next groups loses 4, etc. This is the only way there could be a system to help with parity like a draft does.

 

[maroonmania]

The solution for parity would be to limit the scholarships for the winning teams the next year. Pass any scholarships that are "lost" to women's sports so this would help Title IX. Just come up with some formula that playoff teams lose 5 scholarships, the next groups loses 4, etc. This is the only way there could be a system to help with parity like a draft does.

Bingo. Reducing the current glut of football scholarships is the only way to make the sport more competitive and entertaining across the board. Nothing good about a few elite programs being able to sign up pretty much all the best talent coming out of HS.

 

[aTotal360]

Nah. You'll just see a ton more "greyshirts" getting school paid for in other ways. Hell, that's happening already.

 

[Smoked Toag]

Nah. You'll just see a ton more "greyshirts" getting school paid for in other ways. Hell, that's happening already.

Not really.

 

[codeDawg]

You are seeing the free for all right now, at its worst.

You don’t think the amount of money going to kids to attend the big schools isn’t going to skyrocket? The infrastructure isn’t in place to market to kids or those wanting to contribute. There are platforms and organizations popping up ready to cash in on this.

There was a $1MM quarterback at Bama this year. I guarantee we’ll be paying $1MM for a middle tier QB at MSU within 5 years. Just one Texas group has $10MM collected to distribute to Longhorn players. It’s the new arms race.

 

[Smoked Toag]

You don’t think the amount of money going to kids to attend the big schools isn’t going to skyrocket? The infrastructure isn’t in place to market to kids or those wanting to contribute. There are platforms and organizations popping up ready to cash in on this.

There was a $1MM quarterback at Bama this year. I guarantee we’ll be paying $1MM for a middle tier QB at MSU within 5 years. Just one Texas group has $10MM collected to distribute to Longhorn players. It’s the new arms race.

That's just plumb unsustainable.

 

[thekimmer]

There are 101 reasons why the answer is no. Here are a few off of the top.

First of all there is logistics. Just in FBS there are 129 teams and over 15,000 athletes. Then there is another 350 teams in the other levels. Then there is the spectacle of 17-18 year old kids from podunk LA being told they were drafted by Wisconsin so pack your bags junior.

Secondly the 'elites' will NEVER agree to any such thing that will dilute the dominance that they have built some for most of a century.

Thirdly is the fact that the primary mission of the institutions that these teams represent are educational not athletic and most of them are government owned.

Fourth is it would require carving out ONE sport in the entire athletic program for such a thing. Just would not work.

The only way such a thing MIGHT work is as someone already said, is to start a minor league football system. Then players who are only interested in making a living playing football can forgo college and get on with it. Those who don't can go to college and play football while getting an education. But alas, as long as there is enough fan support you are right back where you started.