🏈 Media days- Saban mentions NFL changing Jr. grading (only five per team allowed)

[TerryP]

Just the gist of what he said...

NFL has changed their policy on giving grades to underclassmen and will only evaluate five per team. These grades will be 1st round, 2nd round, stay in school.

I didn't find anything on a quick google search so I anticipate more on this as the day progresses.

Seems like a good move.

If anyone comes across a link, post it, please.

 

[BAMANEWSBOT]

Florida coach Will Muschamp said the NFL was "trying to help" with the rising number of underclassmen entering the NFL draft on Monday, but offered no explanation as to how.

Now we know what the changes will be, per NFL Media reporter Albert Breer, after Alabama coach Nick Saban hinted at them Thursday at SEC Media Days.



In the past, underclassmen had been given five grades: 1) as high as the first round, 2) as high as the second round, 3) as high as the third round, 4) not in the first three rounds, and 5) not draftable, Breer reported.

Saban also indicated that the NFL Draft Advisory Board, which provides underclassmen with feedback as to what their draft status would likely be, would limit the number of underclassmen from each school that can submit for feedback, which Breer confirmed.



Previously, there was no limit to the number of underclassmen who could request feedback from the NFL for draft status, and that feedback was more detailed than what Saban described. Presumably, the five players chosen to receive feedback from the NFL will be the five with the most pro potential. The rest could be less inclined to turn pro early in the absence of a draft grade.

A record 98 underclassmen, plus another four players who had another year of football eligibility but had already earned a degree, declared for the 2014 NFL Draft.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Saban continues to give the media the best info and stories on a platter, yet most of them despise him. It's like the poor complaining about the rich while they live off of their taxes.

 

[TerryP]

After a little time to reflect on this announcement and change I have to retract an earlier statement, "Seems like a good move." At a quick glance it does seem like a good move. When I look at it and consider what it actually means I'm left very skeptical it's the right move.

Consider this. When you have a major decision to make in life there's one criteria you should have; make sure it's a well-informed decision.

But, in this situation, the NFL is basically taking away the amount of information these kids will receive. How this translates to per school is something I haven't done the math on so I have to add the caveat "are there more than five underclassman making decisions like this?" In some schools, yes. In the vast majority? There's the question. Now it seems by the NFL limiting the number of grades they'll give per school, and then with those grades limiting to amount of information given, they've reduced the amount of information available for kids to make their decisions upon.

That in itself creates another problem. Anytime there's a void, like this one, something is always going to be put in its place. What this looks like it'll lead to is less qualified people giving advice to underclassmen. It's certainly not curtailing advice given by agents and their peers.

Slightly off the subject, but certainly apropos in this conversation...

Why is it there are different rules for baseball players, basketball players, and those in football? That makes no sense at all!

 

[planomateo]

Agree with ya @TerryP. This brilliant idea has disaster written all over it.

They've just given agents the ability to influence recruits, causing more issues for college football. Where the hell is the NCAA in all of this...

 

[psychojoe]

I heard somewhere that the NFL felt burdened by the number of underclassmen wanting to be evaluated, and that this move was to lighten their load. I am not sure what the best answer is. Clearly, considering the number of players who asked for evaluations, there are some who didn't listen to what was said and came out anyway. There are plenty of sunshine pumpers out there who will tell these players what they want to hear, and the kids seemed to be listening to them rather than to their coaches and the NFL.

The NFL is interested in a player ready to hit the field. They will draft a guy who still needs to be developed only if they see a very high upside.

Are there any stats out there on guys who come out early and don't make a team?

 

[TerryP]

I heard somewhere that the NFL felt burdened by the number of underclassmen wanting to be evaluated, and that this move was to lighten their load. I am not sure what the best answer is. Clearly, considering the number of players who asked for evaluations, there are some who didn't listen to what was said and came out anyway. There are plenty of sunshine pumpers out there who will tell these players what they want to hear, and the kids seemed to be listening to them rather than to their coaches and the NFL.

The NFL is interested in a player ready to hit the field. They will draft a guy who still needs to be developed only if they see a very high upside.

Are there any stats out there on guys who come out early and don't make a team?

I've not seen any. I'm sure we'll see some in the next few weeks when the teams start trimming down rosters.

One thing Saban mentioned is a lot of the guys are being told make the team, then get paid when your second contract comes up. He followed that stating the small percentage that made it to that second contract. I think he said it was 25%.

With the new rules in the NFL we won't have any numbers on how many underclassmen make it to the second contract in a few years. I don't know enough about the draft process to say when that's going to be. They just started the new compensation for the NFL in the draft of 2013, right?