I think you've misunderstood large swaths of my point. Nothing circular about it. It's an either/or. I don't know if he'll "suck in the NFL." My worry - for AR's sake - is he won't get the chance to play because he won't get time to develop. In that case, I'm not suggesting it will become the norm. He'll be out of the league in a few years with lingering "what if" questions and hopefully a big pile of money to sit on. If he works out - either through just magically developing or by being given time - I think it changes the NFL's approach to drafting and more importantly, HS recruits approach to playing college football. The message will be out there: don't worry about helping to win games so much as making yourself draft-ready. Historically, the two have gone hand-in-hand.
Umm, IDK. How many 21 year olds, of any stripe, can handle a bunch of money dropped in their lap at once? Then you add the factor of a disadvantaged background, etc. A large percentage of NFL players declare bankruptcy. (The numbers I found conflict, but it's not a low number.) I had a good background, and am an Accounting grad, and I'm not sure how I would have done at a young age. I'll say it again- AR should stay and learn the position and let the game slow down. He's still overwhelmed and college is a much better place to learn than the NFL.
He'll end up in the XFL. The team that takes him before the 3rd round is going to be the team that finishes dead last in the NFL. When you make these kind of stupid decisions, you deserve to finish last. I can look at 100 other players with proven records than AR that are slated to be picked behind him. That's plain stupid in my book. He has just 1 season of experience and people think he's going to be able to complete half his passes in the NFL? What team is going to waste all of their energy teaching him how to play QB? You either go into the NFL with skills or you don't. You don't get better at the next level unless you have a solid foundation and he doesn't. This is why I stopped watching the NFL. I couldn't care less about what they do. If they ended the NFL, I'm jumping up and down with glee. Real football is college football, the NFL is a circus like the NBA. Next time you are at an NFL game, look at how much you paid for that game and then think about that money going to pay guys like AR, who 25 years ago would go undrafted. If he gets picked in the 3rd round or higher, then maybe the NFL actually is relevant. Otherwise, he stole money another player deserved. People say they will develop him. Name one QB that was developed? Anyone? The only QBs I've seen in his experience level ended up being converted to TEs and none were picked higher than the 3rd round. Many point to the last Gator QB that was picked in the 1st round as proof that it (developing his mechanics) doesn't work and what he did in college makes AR look like a half star.
The biggest problem tends to be the hangers-on. You're 21/22 and a millionaire. You suddenly have a lot of friends (and girlfriends) and it's $5k here, $10k there, $50k there, etc. Not to mention the "business opportunities" that will arise.
This is my point. The NFL has historically not waited for a guy to become an NFL QB. If they do this time, it's a signal, in my opinion: College is now a camp. Nothing more, nothing less. College football may become minor league baseball in a hurry.
NFL gurus are adjusting to scheme too. Our passing scheme is quite challenging for a QB. Depending on where he gets drafted he may actually be throwing to bigger windows in the NFL
Really? I’m not so sure. Teams should always trade back imo, because no one is guaranteed. More picks equals more success imo. Free agency is expensive.
Yeah, the gulf between having great physical talent or "potential" and achieving stardom in the NFL is enormous. If someone takes a chance on selecting AR in the first round and it pays off bigtime, he'll be on the Mt. Rushmore of hotshot GMs. I honestly have my doubts as well.
Just ran into AR at Publix while shopping. His card was declined due to insufficient funds, so I told him I'd pay for it with my food stamp EBT card. He gone.
Say bye bye to "real football" my friend. And if you think it's ever going to get better (and not more like the NFL every day), I've got some swampland to sell you. I'd argue the NFL has more integrity this point.
I saw that as a WTF too. The question is whether that comment was "ironic" or just straight-up moronic.
That would require an actual investment from the NFL, which is never happening. Why pay for something you already get for free. Of course, that (minor league) was always the proper solution to paying the players, instead we got NIL, which is basically unenforceable.
I agree. I also cannot imagine the amount of stress he must be under to think his entire family may be counting on him to hit it big in the league and create generational wealth. This and your post seems like the most logical explanation for what we saw this year compared to last year.
I don't care what he AR decides. I hope he does what is best for him. Just do it soon at least before 12/5 when the portal is open.
Yep. Unfortunately the NFL and CFB had a nice sweetheart deal that benefited them at the expense of the athletes.
This is where Saban works his magic. His pitch, "look you're going to get a look, likely get drafted whether you play here or not. I can prepare you well enough that you'll be worthy of a 2nd contract the day you are drafted. And you'll be set then." And he's not wrong about that either.
