High Schoolers and Underclassmen get March 1st Deadline....

[Michael82]

The NFL set a March 1 deadline for high school players and newly eligible college underclassmen to apply for this year's draft.

A day after a federal judge struck down the league's rule limiting the draft to players at least three years out of high school, the NFL issued new rules Friday to comply with the decision.

Newly eligible players must obtain an eligibility form from the NFL, and completed forms must be received by the league by March 1.

The deadline does not apply to players previously eligible to apply for the draft, who had a Jan. 15 deadline.

Players who became eligible because of Thursday's decision in the case of Ohio State sensation Maurice Clarett must apply for the draft by Feb. 15 to be considered for invitations to the scouting combine, which starts Feb. 18 in Indianapolis.

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/7068337

[The Spaz]

Yeah they want to end there careers already!:snicker:

[Michael82]

Well, we knew this was going to happen. The big question is....

Who will declare? Anyone want WR Mike Williams? I think he's ready and would get drafted pretty high. Any Freshman or Sophomores that you guys would want? :feedback:

[The Spaz]

Originally posted by Mike32282
Well, we knew this was going to happen. The big question is....

Who will declare? Anyone want WR Mike Williams? I think he's ready and would get drafted pretty high. Any Freshman or Sophomores that you guys would want? :feedback:

I posted this in another thread I think that the skill position players might be ok but the o-linemen and D-linemen are sure going to have problems if they go pro right out of High School or after their Freshmen year in College.

[Michael82]

Originally posted by The Spaz
Yeah they want to end there careers already!:snicker:

Do you think any seniors from High School will be entering in the draft? What about College Freshmen or Sophomores? Personally, I see a bunch of Sophomores joining.

[The Spaz]

Originally posted by Mike32282


Do you think any seniors from High School will be entering in the draft? What about College Freshmen or Sophomores? Personally, I see a bunch of Sophomores joining.

Well the High Schoolers are eligible to enter as well, but i don't think any will. I am totally against this so if any do declare I don't want the Bills to pick any!:mad:

[Michael82]

Originally posted by The Spaz
Well the High Schoolers are eligible to enter as well, but i don't think any will. I am totally against this so if any do declare I don't want the Bills to pick any!:mad:

I am totally against this, but I would LOVE the Bills to draft WR Mike Williams from USC! :drool:

[Michael82]

BTW...what high schoolers are eligible? I thought it was only seniors that are graduating in june that are eligible? Why would they allow people to drop school and join the NFL legally? That makes ZERO sense.

[The Spaz]

Originally posted by Mike32282


I am totally against this, but I would LOVE the Bills to draft WR Mike Williams from USC! :drool:

Well I could make an exception for if we drafted him in a decent round.

[The Spaz]

Originally posted by Mike32282
BTW...what high schoolers are eligible? I thought it was only seniors that are graduating in june that are eligible? Why would they allow people to drop school and join the NFL legally? That makes ZERO sense.

I beleive that they had to have graduated from High School.

[Michael82]

Originally posted by The Spaz
Well I could make an exception for if we drafted him in a decent round.

I knew you would. :D

Do you think Marcus Vick might declare? Any other big names? :scratch:

[The Spaz]

Originally posted by Mike32282


I knew you would. :D

Do you think Marcus Vick might declare? Any other big names? :scratch:

Just say NO to Marcus Vick especially if he is found guilty. I will ahve to do some research to find some other players I would concider.

[Dozerdog]

Originally posted by Mike32282
I am totally against this, but I would LOVE the Bills to draft WR Mike Williams from USC! :drool:


That's somewhat hypocritical-

I'm against robbing thre cradle, but I'd love to bag Hillary Duff

Originally posted by Mike32282
BTW...what high schoolers are eligible? I thought it was only seniors that are graduating in june that are eligible? Why would they allow people to drop school and join the NFL legally? That makes ZERO sense.

According to the article- age is not a factor - so apparently anyone. Unless state or Federal lawmakers jump in with child labor laws to protect any minors, then any HS athlete is fair game.


The judge left a lot to interpertation and this ruling will be challenged-

In her 71-page opinion, Scheindlin declared the rule violated antitrust laws and proposed alternatives.

"Age is obviously a poor proxy for NFL-readiness, as is a restriction based solely on height and weight," she wrote. "Medical examinations and tests are available to measure an individual player's maturity. The league could easily use those tests to screen out players who are not prepared to play in the NFL. ...

"By requiring draft prospects to submit to these examinations, the league could provide valuable information about player maturity to its teams and allow them to decide whether a prospect is worth selecting."


Looks like a combination of physical and mental tests can be used to exclude players.

[The Spaz]

In my opinion it's 71 pages of BS!:down:

[The Spaz]

OMFG so what there sayign if your in 9th grade you can enter the NFL Draft? That's just sick!:puke:

[Michael82]

Originally posted by The Spaz
OMFG so what there sayign if your in 9th grade you can enter the NFL Draft? That's just sick!:puke:

Yeah that is! I thought the state laws would make it so you have to be at least 18. Damn, that ruling left EVERYTHING OPEN! :eek:

[Michael82]

Yeah, the ruling will be challenged and most sports reporters are saying that it should be overruled and changed. However, it will be too late and the way the courts are, the appeal process won't happen until AFTER the draft.

The NFL knows this and that's why they have opened up the floodgates and are setting a new eligibility date.

[Ingtar33]

relax... the law allows for this... the nfl will get a "stay" order to prevent this ruling form affecting this years draft.

Furthermore, the judge was erroneous in the basis of her ruling, and it might be possible for the NCAA to prevent players from bolting early.

FINALLY: no NFL team will ever bother to even look at a HS player no mater how good they are. About the only "scenario" i can conceive that might result in a HS being drafter is in the case the player is a 4.2 40 track start/basketball player (6'3"-6'5"), with fantastic hands going for WR. Throw in the fact a 5th or 6th rounder will only be signed for a 3 year rookie contract, and you see why no team will bother taking this phenom. No… the only players who’ll get a serious look from the NFL are the rare true freshmen… the slightly less rare red shirt freshmen/sophomores… who dazzle in college competition.

Even then, he'd be lucky to go higher than 5th or 6th round. there simply is no comparing HS football to the NFL. This isn't like HS b-ball and NBA.

[SoCalBillsFan]

Originally posted by Mike32282


I am totally against this, but I would LOVE the Bills to draft WR Mike Williams from USC! :drool:

NOOOOOOOOOO!!

I would cry if that happened. Let's just wait a year and then get him :D

[Michael82]

Originally posted by SoCalBillsFan
NOOOOOOOOOO!!

I would cry if that happened. Let's just wait a year and then get him :D

LOL! As a USC fan, wouldn't you love to see him wearing a Bills uniform? :D

[SoCalBillsFan]

yes, but not quite so soon ;)

[The_Philster]

Letting 'kids' enter the NFL Draft could be a recipe for disaster By Mark Heisler
Special to The Morning Call
Just what the NFL needed to make its week complete:

Children in the draft!

Now young people won't have to settle for tearing bustiers off pop stars at halftime, they can play too!

In a victory for the principle of equal protection before the law, if not for professional football, a federal judge in New York ruled that 20-year-old Maurice Clarett could make himself available for the NFL Draft, which had barred players until they had been out of high school for three years....more (http://www.mcall.com/sports/all-clarettfeb08,0,7886106.story?coll=all-sports-hed)

[kill4bills]

if mike williams comes out he would be top 5 for sure so this could be good for us

[HenryRules]

I don't understand the uproar over allowing younger players to enter the draft. A lot, not all, are only at school to eventually turn pro and could care less about school itself. You can get lots of other jobs without going to university or finishing high school - why should professional sports, which has very little to do with academics, be different.

I really disagree with the judge's reasoning though ... the NFL isn't the only football around - there's a fair amount of spots in Arena football.

Aside from kickers/punters or other similar players, I wouldn't really want the Bills to grab too many of the younger players, but it wouldn't bother me if they did.

[eyedog]

Mike Williams has already stated he is staying in school this year.

[LtBillsFan66]

No high schooler will ever get drafted. There is too much physical development in the college years.

[TigerJ]

Eyedog is right. Whatever else happens in the legal realm, Mike Williams has stated he will not go pro. Check out the news for Feb. 6 on the Great Blue North Draft Report. The link is below.

http://www.gbnreport.com/

[kill4bills]

that sucks will any other come out?