Should on-campus pro days be banned?

[clenz]

Interesting take on it from Bleecher Report.

I thought I was done with Tim Tebow on January 1. But I was wrong.

I thought that he would finally be out of college football after the Sugar Bowl. Once again, I was wrong.

Who would have thought that he would be ESPN front page news in March?

Instead of the college basketball, the NBA, or the NHL, Tim Tebow steals the show three months after the season.

Why?

Because in our football-crazed nation, the constant media attention toward college football players doesn't end with the bowl season. It ends four months later with the NFL Draft.

The NFL Draft has been a spectacle for fans to enjoy since its beginnings. It combines the two highest levels of America's most popular sport, and unlike its baseball and basketball counterparts, it's a chance to talk about football during an eight month off-season.

While I support the NFL Draft and think it's great for the sport, it has a major flaw—the presence of pro days on college campuses.

Like the Draft itself, pro days are great. The help NFL teams better evaluate players and allow players to improve their draft stock. It's a win-win for both sides.

But the timing and placement are cause for concern.

Pro days have no place on college campuses, and frankly, I'm surprised they're still allowed.

The NCAA has made every effort to distance itself from the NFL, by changing its rules for the games themselves, not allowing player endorsements, and focusing on academics.

And by allowing on-campus pro days, the NCAA seems to be breaking its own rules.

The first, and most important rule that it is breaking, disrupting the educational environment of the universities.

Let's be serious, most athletes don't make their college choice based on academics, even if they include that as one of their reasons for picking the school. When a player chooses Oklahoma State over Northwestern or Duke, academics become a moot point.

But while the athletes may not be at their school for the education, other students are.

And if academics are a good enough reason to not allow a playoff, they're a good enough reason to not allow on-campus pro days.

The presence of agents is also another "major violation" that the NCAA allows.

Players are not allowed to be involved with agents while in college, and these agents shouldn't even be involved with college programs.

But pro days allow the two to mix.

And I challenge you to name a coach (with the exception of Lane Kiffin) who wants his players anywhere near Drew Rosenhaus.

These current players are the ones the schools should be concentrating on, not NFL Draft entries who are rarely still enrolled in school.

Entrants should be coached by their personal trainers, not their college coaches.

But will on-campus pro days ever be banned?

Without substantial objection, no.

They bring in money and exposure, and as we've seen from the NCAA Tournament expansion debate, the NCAA will refuse to give up either, even if it sacrifices the sport's well-being.

So until a major college program takes a stand, expect on-campus pro days to remain. And expect more Tim Tebow news late into the spring.

[andy7171]

Bleacher Report is garbage. CURRENT players are not allowed to talk with sports agents, once you use up all your elligiblity in your sport, you are no longer under NCAA sanctions. And if you are an underclassman, you are free to hire an agent if you declare yourself for the draft. What an idiot.
What does a handful or more NFL scouts runing drills at the fieldhouse or stadium do with interfering with classes?

[clenz]

Bleacher Report is garbage. CURRENT players are not allowed to talk with sports agents, once you use up all your elligiblity in your sport, you are no longer under NCAA sanctions. And if you are an underclassman, you are free to hire an agent if you declare yourself for the draft. What an idiot.
What does a handful or more NFL scouts runing drills at the fieldhouse or stadium do with interfering with classes?

I think you missed the point of the article.

The NCAA is all about separation from the NCAA. I get, and I think he gets, that the players at the pro-days are done. However, do you really think the agents don't see being on campus as a easy in for a "quick chat" with some other players?

[SmallCollegeFBFan]

Actually there are some false beliefs out there about agents. First I want to say that I agree no player should be anywhere near Rosenhaus. From what I have heard from NFL sources he basically signs a small class every year and then has his players recruit others once they start showing a promising NFL career and makes big money on their second contract while not having to pay for the training when they come out of college.

Second, there are some rules about agents that people are no aware. Agents ARE allowed to talk to seniors during their final season. In fact I have seen agents buy tickets to games and meet with players after them. If anyone does not think that Vlad Ducasse, Armanti Edwards, Andre' Roberts, Clay Harbor, etc. were not talking to agents during the year and were meeting with them after games they never saw these players after games or know how the process works. A few players tell agents they want to wait until after the season but to be honest many agents come to games and some do illegal things but not all of them do. If you think about it an agent who plays by the rules and does things the right way really does an outstanding job for players such as getting their name out, helping them get pro days and private workouts set up for NFL teams to see them, helping get their name in front of all-star games, and getting them a good contract with NFL teams. I personally like to stay away from them because I know many of them are shady but I have dealt with some while working with all-star games that are really good at what they do. Despite that I try to stay away from them until the player is done with their eligibility because if you are truly doing things the right way you are suppose to deal with their agent once their college career is over. Agents usually have a marketing or PR person who does what college SIDs do and those are the ones you have to deal with.

[JSU02]

Is a pro-day really that different from an on campus career fair?

[clenz]

Is a pro-day really that different from an on campus career fair?

Yes and no.

As a student you are allowed to talk to as many as employeers as you can, and it is encouraged to get your name out there.


Athletes and agents don't mix while in college.

[JayJ79]

I've never gotten the impression that the NCAA was "against" the NFL. They just don't want college players to be essentially "pros" WHILE they are playing college football. Once their senior season is done, they are no longer playing college football.

As far as pro days interfering with those players who still have eligibility left, I don't really understand how that would be the case. Those athletes are still able to participate in their off-season training regimens. And pro days usually occur before the official spring practices happen anyway, at least that seems to be the case around here.

[SmallCollegeFBFan]

There are junior pro days that take place on campus where the rising seniors workout for scouts so they can get an idea of what type of value each player might bring come the fall. If people are against senior pro days how come they are not against junior pro days?

[CatMom]

There are junior pro days that take place on campus where the rising seniors workout for scouts so they can get an idea of what type of value each player might bring come the fall. If people are against senior pro days how come they are not against junior pro days?

Exactly, ours was today

Our Senior pro day was a bust because Dez Bryant changed his pro day and the scouts all went to OSU, except a guy from the Texans. That really sucked for our players.

Personally, I think regionalization would be a better way to go with the pro days. Several schools having players at one time. I do know, however, that many coaches don't take kindly to that scenario because it takes the spotlight away from their "stars"

If anyone from TXST actually even gets a camp invite after that fiasco, I'll treat.

[SmallCollegeFBFan]

There are junior pro days that take place on campus where the rising seniors workout for scouts so they can get an idea of what type of value each player might bring come the fall. If people are against senior pro days how come they are not against junior pro days?

Exactly, ours was today

Our Senior pro day was a bust because Dez Bryant changed his pro day and the scouts all went to OSU, except a guy from the Texans. That really sucked for our players.

Personally, I think regionalization would be a better way to go with the pro days. Several schools having players at one time. I do know, however, that many coaches don't take kindly to that scenario because it takes the spotlight away from their "stars"

If anyone from TXST actually even gets a camp invite after that fiasco, I'll treat.

Yeah I don't think any of your seniors are going to get in a camp. Karrington Bush is the only rising senior on my list right now. He has some injury and off field concerns though. I would say he is just a free agent at this point.

[CatMom]

Exactly, ours was today

Our Senior pro day was a bust because Dez Bryant changed his pro day and the scouts all went to OSU, except a guy from the Texans. That really sucked for our players.

Personally, I think regionalization would be a better way to go with the pro days. Several schools having players at one time. I do know, however, that many coaches don't take kindly to that scenario because it takes the spotlight away from their "stars"

If anyone from TXST actually even gets a camp invite after that fiasco, I'll treat.

Yeah I don't think any of your seniors are going to get in a camp. Karrington Bush is the only rising senior on my list right now. He has some injury and off field concerns though. I would say he is just a free agent at this point.

Let's see how he fares in 2010 and go from there. Last I heard he is ahead of schedule in his recovery.

[GannonFan]

Is a pro-day really that different from an on campus career fair?

I agree with this. There are job fairs and on campus interviews all the time. So what if professional sports employers come onto campus to watch an athlete work out. No one's getting pissed when Merck comes on campus to interview a chemistry senior.