Something I have always wondered...

What keeps a top college player from not entering the draft and signing as a free agent with a good team. Top picks go to bad teams and more then likely fail (See: Top 10 picks in the last 10 years). So say for instance I am the #1 rated QB from a college that just won a bowl game, like the Orange bowl for instance. I see that my college coach, who just so happens to be the most wanted coach out there and is not going to return to college, agrees to coach an NFL team, i don't know, say the 49ers for arguments sake. Why wouldn't I skip the draft and sign as a free agent to play with a coach who I am familiar with, an offense that I am familiar with, and a team that is pretty much ready to win. I am not going to be drafted by a bad team that will throw 6 different offensive coordinators in 6 years at me and fail to develop me as an NFL caliber QB (See: Smith, Alex). Has anyone ever else wondered this??

Duuuuuuude.......Really?

Something I have always wondered.... What made you think it was a good idea to post this?

Originally posted by AyYoJoey:
What keeps a top college player from not entering the draft and signing as a free agent with a good team. Top picks go to bad teams and more then likely fail (See: Top 10 picks in the last 10 years). So say for instance I am the #1 rated QB from a college that just won a bowl game, like the Orange bowl for instance. I see that my college coach, who just so happens to be the most wanted coach out there and is not going to return to college, agrees to coach an NFL team, i don't know, say the 49ers for arguments sake. Why wouldn't I skip the draft and sign as a free agent to play with a coach who I am familiar with, an offense that I am familiar with, and a team that is pretty much ready to win. I am not going to be drafted by a bad team that will throw 6 different offensive coordinators in 6 years at me and fail to develop me as an NFL caliber QB (See: Smith, Alex). Has anyone ever else wondered this??

B/c you just can't skip the draft it's part of the process. The player cannot be selected in the draft and thus have to sign as a unsigned free agent.

Originally posted by Jcool:
Something I have always wondered.... What made you think it was a good idea to post this?

4 previous posts of awesomeness.

yes really. If this is common sense or just a dumb question then please inform me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Draft

http://www.ehow.com/about_4760063_nfl-draft-rules-regulations.html

Basically, a player has to declare for the draft in order to get picked. If he does declare, he has to pass all rounds of the draft in order to be considered "undrafted" and then can sign on with any team willing to sign him to an offer.

- 98

Originally posted by kidash:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Draft

http://www.ehow.com/about_4760063_nfl-draft-rules-regulations.html

Basically, a player has to declare for the draft in order to get picked. If he does declare, he has to pass all rounds of the draft in order to be considered "undrafted" and then can sign on with any team willing to sign him to an offer.

- 98

Thank you.

I don't understand why everyone be hatin', it's a good question.

Originally posted by kidash:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Draft

http://www.ehow.com/about_4760063_nfl-draft-rules-regulations.html

Basically, a player has to declare for the draft in order to get picked. If he does declare, he has to pass all rounds of the draft in order to be considered "undrafted" and then can sign on with any team willing to sign him to an offer.

- 98

So what happens if Andrew Luck was to say, "I've decided to quit football, and drop out of college *wink wink* I won't be entering the draft, goodbye everybody". Then after the draft, he says "Changed my mind! Harbaugh, would you like to sign me as a free agent to the tune of our totally-not-previously-agreed-upon $80 mil?"

I mean, does EVERYBODY have to enter the draft? If I showed up randomly to Belichick's house and impressed him with my mad skills, couldn't he sign me as a free agent? And I was never in the draft.

Originally posted by statman:
I don't understand why everyone be hatin', it's a good question.

Originally posted by kidash:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Draft

http://www.ehow.com/about_4760063_nfl-draft-rules-regulations.html

Basically, a player has to declare for the draft in order to get picked. If he does declare, he has to pass all rounds of the draft in order to be considered "undrafted" and then can sign on with any team willing to sign him to an offer.

- 98

So what happens if Andrew Luck was to say, "I've decided to quit football, and drop out of college *wink wink* I won't be entering the draft, goodbye everybody". Then after the draft, he says "Changed my mind! Harbaugh, would you like to sign me as a free agent to the tune of our totally-not-previously-agreed-upon $80 mil?"

I mean, does EVERYBODY have to enter the draft? If I showed up randomly to Belichick's house and impressed him with my mad skills, couldn't he sign me as a free agent? And I was never in the draft.

Being drafted in the top 7 rounds = Money (millions if in the first round, esp. signing bonus guaranteed). Undrafted means low rookie salary (if I recall, $150,000 to $200,000) and none of it guaranteed if said player don't make the roster.

It's kind of a set pay scale agreed upon by the NFL and the NFLPA Union.

- 98

Originally posted by statman:
I don't understand why everyone be hatin', it's a good question.

Originally posted by kidash:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Draft

http://www.ehow.com/about_4760063_nfl-draft-rules-regulations.html

Basically, a player has to declare for the draft in order to get picked. If he does declare, he has to pass all rounds of the draft in order to be considered "undrafted" and then can sign on with any team willing to sign him to an offer.

- 98

So what happens if Andrew Luck was to say, "I've decided to quit football, and drop out of college *wink wink* I won't be entering the draft, goodbye everybody". Then after the draft, he says "Changed my mind! Harbaugh, would you like to sign me as a free agent to the tune of our totally-not-previously-agreed-upon $80 mil?"

I mean, does EVERYBODY have to enter the draft? If I showed up randomly to Belichick's house and impressed him with my mad skills, couldn't he sign me as a free agent? And I was never in the draft.

Doesn't work that way. In that case he'd be added to the Supplimental Draft and teams would have the option to select the player and give up a pick from next year.

Originally posted by statman:
I don't understand why everyone be hatin', it's a good question.

Originally posted by kidash:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Draft

http://www.ehow.com/about_4760063_nfl-draft-rules-regulations.html

Basically, a player has to declare for the draft in order to get picked. If he does declare, he has to pass all rounds of the draft in order to be considered "undrafted" and then can sign on with any team willing to sign him to an offer.

- 98

So what happens if Andrew Luck was to say, "I've decided to quit football, and drop out of college *wink wink* I won't be entering the draft, goodbye everybody". Then after the draft, he says "Changed my mind! Harbaugh, would you like to sign me as a free agent to the tune of our totally-not-previously-agreed-upon $80 mil?"

I mean, does EVERYBODY have to enter the draft? If I showed up randomly to Belichick's house and impressed him with my mad skills, couldn't he sign me as a free agent? And I was never in the draft.

Interesting point.. No top pick has ever done that and probably never will, but i do wonder what would happen if someone did pull that kind of move.

Originally posted by pwillis52beasty:

Originally posted by statman:
I don't understand why everyone be hatin', it's a good question.

Originally posted by kidash:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Draft

http://www.ehow.com/about_4760063_nfl-draft-rules-regulations.html

Basically, a player has to declare for the draft in order to get picked. If he does declare, he has to pass all rounds of the draft in order to be considered "undrafted" and then can sign on with any team willing to sign him to an offer.

- 98

So what happens if Andrew Luck was to say, "I've decided to quit football, and drop out of college *wink wink* I won't be entering the draft, goodbye everybody". Then after the draft, he says "Changed my mind! Harbaugh, would you like to sign me as a free agent to the tune of our totally-not-previously-agreed-upon $80 mil?"

I mean, does EVERYBODY have to enter the draft? If I showed up randomly to Belichick's house and impressed him with my mad skills, couldn't he sign me as a free agent? And I was never in the draft.

Interesting point.. No top pick has ever done that and probably never will, but i do wonder what would happen if someone did pull that kind of move.

See above post by Marvin49.

- 98

Originally posted by kidash:

Originally posted by statman:
I don't understand why everyone be hatin', it's a good question.

Originally posted by kidash:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Draft

http://www.ehow.com/about_4760063_nfl-draft-rules-regulations.html

Basically, a player has to declare for the draft in order to get picked. If he does declare, he has to pass all rounds of the draft in order to be considered "undrafted" and then can sign on with any team willing to sign him to an offer.

- 98

So what happens if Andrew Luck was to say, "I've decided to quit football, and drop out of college *wink wink* I won't be entering the draft, goodbye everybody". Then after the draft, he says "Changed my mind! Harbaugh, would you like to sign me as a free agent to the tune of our totally-not-previously-agreed-upon $80 mil?"

I mean, does EVERYBODY have to enter the draft? If I showed up randomly to Belichick's house and impressed him with my mad skills, couldn't he sign me as a free agent? And I was never in the draft.

Being drafted in the top 7 rounds = Money (millions if in the first round, esp. signing bonus guaranteed). Undrafted means low rookie salary (if I recall, $150,000 to $200,000) and none of it guaranteed if said player don't make the roster.

It's kind of a set pay scale agreed upon by the NFL and the NFLPA Union.

- 98

That's true...if you're a typical undrafted rookie.

But if you're a surefire #1 pick and you pull this stunt, suddenly you have your pick of any team willing to sign you, and they'll most likely be paying you what you would have made anyways.