Hey there, folks! Have you heard the latest news about quarterbacks in the NFL draft? Well, apparently, the class is lacking in some real talent, and it might be because some of them are getting a little too comfy in college.
Starting on Dec. 1, 2021, Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy watched as 20 senior quarterbacks decided to stay in school or enter the transfer portal. It was like watching an all-you-can-eat buffet quickly run out of bacon-wrapped shrimp. Nagy was so overwhelmed that he could hardly keep up with his magnetic boards.
Apparently, even Bo Nix, the projected second or third-round pick, decided to stay in school instead of entering the draft. What?! How could Nix do this to us? He was our best bet!
But seriously, according to experts, the reason for the mass exodus of mid-to-late-round quarterbacks has to do with the growth of the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. It’s like college football is turning into a Monopoly game!
College athletes are now allowed to sign deals with individual companies and sign deals with collectives affiliated with their schools. Collectives are made up of donor funds, and they offer contracts to athletes in return for services like autograph signings or event appearances. And let’s be honest, if you’re a proven quarterback, those collectives are going to want you to come back, and it’s going to want to support you.
For those of you who were wondering, there were only 11 senior quarterbacks with grades ranging from the fourth through seventh rounds who decided to forgo the draft. It’s a shame, really. It’s like they’re not even thinking about us NFL fans!
But despite the lack of talent, some coaches believe that the extra year of eligibility from the COVID-impacted 2020 season has helped create a more NFL-ready prospect. Hey, we’ll take what we can get!
In the end, it looks like the quarterbacks who stayed in school will have a better chance to develop, while quarterbacks like TCU’s Max Duggan, who chose to declare instead of using his fifth year of eligibility, will rise in the draft because of the majority of his peers’ decisions to stay in college. It’s like the game of musical chairs, folks.
So, as the college quarterbacks chase their Joe Burrow years and collect their NFL-like NIL money, Jim Nagy has already remade each of their magnets, printing off new stickers for each one. He put them back on the whiteboard last week, ready to see who will emerge as the new stars of the NFL. Let the games begin!
Serious News: nytimes
