By BARRY WILNER
AP Football Writer
Get ready for the undergraduates.
The NFL's uncertain labor sitaution - with no salary cap in place for 2010, and a potential labor stoppage in 2011 - has many college players wondering what an uncapped year or a potential rookie wage scale could mean for them.
It also seems to have more juniors than ever thinking about whether to make an early move to the NFL.
"That's the hard part. They've been talking about that thing for about five or six years now. That was one of the ploys to try to get (Matt) Leinart to come out early, that some of the agents were using. So that was how many years ago now, and they are still talking about it? So I don't know."
Nobody knows much of anything. An uncapped season next year, the first since 1993, will modify restrictions on free agency, but probably won't have much effect on rookies. But if there's no pro football in 2011, that would be devastating. The draft itself could disappear.
So, many player agents are projecting a record influx of eligible underclassmen into the 2010 draft. The most to enter early was 70 in 2008 and some agents believe close to 100 will declare in January. Those players have until Jan. 15 to decide, then have 72 hours to withdraw their names and retain college eligibility.
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/football/story/1395036.html
AP Football Writer
Get ready for the undergraduates.
The NFL's uncertain labor sitaution - with no salary cap in place for 2010, and a potential labor stoppage in 2011 - has many college players wondering what an uncapped year or a potential rookie wage scale could mean for them.
It also seems to have more juniors than ever thinking about whether to make an early move to the NFL.
"That's the hard part. They've been talking about that thing for about five or six years now. That was one of the ploys to try to get (Matt) Leinart to come out early, that some of the agents were using. So that was how many years ago now, and they are still talking about it? So I don't know."
Nobody knows much of anything. An uncapped season next year, the first since 1993, will modify restrictions on free agency, but probably won't have much effect on rookies. But if there's no pro football in 2011, that would be devastating. The draft itself could disappear.
So, many player agents are projecting a record influx of eligible underclassmen into the 2010 draft. The most to enter early was 70 in 2008 and some agents believe close to 100 will declare in January. Those players have until Jan. 15 to decide, then have 72 hours to withdraw their names and retain college eligibility.
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/football/story/1395036.html
