Say a High School player or one with a 1-2 years in college goes into the XFL. Will they be NFL Free Agents or Draft Eligible?

Wenhawk wrote:Say a High School player or one with a 1-2 years in college goes into the XFL. Will they be NFL Free Agents or Draft Eligible?

Great question, I don’t know the answer.

This NFL document seems to say that yes, they can:

https://www.nflregionalcombines.com/Doc ... 0Rules.pdf

The first rule says men can be eligible once they're past college eligibility, which the document specifically says can be ended with signing to another professional football league.

SantaClaraHawk wrote:This NFL document seems to say that yes, they can:

https://www.nflregionalcombines.com/Doc ... 0Rules.pdf

The first rule says men can be eligible once they're past college eligibility, which the document specifically says can be ended with signing to another professional football league.

I don't think this is correct....citing 2 paragraphs from your link...

COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY. All college football eligibility of such player has expired
through participation in college football (expiration does not include a loss of college
football eligibility through withdrawal from school, dismissal or signing of a professional
contract in another football league). Or,

[urlTargetBlank]PLAYER NOT ATTENDING COLLEGE. Any player who does not attend college is
automatically eligible for selection in the next principal Draft that is conducted after four
NFL regular seasons have begun and ended following either his graduation from high
school or graduation of the class with which he entered high school, whichever is earlier. If
four football seasons have not elapsed, he is ineligible for selection, but may apply to the
Commissioner for Special Eligibility pursuant to the conditions in the section below entitled
“Special Eligibility.” If said player is not selected in the Draft for which he is eligible, he is
eligible to be signed as a free agent, unless he subsequently attends college and participates
in college football. In such event, he shall become subject to the rules that are applicable to
players who attend college. Or,[/urlTargetBlank]


This second paragraph seems to allow commissioner flexibility, so I assume it may be possible for someone who would otherwise be ineligible and perhaps did well enough in the XFL could apply for eligibility. I would think the commissioner wouldn't make exceptions for all XFL players, but may on a case by case basis.

Kidhawk, you're right. I misread this.

SantaClaraHawk wrote:Kidhawk, you're right. I misread this.

I had to read through it a few times to get it straight in my head. I would have been surprised if the NFL had left that loophole, especially since the XFL was around before and i believe they had similar eligibility rules the first time around.

Sort of a side note, but I can see some players with less academic abilities totally bypassing the NCAA and going pro out of the gate in the XFL.

If so, the SEC might be in trouble...

It would also really elevate the level of play to effectively have a trade school for good players without the whole school business.

schkoot wrote:Sort of a side note, but I can see some players with less academic abilities totally bypassing the NCAA and going pro out of the gate in the XFL.

If so, the SEC might be in trouble...

It would also really elevate the level of play to effectively have a trade school for good players without the whole school business.

NFL level coaching, No school to worry about, actual income coming in. I guess it will depend on how much practice these teams get.

schkoot wrote:Sort of a side note, but I can see some players with less academic abilities totally bypassing the NCAA and going pro out of the gate in the XFL.

If so, the SEC might be in trouble...

It would also really elevate the level of play to effectively have a trade school for good players without the whole school business.

If the league is successful and ends up sticking around I could definitely see that. It would be a huge benefit to people that don't like the college route, or can't attend for varying reasons. I would love these kids to have another option available to them like this. The NCAA has really benefited from these kids having no other real options for many years. I wonder if they'll fight it in any way if it starts to cut into their talent (maybe push them further down the slippery slope of paying players).

Isn't one reason the NFL has the "college rule" to keep players younger than 21-22 from being eligible (21-22 being the typical age people are when they are three years out of HS)? Having a 21+ rule protects teams and leagues from the accusation of giving booze to minors. If one of the Battlehawks players chugging hard seltzer was found to be underage, that's a major liability

If that's the motive though for either league, they should just put a "21 and up" restriction on pro football.

SantaClaraHawk wrote:Isn't one reason the NFL has the "college rule" to keep players younger than 21-22 from being eligible (21-22 being the typical age people are when they are three years out of HS)? Having a 21+ rule protects teams and leagues from the accusation of giving booze to minors. If one of the Battlehawks players chugging hard seltzer was found to be underage, that's a major liability

If that's the motive though for either league, they should just put a "21 and up" restriction on pro football.

I haven't really researched it, but the way I've always remembered it, the NFL has the rule due to the maturing of the human body. The thought process supposedly is that the male body continues to grow and would make the younger players more susceptible to injuries or other physical issues if they entered the league too early. I could be remembering it wrong, but that's how I've always remembered the reasoning

I remember that Netflix show that documented the JC football world. I could see the XFL putting JC football out of business- or changing enough to be irrelevant. I'm no expert, but one theme that I caught from that show was that the academic part of Junior College was of no interest and very difficult to keep many players eligible. If the XFL sticks around, and if NFL GMs are willing to evaluate talent that cut their teeth there, it seems like a real option for some of those kids. ...potentially a better option than JC.

Kenny Robinson still had college eligibility after only playing two years and is the first player to be drafted in the XFLwho can now also be drafted in this spring's NFL draft.

https://pittsburghsportsnow.com/2019/10 ... reach-nfl/

I can see a lot of talented HS football players that are academically squeezed into colleges and universities going the XFL route.
If that becomes a common avenue for these young men, I can see the college game becoming more equalized. In might put the scholar back in the scholarship.

Seafan wrote:Kenny Robinson still had college eligibility after only playing two years and is the first player to be drafted in the XFLwho can now also be drafted in this spring's NFL draft.

https://pittsburghsportsnow.com/2019/10 ... reach-nfl/

I think this is a smart move for him. If he gets to be 100% athlete and not have to be in school all day he may have a better opportunity to be physically where he needs to be for the NFL.