Drafting of Juniors Has NFL Buzzing

Ideally, the most important result of National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue’s decision to allow juniors into Sunday’s college draft will be apparent immediately following the selection of the last player Monday night.

Despite projections that as many as five of the first 10 players chosen may be from the pool of 38 underclassmen now eligible, it will be the number of players from that group NOT taken in the draft’s upper echelon that may provide reality for future underclassmen with early NFL aspirations.

Illinois quarterback Jeff George is expected to be the first player selected, and Alabama linebacker Keith McCants, USC linebacker Junior Seau and Heisman Trophy-winning Houston quarterback Andre Ware are expected to be high first-round selections.

Many of the questions raised by college coaches and NFL administrators pertained to the influence that agents will have on underclassmen.

Since the NFL’s decision Feb. 16, USC coach Larry Smith and Nebraska coach Tom Osborne have spoken out on the need for more dialogue and cohesion between colleges and the NFL.

“The pool of agents is so large, you don’t know who they are,” Smith said. “There is no certification process in the state of California. They are out here recruiting these guys, and it’s gotten totally out of control.”

Buffalo Bills general manager Bill Polian also pointed to agents when discussing potential problems created by the decision.

“At a combine in Indianapolis last week where juniors were testing, I heard agents in the parking lot telling players that they shouldn’t work out,” Polian said. “I heard (agents) telling players that a wage-and-salary scale will be in effect next year. That’s not true. These people are liars as a class. The agents, with the exception of a few, are not thinking about anyone but themselves.”

Agent Leigh Steinberg has as fine a reputation as any in the business. Steinberg says the “Underclass 38” represent a one-time situation.

“I think what we are seeing now is a one-year aberration,” said Steinberg, who will represent George and Ware. “Juniors who had fears of the possibility of an impending salary cap and were moved by the success of underclassman Barry Sanders (now with the Detroit Lions) have flocked to the NFL this year.”

Like Polian, Steinberg initially believed that agents were hyping a potential rookie salary cap for their own interests.

“There are justified concerns that part of a new collective bargaining agreement will be a limitation on the rookie contract packages,” Steinberg said. “When I first heard reports, I thought it was simply scare tactics by agents. But as months wore on and from talking to my own veterans, it has become clear that there is a enormous amount of support that compensation paid to players should go more to veterans than it does to draftees. The effect this is having is that a large number of blue-chip type draftees are entering the draft.”

John Mcvay, San Francisco 49ers vice president, said most NFL executives do not believe most underclassmen are ready to contribute. He believes this draft will serve as an example.

“They all think they are going to go in the first or second round, and a whole bunch will be very disappointed,” McVay said of the large number of potential draftees. “They’ll be faced with the fact that they’ve lost their scholarships, don’t make the NFL, get drafted late and it turns out to be very, very horrible experience. I think when that happens this year, maybe we won’t have that many next year.”

Most involved -- college players and coaches, NFL coaches and administrators, and agents -- admit the NFL could do little legally to prevent underclassmen from joining the draft.

Osborne said he does not know if the league went far enough by allowing those having used three years of collegiate eligibility to enter the draft.

“I don’t know what the difference is between four years and three years (of eligibility),” Osborne said. “What is to stop a sophomore next year from challenging the NFL? I don’t think legally they could stop him. Now if they are going to throw the door open and take them at any time, then that’s another thing.”

However, Osborne said he is more concerned with the role the NFL will play in the recruitment of borderline underclassmen.

“If a player is going to be a first-round or second-round choice and has looked at the options with his parents, coaches and representatives, we’re not going to stand in his way,” Osborne said.

“The concerns we have primarily are with the player who is maybe a marginal player. That player is led to believe by an agent or whoever that he will become a first- or second-rounder. All of a sudden, he’s a middle-rounder or a free agent. Half the NFL’s players leave without money, and a large percentage have no degree. At age 25 or 30, whenever that time comes, that’s a large adjustment to make.”

Frank Wofchitz, the NFL Players Association’s public relations director, said a study done over the past 10 years showed only 33 percent of players entered the league with degrees.

Osborne and Smith say the pros are partially responsible for that percentage.

“We have produced more pro football players than any school in country,” Smith said of USC. “But I think what’s happened now is everybody wants to jump out early and in a lot of cases, too early. The bottom line is players are coming out without getting a degree.

“I can’t believe a majority of people are able to come out at the end of third and second years and then are ready to play pro football.

“Junior Seau, ability-wise, probably is ready. But Junior is leaving here after completing five semesters of college work. He dropped out in his sixth semester. He’s probably halfway through toward getting a degree. Now what happens if he gets a career-threatening injury and has no degree to fall back on?”

A cynic might point out that Seau could be injured during his final year of college eligibility or that his initial pro contract signed as a high draft choice might pay for him to return to school.

Osborne and Smith agreed that often a player with a chance at a pro career concludes his college career and it then finds it difficult to finish his final semester.

“Players will be so busy listening to agents, NFL representatives, scouts and attending combines that they have had little or no concentration on their studies,” Osborne said. “Many of them drop out.”

The infusion of the underclassmen has made this one of the deepest drafts in recent history because the projected junior first-rounders have nudged projected senior first-rounders into the second round. NFL player personnel directors and general managers say their advice to underclassmen is to complete their college eligibility.

New York Giants general manager George Young said, “Most of these guys are coming out too soon. This is face-to-face combat, not tennis. Maturity and age are important.”

Steinberg feels the late inclusion of the juniors has affected the scouting already done by NFL teams.

“One of the things juniors entering the draft did was make for last-minute shifting in terms of talent assessment,” said Steinberg, who also represents Troy Aikman, last year’s No. 1 overall choice. “The seniors have been scouted all season, during all-star games, in scouting combines and for a number of months prior to the juniors declaring.

“Clubs as of late have been focusing on the juniors and as a result have come up with new talent assessments of players such as McCants, Ware and George. Ware’s and George’s stock have been soaring.”

Tony Razzano, the 49ers’ director of college scouting, said he does not expect the club’s relationship with college teams to change as a result of the decision.

“They recognize the situation, the total picture,” Razzano said of the college administrators. “They are professional people at their jobs. They recognize the circumstances. They go through the same things with their recruiting of high school players.”

But a worst-case scenario could lead Osborne and others to make their facilities off limits to those pro teams not willing to adhere to their wishes.

“We feel like we provide a minor-league system at no cost,” Osborne said. “We let them look at our films and tapes, let them watch practice and spend time with our coaches and trainers. And in return, I don’t think we’re getting much back.

“All I’ve asked is that they leave our underclassmen alone until we’ve had a chance to meet with the players and their families and ascertain where they will go in the draft,” added Osborne, who sent letters to each team concerning his desires. “We asked that they not bother players who are very marginal pro prospects. Seven to eight clubs agreed; some have not responded, and some are going to defer to the league office. The commissioner’s office raised some concerns about the letter.”