My friend and I were discussing the NFL Draft recently and I was surprised to hear people say that it’s possible to decline it. Having seen how invested so many players get in the Draft, I couldn’t believe it was something that could be turned down. So, I wanted to do a deep dive into the subject and see if it was actually true.
I looked online and the first thing I found was a 2016 article from the New York Post about a quarterback from Texas who’d chosen to not enter the NFL. The article reported that, for him, it was competent not just a business decision, but a personal one too. He was using the time it would have taken to be in the NFL to pursue a Master’s in education. It takes guts to step away from the glamour and promise of the NFL and make decisions that are different and true to your convictions.
I thought about my own decisions and whether I would have the same courage to turn away from a lucrative and life-changing opportunity if it came my way. Then I thought about the other players who have chosen the same path. One of the most iconic was Drew Henson, who was drafted in the NFL in 2004 but instead went on to play professional baseball with the Yankees. He had already been drafted into Major League Baseball and decided to take the chance then. It says something about the courage he had to make a hard decision and then follow through on it.
I also did a bit further research and found some interesting perspectives on what factors can play a role in why some people elect not to enter the NFL draft. Many believe that the money isn’t worth the long-term effects on the body and the mind. And, many players also want to take the time to pursue their education and have some stability in the future if the NFL career doesn’t pan out.
All in all, there are certainly a number of valid reasons why someone would choose to decline the NFL Draft. It’s a courageous decision and I get why some players may take it, but I’m still in awe of the magnitude of what it takes to step away from a chance at the NFL life.
To continue my research, I wanted to look into the impact of this decision on a players career. There is a variety of opinion on this subject. Some say that there is no real negative effect, while others point out that when a player turns down the Draft they potentially are never offered that life-changing contract again. For some, the lost money and missed opportunity is a hard pill to swallow.
There’s also a conversation to be had about the level of commitment the player must have in order to turn down the Draft. It takes a strategic viewpoint to assess the situation and trust that the alternative will be better in the long run. That means considering factors such as: the timing of the turning down of the Draft, the financial risks of the alternative, the level of personal sacrifice, and other similar issues.
What I’ve found is that every player’s decision is unique. People come to the decision for various reasons. While I might get caught by the excitement and hype of the NFL like so many players before me, I’m not sure I’d be able to turn down the Draft if it came my way. Would you be able to?
Finally, I was interested to find out how different teams and organizations viewed the players that turned down the draft. It was quite a surprise to learn that teams may be more understanding of the player’s decision than initially assumed. The fact of the matter is that no team can force a player to accept a contract offer and the player is in full right to choose one opportunity over another. Therefore, teams may actually show respect and admiration for the player sticking to their convictions despite a potentially life-changing offer.
The next part of my research was to find out how often this has been done throughout NFL history. To gather accurate data, I dug through years of records and past draft prospects for any clear cases of players declining the NFL draft. I was surprised to find out that the vast majority of players in the NFL draft ultimately agree to the offer given to them and therefore my findings on players declining the draft were quite scarce. This further hightlighted the rarity of this situation and how truly brave a decision it can be.
Given the risks and rewards, it’s a tough spot for players to be in. On the one hand, you’re offered a life-changing opportunity. On the other, you may never be offered a similar one again. It’s a very personal decision and one that requires a lot of thought and dedication – both of which I am in awe of. It’s a courageous decision that some players make and one that I am beginning to understand.