Should He Stay or Should He Go? College Players Leaving for NFL

With the NFL Draft fast approaching, I thought I'd weigh in with my opinion about college players leaving early for the NFL.

I don't like it.

It's one thing with LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell or USC wideout Dwayne Jarrett, who are physically ready to compete in the NFL. But something doesn't feel right when talented but premature prospects like Ohio State's Antonio Pittman, Anthony Gonzalez, and even Ted Ginn Jr. bolt for the pros. They've excelled in the college game, but their lack of NFL size and strength makes me think they'll have little success playing with the big boys on Sundays.

Maybe it's just me, but these days it seems like every junior (or sophomore, in South Carolina receiver Sidney Rice's case) forgoes his senior year and heads for the NFL, despite the fact that they didn't accomplish their goals on the field or in the classroom (if applicable). This is especially true of guys like Ben Roethlisberger or former Cal QB Aaron Rodgers, who emerged during their junior years and could've led their teams with memorable senior campaigns. Obviously, Roethlisberger was ready for the pros, but Rodgers has shown little promise as a backup to Brett Favre in Green Bay. This season, Hawaii QB Colt Brennan, who recently set the NCAA record for touchdown passes in a season, may be 2005's version of Aaron Rodgers if he doesn't withdraw his draft papers. Brennan is a skilled but undersized quarterback in a commensurate conference and a pass-happy offense that will naturally inflate his statistics.

I understand the temptation the NFL poses in luring college players to its league, particularly for those whose families are underprivileged. I'm more sympathetic to this circumstance, but what I don't really buy is the injury argument. If a player stays for his senior year, the argument goes, he can get injured and perhaps passed on by the NFL. But the opposite is almost as true-if a player goes to the NFL prematurely and gets injured too soon, his career could be over or hamstrung before it's even begun. The point is that any player can get injured at any time in college or the NFL. This truth reduces the injury argument to the specious, hindsight level.

I think the mass exodus to the pros bothers me because I'm a completist by nature; I don't like things that are undone. And while I don't have any say in these players' decisions, the fact that they're leaving early without completing their athletic and academic careers is a little unsettling to me. But what's also disturbing is that schools give their athletes the right to leave for the pros without finishing their education. Not that schools should hold their student-athletes captive, but think about how disproportionately college athletics are recognized over academics. You'd think that given America's obsession for college sports, the schools would require student-athletes to obtain their degrees in exchange for the free ride they're given. It's something that will never happen, but I like the thought of having that balance.

Coming back as a senior is also about just being a kid and enjoying your last year of college. In 2005, after winning the national championship, USC quarterback Matt Leinart shocked the sports world when he announced he was returning for his fifth and final year at USC. No one could fathom why a sure first rounder would forgo millions of dollars to hang around and play college ball for another year. Being the star of his school in southern California, I'm sure Leinart was in a better situation than most returning seniors, but his decision to stay-a growing oddity-cannot be celebrated enough.

"This is the greatest time of my life, being in L.A. I'm close to home," Leinart said. "I realized the opportunity right now to support my family by going to the NFL early, but to me I think college football and this whole atmosphere here and being with my friends and my teammates...is ultimately more satisfying and will make me happier than any amount of money could make someone happy."

Did you hear that? Another confirmation that money can't buy happiness.

Two years later, Leinart's words are still refreshing to read. And in 2007, Louisville QB Brian Brohm is this year's Matt Leinart.

"It was always my dream to play at the University of Louisville, and I am not ready to let that dream end," he stated. "The NFL is always going to be there... You never get your senior year back. I wanted to come back and finish what I started."

Let the fun and games continue.