So by now you know that 56 underclassmen have declared their intent to enter the NFL Draft. This is up 3 from last year, when 53 entered the draft. Of course, this does not mean they will be drafted. You always find a few kids who declare and aren't drafted. 'Tis a tragedy every time.
I find this quite surprising, if not stunning. Perhaps they are not doing so well in school, like Jevan Sneed. Perhaps some are leaving town ahead of the possy, like Cam Newton. Perhaps the kids just don't understand the legal and financial ramifications of the current CBA problems. Perhaps they can't define the word "Lockout", or even spell it. Perhaps they don't understand what is meant by the terms "rookie cap" and "rookie scale". Perhaps they will win their life-gamble. Perhaps not. We shall see.
In the best case scenario, the new CBA will be signed and countersigned by all parties shortly before March 8th. End of problems. Now all you youngins can take the wage scale the new CBA will define for you. You won't make out like bandits, but you will make more than you did in school... maybe. We've all heard the Eric Dickerson stories.
In the worst case scenario, you will get locked out for a year, you will get paid nothing, and you will show up for work in 2012. At that point, you will be getting paid the rookie wage scale the new CBA will define for you. Let's hope that won't happen. You'll be hating life if this happens to you. You won't be getting any hundred dollar handshakes either. Let's hope the rookie scale specifies more cash than the hundred dollar handshakes once provided.
In any case, it seems that the 2011 draft has been rescued by the bad judgement of youth. As you know the 2010 Draft was a PH-PHAT draft because it looted the 2011 draft. If we had not had a phat crop of underclassmen this year, it would have been a poor draft indeed. Game on. It looks like we are going to have a decent crop to chose from this 2011 draft.
I'm happy for my team. We have a couple of good looking receivers in the first round that we may want to claim. There will be some in the second round as well.
