2011 NFL draft could be pointless for prospects in a lockout
A record number of underclassmen signed up for the 2011 National Football League (NFL) draft despite uncertainty over the labour dispute. Any player who signs up for the draft surrenders his college football career, but that hasn't deterred players from
taking the chance.
For rookies, the labour strife could be particularly damaging. One of the issues in the ongoing labour negotiations is rookie wage scale. If that is implemented, the 2011 draft class could be left with much smaller contracts than their predecessors were
given; that is if there is a 2011 season in the first place.
While the NFL scouting combine goes on, most prospects just want to focus on football. However, with the deadline for labour negotiations just a few days away, there is no way to keep the two things apart. Things are a bit more complicated than they used
to be for the prospects.
Over 300 prospects from all over the country have converged on Indianapolis Colts’ Lucas Oil Stadium for the scouting combine and they are busy doing more than just the drills. Meetings over the weekend have focused on the lockout as much as they have on
football and the prospects are stuck in the middle of it all.
A lockout will mean the end of free agency, trades or any other kind of roster shake up. Teams will not be allowed to sign or cut players but the draft will go on as scheduled. Teams will have the right to interview prospects and take their picks, come April.
They will however, be prohibited from signing those draft picks until there is a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
The draft picks won’t be allowed to take part in minicamps, or workouts. They can’t be coached or taught a team’s defensive or offensive schemes. In short they will not be allowed to prepare for the 2011 season until a new labour deal is signed and the prospects
officially become part of a team.
It all depends on when and if the CBA is signed. At this point the idea that the NFL and the Players Association (NFLPA) could get a deal done before the current one expires appears to be nothing more than wishful thinking. However, if the CBA is signed
in time, the 2011 season could go ahead as scheduled.
On the other hand, if the CBA comes late or if a game or two is cancelled because of the labour dispute, then the draft class will be in serious trouble. Without having taken part in offseason preparations, a rookie - no matter how good - has little chance
of fitting in with the team. In that case, this year’s draft picks will hardly get any time on the field, and will end up competing with next year’s draft picks for positions.
Even with time to learn a team’s playbook and after attending minicamp, rookies often find it extremely difficult to make it in the NFL. Without those things, learning professional football will almost be miraculous.
Football isn’t like learning how to ride a bicycle. If you stop playing for a year, it becomes a much greater challenge to perform at your best when you get back into the game. In the event of an extended lockout, this year’s rookies will hardly ever get
off the bench. In 2012, they might not have what it takes to make it in the NFL, and the whole 2011 draft class might be lost to the lockout.
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