Pryor caught in NCAA/NFL politics

By Joe Ovies
Aug 19, 2011

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Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor is either eligible or ineligible for the NFL supplemental draft. There really shouldn't be any nebulous reasoning applied. The NFL even stated in a memo to teams that Pryor's decisions "undermine the integrity of the eligibility rules for the NFL Draft."

But NFL commissioner Roger Goodell went off script and came up with a 5 game suspension. It created the impression the NFL was upholding Ohio State's 5-game suspension, despite their arguments to the contrary, and possible precedent for future action against players who moved on to the league after their college troubles. Nobody seems to like it.

Had the NFL simply denied Pryor's supplemental draft inclusion, it would have been understandable. The league would prevent a player who was punished, but still eligible to play in the NCAA, from just dropping out and entering the NFL. Pryor's case is not similar to Marvin Austin, Greg Little, Reggie Bush, Michael McAdoo and countless other college players who found themselves in trouble with the NCAA. Unlike Pryor, those players were either found permanently ineligible or simply entered the NFL Draft at the proper time.

Pryor's camp knew this. That's why they have gone out of their way to prove he would have been permanently ineligible by revealing new details of his relationship with mentor Ted Sarniak. Pryor stopped short of calling Paul Finebaum's radio show to announce that it was he was the guy who paid for Cam Newton to play at Auburn. His biggest mistake was not telling former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel to take his 5-game suspension and shove it. Enter the draft, character issues be damned.

That didn't happen and now the NFL has entered into an interesting position. The league says their suspension is not an enforcement of Ohio State's plan to sit Pryor, but they chose curious amount of games. Coincidence? Perhaps not.

According to Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com, the NFL, NFLPA and college football officials are considering working together to discipline players who escaped NCAA punishment. Curiously absent from the discussion is disciplining coaches who do the exact same thing. Pete Carroll is out there coaching without any fear of punishment from the NFL.

Then again, this is typical for Goodell. No consistency. No accountability for coaches and officials.

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RE: Pryor caught in NCAA/NFL politics

At the very least they are suspending him for 5 games. Whoop eeeeeee. I couldn't care less if he ever plays a down in the NFL. The NFL is mainly made up of greed from the owners. And the many undesirables that are playing this great game. It's a great thing to have talent, but it's a sad thing that some can't do much in life without playing. See where most are after the game is over.

RE: Pryor caught in NCAA/NFL politics

I believe this whole situation was the doing of a few owners whispering in Goodell's ear to delay supp draft for a possible prolific player. How could the NFL,in good conscience, delay the draft for a player that blatantly broke NCAA rules and them reward him with a chance to get a payday. From what I understand there was an agreement between Pryor and NCAA that if he played in bowl game he would return and face penalty. Now he has circumvented that, and will have a chance to enter the NFL. The NCAA, NFL, and NFLPA, need to work together to ensure that players who break the rules can not skip there punishment and move to the next level. If not just for the student/athelete to learn you can't break the rule and have options, for the integrity of the game at least. Look at Austin, Little, and Quinn and what they did to Carolina. All three could give a rat's about what they did at Carolina and any detrimental effect their actions had on the football program. They're all getting paid now. 1st and 2nd round draft picks. If the NCAA wants to set a standard and try to deter these few that think they are above all, they should work with NFL and simply state that if you are found guilty of violations you can not move on to the next level. Its not the poor walk-on or number 3 reciever who is accepting these benefits or breaking the rules, but these kids that have a possibility at an NFL career. But its is those walk-ons or 3rd stringers who are there for the student/athelete experience and would like to be part of a winning program that suffer from the fallout. What better deterent than to take that possibility away from them. You think a kid with NFL potential would risk a million dollar payday for a $1500 dollar watch then. Probably so, but more likely not. And shame on you Carolina legacies and Alums for spewing hate towards Davis' firing. If he had know idea what was going on, is that the kind of leader and mentor you want for your children. Clueless Joe Jackson.

RE: Pryor caught in NCAA/NFL politics

^I don't have a problem either, as long as the NCAA recognizes that D-I college football is essentially a professional enterprise and governs it accordingly. But they don't, and that creates problems.
- Posted by Ken D.

I agree with this one 100%.

RE: Pryor caught in NCAA/NFL politics

I get frustrated when I hear people talk about subjects and misinterpret intentions because they don't understand the rules. Since 1993, the supplemental draft is only opened to players who intended to play college football but for various reasons could not.

The reason they allowed Pryor in but suspended him for 5 games was to discourage players from bypassing the regular draft for various reasons (such as not wanting to play for a team that would likely draft them) and making themselves ineligible for college to get in the supplemental draft. Like everything NFL, this is a competition issue, not a punishment issue for Pryor. They are trying to give the next player a reason not to simply hire an agent over the summer, make them self ineligible for college and enter the supplemental draft. They also do not want teams to be able to manipulate the draft. For example, they do not want a player to conspire with a team to stay out of the regular draft so the team could pick them up in the supplemental draft, in essence getting two first round picks.

So while the five games maybe because that is what Pryor received from Ohio State, the NFL is not trying to reinforce the punishment. It is simply a deterrent for future players.

RE: Pryor caught in NCAA/NFL politics

^I don't have a problem either, as long as the NCAA recognizes that D-I college football is essentially a professional enterprise and governs it accordingly. But they don't, and that creates problems.

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