by Ashley Raybourn

Created on: January 21, 2009

Every January we go through the same merry-go-round. College players have until the 15th to decide whether or not they will forego another season and take a crack at the NFL draft in April, or return for another year. Naturally, this is a decision not to be entered into lightly, for it has life changing capabilities.

The most common case for exiting college early is injury. Exposing yourself to another season that could potentially end in a season ending surgery would be detrimental to a future career in the NFL. Injuries that leave a player out for a significant amount of time can drastically reduce the draft value of a player, in turn affecting the amount of money a person can make.

Additionally, there is a certain buzz and excitement that comes when a player commits to making the jump. Coaches take notice, maybe pay a little more attention to the player at first, and evaluate him more closely at the combine in February. However, the most surprising movers receive more media attention and possibly hype, resulting in high expectations and pressure, sometimes leading to disappointment, especially to fans that don't get that close look that scouts and coaches do. In the long run, failing somebody can take the hardest toll. We all know how relentless fans can be and how it can affect the psyche of a player.

A lot of coaches would agree that an extra year in school is good for the character. With somany players getting into trouble off the field, leading to consequences handed down by the team or league, coaches are looking more inside the player than ever before. Younger players are thrown into an extremely grown up world and, although the NFL does a lot for rookies to try and prepare them, there is no substitute for life experience. An extra year of growth can be enough to raise a player from questionable to a bright prospect. In fact, so important is life experience, that the NFL is the only major sports league to have a rule stipulating that a player be three years removed from high school before being eligible for the draft.

An intelligent player who receives good advice will humble himself and step back to evaluate the other players in his field position that are eligible for the draft in the current year and the next year. It may be hard to swallow, but one year there might be a few other players who are better at what they do, while next year the player will be the top of the class. This is the part of the decision making process that is likened to chess. Anticipate another player's move and plan accordingly.

Coming out of college early to enter the NFL is high risk/high reward. Sometimes it does wonderful things for a prospect, while others come in too soon and fail, or take longer than expected to develop. It is very important for each player to evaluate his individual situation closely and maybe do a little soul searching to find the right answer. Once the decision is made and the agent is hired, there is no turning back because further college eligibility is forfeited. The player's life is forever changed.

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