I wanted to run a scenario by the board and better understand what might happen with the supplemental draft this year. I imagine this scenario: The pandemic continues to prevent sporting events through the summer/early fall and the college season is canceled, while the NFL plays a shortened regular season (October-December). Faced with no college games to play, how many college players might declare for the supplemental draft, which takes place in July usually? Would the NFL force them to wait till the 2021 draft? Or could a player like Lawrence be drafted but have to wait till 2021 to play? Could the Bengals trade away their top position in the supplemental draft? Or would they trade Burrow away and take Lawrence if he could declare? No point in staying in college if there won't be a season, right? How would knowing a crazy supplemental draft could happen this year change what a team does later this month? Or should it?
All good questions! I researched the other day that any player can declare for the draft at any time...or back out of the draft at any time to declare for being college eligible. The same goes for an undrafted player- he can talk to teams, see what's out there, and then declare college eligible if he doesn't generate any interest. They changed that rule only a few years ago. Lawrence is interesting- he's likely Cinci's or Miami's top choice if available. And the NCAA still hasn't said how they're going to take care of seniors....as of today, they would lose the year's eligibility and then graduate, meaning they'd enter the 2021 draft on 2019 film. That's a HUGE disadvantage alone plus they wouldn't practice with a team for the year, so it would make more sense for them just to declare now. The NCAA will probably take care of them and give another year of eligibility, BUT it probably won't be until well after the draft and some of these kids probably won't wait it out.
