At a time when the NFL has decided to showcase the selection of colleges by one and maybe two (and maybe more) high school players, it’s fair to wonder whether the league plans to do more than dip a toe into this pool -- and what the proprietors of college football will think about it.
As mentioned earlier in the day, it actually helps college football if the NFL rattles the stick to which the carrot of a career in pro football is attached before the player’s collegiate career commences. Paying attention to college football becomes more awkward for the league, however, once it can be construed as enticing players to leave college prematurely.
An industry source has pointed out that, a decade ago, NFL Network launched a show called College Football Now. It became the first step in an effort to have significant coverage of college football on NFLN. It also become the last.
Per the source, the powers that be on Park Avenue became very skittish about the potential connection between the coverage of college football and the decisions of underclassmen to leave school with remaining eligibility. Eventually, the league pulled the plug on College Football Now and abandoned its plan to expand its coverage of college football.
Ultimately, the NFL didn’t want to create the impression that it was encouraging or glorifying early departures from college. It’s possible that the league’s position has recently changed. It’s far more likely that they’ve finally found a win-win way to support college football without flashing the cash directly in the faces of guys who are wrestling with a stay-or-go decision.
