Pryor set to join the NFL

[DJT]

The NFL declared former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor eligible for the supplemental draft Thursday but ruled that he will not be able to play in the first five games of the 2011 season after he signs a contract.

The league announced Pryor was eligible in a memo sent to its 32 teams Thursday. The 2011 supplemental draft will take place Monday, Aug. 22. The draft was to have taken place on Aug. 17 before it was postponed.

The NFL said that Pryor can play in preseason games after he is drafted and signs but he is not eligible to practice with his new team or play in a game until Week 6 of the season. Pryor will be allowed at his new team's training facility for meetings and to work with coaches during the time he is ineligible, however.

"... Pryor made decisions that undermine the integrity of the eligibility rules for the NFL Draft. Those actions included failing to cooperate with the NCAA and hiring an agent in violation of NCAA rules, which resulted in Ohio State declaring him ineligible to continue playing college football.

"Pryor then applied to enter the NFL after the regular draft. Pryor had accepted at the end of the 2010 college football season a suspension for the first five games of the 2011 season for violating NCAA rules. Pryor will be ineligible to practice prior to or play in the first five games of the NFL regular season after he signs."

Pryor's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN's "SportsCenter" on Thursday that his client will hold a pro day workout on Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh and will run the 40-yard dash, do agility drills and throw passes.

Rosenhaus also said that NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith and commissioner Roger Goodell worked together for the arrangement that will allow Pryor into the draft with a five-game suspension.

"The five games we happily agreed to, voluntarily," Rosenhaus said. "The alternative wasn't very attractive. We're grateful for the chance."

Rosenhaus, who called Pryor a "first-round talent", said he wouldn't try to predict when Pryor would be drafted Monday due to the "abbreviated" nature of the NFL's decision just days before the draft. He did say however, that he was confident that Pryor would be selected Monday.

Rosenhaus said Pryor was "elated" when he informed his client of the NFL's decision.

“Personally, I hope this causes everyone to pause and conclude that we must challenge the NCAA on its 'amateurism' rules. Terrelle is going to the NFL because the NCAA mandated that he feed their families, but he could not feed his own.”
-- Attorney David Cornwell
David Cornwell, Pryor's attorney, said he and Pryor were happy with the NFL's decision but said the NCAA must be challenged on its "amateurism" rules.

"Ultimately we are pleased that Terrelle will have the opportunity to fulfill his dream to dream to play in the NFL," Cornwell said. "Personally, I hope this causes everyone to pause and conclude that we must challenge the NCAA on its 'amateurism' rules. Terrelle is going to the NFL because the NCAA mandated that he feed their families, but he could not feed his own."

In order to qualify for the supplemental draft, a player must show that his status has changed -- such as being declared academically ineligible by his school -- after the NFL's regular college draft has been held.

When he announced his departure from Ohio State, Pryor already had been suspended by the school and the NCAA for the first five games of what would have been his senior season this fall for accepting improper benefits, such as cash and discounted tattoos.

QBs in Supplemental Draft
There is good news and bad news for Terrelle Pryor and agent Drew Rosenhaus. A quarterback hasn't been taken in the supplemental draft since 1992 ... but all five QBs selected were taken in the first round.

The scandal led to coach Jim Tressel's forced resignation May 30. Tressel acknowledged knowing his players were taking improper benefits but covered it up for more than nine months before Ohio State officials discovered the violations.

Pryor is Ohio State's all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks, with 2,164 yards. He also threw 57 touchdown passes, tying a school record.

Five other players are eligible to be drafted Monday: former Georgia running back Caleb King, former Northern Illinois safety Tracy Wilson, former Western Carolina cornerback Torez Jones, former Lindenwood University defensive end Keenan Mace, and former North Carolina defensive end Michael McAdoo.

Forty players have been selected in the NFL supplemental draft since its inception in 1977.

Teams submit picks to the league and if their bid is the highest, they receive the player but lose the corresponding draft pick in the following year's regular draft.

Information from ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter and The Associated Press was used in this report.

Wonder who will draft him. I could see the 49ers trying to get him, Colts maybe, Bengals maybe...Bills maybe...

 

[bosoxlover12]

Niners would be the only one to select him, IMO

 

[kam.]

Niners would be the only one to select him, IMO

Why would the Niners? Because they need a QB?

Harbaugh only takes QBs who he likes, and Pryor doesn't fit that type.

 

[elcheato]

Why is he suspended for the first 5 games? Since when do they carry over NCAA suspensions?

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

I can't see the 49ers picking him up.

 

[Hurricane Season]

Why is he suspended for the first 5 games? Since when do they carry over NCAA suspensions?

I think it's a very good idea on the NFL's part. If this is a sign of things to come, this could be very good for the NCAA if the NFL is going to work with them.

Players could always use the NFL as a loophole to get out of any trouble they got into in college.

 

[elcheato]

So why didn't they suspend Pete Carrol? Why don't they suspended every Miami player involved in this current scandal? It's inconsistency in the NFL office... If you're going to suspend him why is he even allowed in the supplemental draft? Just make him enter the regular 2012 draft.

 

[Hurricane Season]

So why didn't they suspend Pete Carrol? Why don't they suspended every Miami player involved in this current scandal? It's inconsistency in the NFL office... If you're going to suspend him why is he even allowed in the supplemental draft? Just make him enter the regular 2012 draft.

Because this is undoubtedly something new... and none of the Miami players are associated with the NFL at all right now, so there's not really anything they can do about that at this point.

 

[Hurricane Season]

And I'm sure Pryor had a choice. He could either enter the supp. draft now and serve a 5 game suspension, or sit out a year and enter the draft next year.

The Supplemental draft has always been a safety blanket for kids that get in trouble in college, or fall behind academically. Holding them accountable will hopefully be good for the college game in the long run.

 

[elcheato]

Because this is undoubtedly something new... and none of the Miami players are associated with the NFL at all right now, so there's not really anything they can do about that at this point.

Okay, but the point is what does his violations at OSU have anything to do with the NFL? It's not like he broke a law here.. He broke NCAA rules, not national laws.. If he got suspended in college for some bar fight and got charged with assault and tried to enter the supp draft, that's different.. He broke an actual law. He violated NCAA rules which have nothing to do with the NFL.

And you didn't answer my question about Pete Carrol. Where was the suspension on that?

 

[Hurricane Season]

Okay, but the point is what does his violations at OSU have anything to do with the NFL? It's not like he broke a law here.. He broke NCAA rules, not national laws.. If he got suspended in college for some bar fight and got charged with assault and tried to enter the supp draft, that's different.. He broke an actual law. He violated NCAA rules which have nothing to do with the NFL.

And you didn't answer my question about Pete Carrol. Where was the suspension on that?

He is using the NFL to escape the trouble he got into in college. It sets a bad precedent to allow players to enter the supp draft without any repercussions. It's not something that needs to be glorified or encouraged.

And I did answer the Pete Carrol question. I said "undoubtedly it's something new." If something like this were to go into affect with the NFL, Carroll probably would have (or should have) seen some form of punishment... but what exactly can they do now?

 

[Hurricane Season]

I don't fully understand why Pryor got suspended for 5 games though. According to Greg Aiello, their suspension has nothing to do with the NCAA's ruling.

He basically said the supp draft is not for players whose college eligibility had been changed/denied.

I had always figured that that is exactly what the supplemental draft is. lol

 

[TTN2810]

From what I gather, the suspension is because he could have entered the real NFL draft, but skipped it, and is now entering the Supp Draft.

I'm not totally sure if he did (my memory is failing me), but if Pryor knew he was suspended in the NCAA prior (pun intended) the draft, he should have entered the NFL Draft. He should have made the decision then. But instead he waited, and now has to enter the Supplemental Draft. So they are punishing him for that.

That's just what I can gather from all the articles I read.

 

[TTN2810]

this explains it lol

“Pryor made decisions that undermined the integrity of our draft eligibility rules,” Aiello told FOXSports.com in an email. “He skipped the regular draft. He then made himself ineligible for college football.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

From what I gather, the suspension is because he could have entered the real NFL draft, but skipped it, and is now entering the Supp Draft.

I'm not totally sure if he did (my memory is failing me), but if Pryor knew he was suspended in the NCAA prior (pun intended) the draft, he should have entered the NFL Draft. He should have made the decision then. But instead he waited, and now has to enter the Supplemental Draft. So they are punishing him for that.

That's just what I can gather from all the articles I read.

That's the way I took it when I first heard of the suspension.

He's not suspended because of whatever he did at Ohio State, he's suspended because he really shouldn't have been eligible for the supplemental draft. So really, the NFL is doing him a favor by allowing him in this year, just making him sit out 5 games in order to be included.

 

[elcheato]

He is using the NFL to escape the trouble he got into in college. It sets a bad precedent to allow players to enter the supp draft without any repercussions. It's not something that needs to be glorified or encouraged.

And I did answer the Pete Carrol question. I said "undoubtedly it's something new." If something like this were to go into affect with the NFL, Carroll probably would have (or should have) seen some form of punishment... but what exactly can they do now?

And Pete Carrol used the NFL to escape trouble in college as well.. It's a double standard. This just happened last year with Pete Carrol, even though he isn't a player, so it's unfair to set a precedent the year after with Pryor..

 

[elcheato]

If he shouldn't be eligible for the supp draft, then why is he? Either let him in the supplemental draft without suspension, or make him wait until the 2012 draft. The suspension is just stupid.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

It makes sense to me.

They let him in the draft, but since his eligibility for the draft was in question, they threw a 5 game suspension on him.

I'm sure he was given the choice of entering the supplemental draft with a 5 game suspension or waiting till next season's draft.

Not like he's gonna play in a teams first five games this season, so does it really matter?

 

[DJT]

Yeah, not a problem. Plus he can fully participate in the pre-season, if a team will actually play him. He's gonna have a lot of catching up to do.