Service Academies Players and the Draft

[Cerebus]

PopularMilitary: Military college athletes not happy with recent decision made by Mattis

Quote

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis signed an order Monday rescinding a 2016 policy allowing military service academy and ROTC athletes to be recruited directly into professional sports, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White announced yesterday.

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Upon graduation and effective with this year’s graduating class, White explained, the newly commissioned officers will serve for their minimum commitment of two years. 

We recruit kids who end up in the service academies on a regular basis.  No doubt most of them are interested in the academies out of a sense of duty and service, and they know the NFL draft is not really a option.  

However this may sway some of them to go the non academy route.  

[97and03]

Sorry kids. That is what commitment means.  But yes, it could make some think twice.

[Caw Caw]

On 5/3/2017 at 3:51 PM, 97and03 said:

Sorry kids. That is what commitment means.  But yes, it could make some think twice.

While I agree with this sentiment, you can bet while the rules allowing them to be drafted were in place the coaches sold kids with it. That means there are kids who went there thinking they had more than one option and now they don't. Everyone going forward will understand, but a couple of years of kids got a raw deal.

[emmitt01]

In today's world, with the uncertainty of things like health insurance and employment, I would JUMP at the chance to come out of college as an officer in the military.  The NFL dream is a longshot for any kid that is deciding between us and a service academy...though I know it's hard to convince an 18 year old of that

[ttunt1970]

Emmitt I was going to say most of the kids being recruited to the academies don't have the measureables usually wanted by the pros

with a few exceptions.

[El Paso Eagle]

 Damn Wren I can't believe you let this happen. Oops , sorry wrong thread