Post by Uncle on Nov 10, 2023 14:05:05 GMT -6
Senior Bowl to welcome NFL draft-eligible juniors to all-star game - link
The headline only says "Senior Bowl", but underclassmen can also play in other College All-Star Games like East/West Shrine game which has grown to be a bit more prominent in recent years.
I can see some pros and cons out of this:
Pros
- More players = more pre-Draft knowledge: if you increase the amount/range of players in these All-Star game events, you have that much more knowledge at your fingertips during the pre-Draft information-gathering process. After the Bowl season has concluded (typically after the National Championship game), underclassmen would only have the Combine and Pro Day workouts to connect with NFL scouts/coaches and draft "experts", but now that they can participate in the All-Star game weeks, NFL teams, experts and ultimately fans will have that much more knowledge of the underclassmen who do participate.
- "Lower-level" All Start Games could see boost: outside of the East/West Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl, the other All-Star games typically don't have much of an audience outside of Draft "geeks" that love to scout late Day 3/UDFA prospects. But with some prominent underclassmen getting invited to the Senior/Shrine games, that could push some very solid late Day 2/early Day 3 prospects into the "lower level" All-Star events which could boost their audience. And if there's one thing about the NFL that we know, they are all about the money and if they can make a bit more of it throughout the entire month of January leading up to the Super Bowl with these College All-Star Game weeks (in addition to the NFL Playoff audiences), they're all for it.
Cons
- Lowering Senior Draft Stock: The biggest con for some Seniors that used the All-Star Games (typically Day 2/Day 3/UDFA Seniors) to showcase themselves and elevate their Draft stock is that there will probably be fewer opportunities for them to do so at the "bigger" showcase weeks like the Senior Bowl. There will be some Seniros who would have been invited to Senior Bowl Week who will now probably only receive invites from "lower lever" All Star games like the Hula, and HBCU Legacy Bowl.
- Loss of History: there is a bit of rich history here when it comes to these All-Star game events being eligible for players who have played at least 4 years of College Football, and opening it up to underclassmen doesn dillute that significance. With NIL money floating around, there is a recent trend of some players staying longer in College and these All-Star Games would have benefited from the increased # of 4-yr players to showcase and this announcement takes that away.
A couple of key dates to keep in mind as we creep closer to pre-Draft season (which I believe starts with the Bowl season):
12/16/2023 - 1/8/2024: 2023 College Football "Bowl" Season
1/9/2024 - 1/13/2024: Hula Bowl Week
1/15/2024: last day for underclassmen to declare eligibility for 2024 NFL Draft
1/27/2024 - 2/1/2024: East / West Shrine Bowl week
1/29/2024 - 2/3/2024: Senior Bowl week
2/11/2024: Super Bowl LVIII
2/24/2024: HBCU Legacy Bowl
2/26/2024 - 3/4/2024: NFL Combine
3/5/2024 - 4/21/2024: Pro Days
4/25/2024 - 4/27/2024: NFL Draft
Beginning in 2024, the Senior Bowl will allow underclassmen who have declared for the NFL Draft to compete in the all-star game.
The news was first reported by the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissaro.
The Senior Bowl as well as the East-West Shrine Game, the Hula Bowl and the HBCU Legacy Bowl will allow juniors and redshirt sophomores, who did not graduate from their respective schools but declared for the draft, to play in the game.
The change will be in place for the 75th Senior Bowl, scheduled for Feb. 3.
That means some of the biggest names in the upcoming draft class, like USC quarterback Caleb Williams, Georgia tight end Brock Bowers and Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. could all play in the game.
The news was first reported by the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissaro.
The Senior Bowl as well as the East-West Shrine Game, the Hula Bowl and the HBCU Legacy Bowl will allow juniors and redshirt sophomores, who did not graduate from their respective schools but declared for the draft, to play in the game.
The change will be in place for the 75th Senior Bowl, scheduled for Feb. 3.
That means some of the biggest names in the upcoming draft class, like USC quarterback Caleb Williams, Georgia tight end Brock Bowers and Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. could all play in the game.
I can see some pros and cons out of this:
Pros
- More players = more pre-Draft knowledge: if you increase the amount/range of players in these All-Star game events, you have that much more knowledge at your fingertips during the pre-Draft information-gathering process. After the Bowl season has concluded (typically after the National Championship game), underclassmen would only have the Combine and Pro Day workouts to connect with NFL scouts/coaches and draft "experts", but now that they can participate in the All-Star game weeks, NFL teams, experts and ultimately fans will have that much more knowledge of the underclassmen who do participate.
- "Lower-level" All Start Games could see boost: outside of the East/West Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl, the other All-Star games typically don't have much of an audience outside of Draft "geeks" that love to scout late Day 3/UDFA prospects. But with some prominent underclassmen getting invited to the Senior/Shrine games, that could push some very solid late Day 2/early Day 3 prospects into the "lower level" All-Star events which could boost their audience. And if there's one thing about the NFL that we know, they are all about the money and if they can make a bit more of it throughout the entire month of January leading up to the Super Bowl with these College All-Star Game weeks (in addition to the NFL Playoff audiences), they're all for it.
Cons
- Lowering Senior Draft Stock: The biggest con for some Seniors that used the All-Star Games (typically Day 2/Day 3/UDFA Seniors) to showcase themselves and elevate their Draft stock is that there will probably be fewer opportunities for them to do so at the "bigger" showcase weeks like the Senior Bowl. There will be some Seniros who would have been invited to Senior Bowl Week who will now probably only receive invites from "lower lever" All Star games like the Hula, and HBCU Legacy Bowl.
- Loss of History: there is a bit of rich history here when it comes to these All-Star game events being eligible for players who have played at least 4 years of College Football, and opening it up to underclassmen doesn dillute that significance. With NIL money floating around, there is a recent trend of some players staying longer in College and these All-Star Games would have benefited from the increased # of 4-yr players to showcase and this announcement takes that away.
A couple of key dates to keep in mind as we creep closer to pre-Draft season (which I believe starts with the Bowl season):
12/16/2023 - 1/8/2024: 2023 College Football "Bowl" Season
1/9/2024 - 1/13/2024: Hula Bowl Week
1/15/2024: last day for underclassmen to declare eligibility for 2024 NFL Draft
1/27/2024 - 2/1/2024: East / West Shrine Bowl week
1/29/2024 - 2/3/2024: Senior Bowl week
2/11/2024: Super Bowl LVIII
2/24/2024: HBCU Legacy Bowl
2/26/2024 - 3/4/2024: NFL Combine
3/5/2024 - 4/21/2024: Pro Days
4/25/2024 - 4/27/2024: NFL Draft
... and neither is this Chris guy.