Someone needs to give good advice…
As the upcoming NFL draft will happen in April, there are a lot of good and talented players that are available. Many are seniors but it seems more and more underclassmen are declaring for the draft in search of fortune and fame. Many of these players have the physical tools to be an NFL star but not many have the mindset to handle such a large task. There are many questions about the durability of these college stars, the desire and passion to play the game but it seems that now more than ever character has become front and center in the discussion of taking a player in the draft. If we look over the past few years there have been many stars that just could not handle the pressures of the NFL game, many of which did not have the stable foundation to get through the difficult times. It is important for many of these players to have a solid foundation (not just with family but with decisions made while in school) because let’s face it the posse you roll with while a star in college will be the pose you roll with when you make it to the big stage. If you think about it you are not just drafting the young man, you are drafting the family and the friends so it really takes a lot of research.
It seems that over the past couple of years there has been story after story of NFL players involved in drugs, guns, sex, etc… and it has not been a good pattern. As Roger Goddell has really tried to improve the status of the league, it looks as though it is a never ending battle with more and more cases everyday. Remember the old saying “No news is good news” unfortunately for many of these players they cannot stay out of the news. What young players (and even veterans) need to realize is that the decisions they make off the field reflects not only on them, but also on family, friends, the team, the university and the NFL, if you think about it that’s a lot of responsibility. So the question is who is giving these young men advice? Is it family? Friends? Former NFL players? Who? The fact is they need advice from someone who has been there and done that, someone who knows the pitfalls that are there and the ways to avoid them. I know the NFL holds special meetings to help these men cope with the fast pace of the NFL and also how to handle themselves off the field but it would be great to have a mentoring program in place for young players. Honestly, do I think it will all be cleaned up? Not really, but you have to have things in place to help these guys succeed and mentoring would be a step in the right direction.
If you took recently retired players and partnered them with a group of rookies and give them opportunity to ask questions, make phone calls, etc… it could help in the maturing process but it would cost money, money which I think would be well spent. Let’s face it this is the greatest game in America and there are more and more young people getting involved and playing this incredible game, whether NFL players like it or not they are an example but it is up to them whether they are a positive or negative one.
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By Sam Adams
Pro Football Fans Staff Writer