IOWA CITY, Iowa — Days before the Iowa State football team flies to Orlando for the Jan. 1 Citrus Bowl, a group of defense players gathers at Pullman's Bar & Diner, just a block north of the famous Pedestrian Mall. Ta.
Although the dinner was “unorganized,” as linebacker Nick Jackson recalls, the conversation quickly focused on the future, both individually and collectively. Defensive back Cooper DeJean, safety Sebastian Castro and linebacker Jay Higgins all earned first-team All-America honors. Cornerback Jamari Harris and defensive tackle Yahya Black were notable players with NFL potential. Jackson recorded 110 tackles after transferring from Virginia. Free safety Quinn Schulte (defense glue) had applied to dental school. Linebacker Kyler Fisher was the subpackage's key performer.
Castro, Higgins, Harris, Fisher and Schulte all had the option to play an additional year in college due to the NCAA's pandemic exemption. Jackson applied for a waiver after three of his Virginia teammates were killed in an on-campus shooting, which ended the 2022 season two games early. Black and Dejean were given traditional senior years.
Many of the key pieces of the University of Iowa's 2023 defense will return in 2024. That staying power could become a trend across college football. (Jeffrey Becker/USA Today)
“In moments like that, we may only have a week left of each other,” Jackson said. “And when you think about it that way, you think, 'Oh, but maybe we can spend another year together.'” I think there are many men who feel that way.
“In the end, I think everyone came back except for the first round.”
That December dinner in downtown Iowa City presented the intersection of the NFL and college football worlds in a way previously unrecognizable. Although DeJean, a likely first-round pick, opted for the NFL, he is one of only 58 underclassmen in college football to declare for the draft, the lowest number since 2010 and three years ago. This is a decrease from 130 people.
Helped, but not solely, by the ability of college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness, other Iowa State players have chosen to return for another season. Years ago, Castro, Higgins, Black, and perhaps Jackson and Harris would have earned invitations to the NFL Scouting Combine and spent the offseason training for the draft. In its place, the guts of Iowa's elite defense will return largely intact.
The organization's decision represents a microcosm of how the NIL has helped college football teams compete for NFL opportunities. Players can return to school as starters, continue their development, and get paid more from the NIL without risking their football futures as late picks or undrafted free agents. This option also affects NFL teams.
With early entry at a 14-year low and many traditional draft picks remaining in school, there is concern that the later rounds of the draft won't be as deep as in previous years, Denver's general manager said. Manager George Paton acknowledged it at the NFL Combine. The changing landscape is forcing general managers to adjust their draft strategies this offseason.
“I'm not going to say I was scared about it, but I had the idea that it might happen someday, the numbers might go down,” Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes said. ” he said. “I wouldn't be surprised if that number drops even further next year. Obviously, underclassmen have traditionally been the focus of the first two rounds of the draft, so we'll see how that changes at the very end. .”
even deeper
Has the NIL made college football's 85-man scholarship limit obsolete?
NIL has brought some options back to players. Previously, prospects at the last minute of the draft would leave the team and receive small signing bonuses as late picks or undrafted free agents. According to sports financial database Spotrac, the top seventh-round pick in this year's draft will receive a $118,000 bonus. Many starters at Power 5 football programs are thought to make more than that, and his NIL numbers for a college quarterback are significantly higher.
“Nationwide, we believe the NIL is having a significant impact on the decision-making process of players late in the round,” Jackson said. “I think it's like from the quarterback to the receivers to the running backs because they have the most name, image and visibility compared to the defensive players.” That's just how we live. It is a market where ”
Brad Heinrichs, CEO of Iowa State's Swarm Collective, said more players are choosing to stay in college, especially “mid- to late-round draft picks.” said.
“The NFL practice squad salary is about $200,000 a year,” Heinrichs said. “If kids can get somewhere in that ballpark by staying in school, if they're expected to get late picks, that makes a lot of sense for them. NIL. The money is guaranteed. In the NFL, you can get cut at any time.”
Jackson, who received an NCAA waiver to play in 2024, said his initial draft grade was between the fifth and seventh rounds or as a preferred free agent. He was adamant about returning to Iowa because of the connections he had with his teammates and the opportunity to grow under assistant head coach and linebackers coach Seth Wallace.
JT Tuimoloau was one of Ohio State's top prospects in the NFL draft, but he chose to return to Columbus. (Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA Today)
Heinrichs said the program's focus on culture and development is a bigger selling point than the money.
“Iowa's family atmosphere is different than the NFL, and our coaches are teachers at heart,” Heinrichs said. “In the NFL, coaches expect results and are not there to tell players how to play their positions.”
Ohio State also has several top-round draft prospects back for another year, but the situation isn't universal. A few players who had a choice still chose the professional path. Illinois wide receiver Isaiah Williams debated whether to return to college for another season due to his NIL, but his NFL aspirations won out.
“A lot of people say, 'Don't make decisions based on the NIL,' and that's the reality,” said Williams, an All-Big Ten first-team receiver. “This is something I've thought about seriously. At the end of the day, money is guaranteed, but this is not.
“The biggest thing for me was, 'Am I ready to jump?'” For as long as I can remember, my dream has been to play in the NFL. I feel like I'm ready to compete against the best teams from around the country. All answers were yes. So it's not about money at this point. Follow your dreams. ”
Nearly all COVID-19-related eligibility waivers will expire after this season, meaning prospects like Higgins and Castro will be returned to NFL draft boards on a traditional schedule. But for those who stay in school a little longer because of the NIL, it's not a bad situation for the NFL long-term.
“I always think the more experience a player can get to play in college, the better he'll be,” Indianapolis Colts GM Chris Ballard said. “They're coming in more prepared. That's not the world we live in – younger players are coming in – and just dealing with it anyway, a plan to deal with it in any case. must be established.”
Editor's note: This is part of a series of stories examining the transfer portal, the NIL, and its impact on college sports. The spring football transfer portal window will be open from April 16th to April 30th. Read all Transfer Portal stories here.
(Top photo: Kirby Lee/USA Today)
