http://espn.go.com/losangeles/nfl/story/_/id/13821985/myles-jack-ucla-br...
Injured UCLA linebacker Myles Jack has withdrawn from the school and will enter the 2016 NFL draft, coach Jim Mora said Tuesday.
This is interesting not sure I support the kid doing this.
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He's already out for the season with an injury. If he was planning on leaving after this year anyway it makes no sense to stick around
Degree???
If he doesn't value it, guilting him into staying there won't change that. His career path is the NFL, as an adult that's his call to make.
I swear, anytime anyone brings up the degree argument in regards to college football I want to throw a shoe at them. It's selfish fandom.
If you have a good chance at being a 1st or 2nd round pick, you take it. You can always come back for your degree in a few years if you bust and have a multi-million dollar advantage over everyone. Hell if you make it half a season before you get injured and kicked to the curb you still have a huge advantage.
Hell, if you're not a moron with money making a few hundred grand a year as a backup for a few years is a better investment than forgoing it and possibly losing it to injury or lack of hype playing another year.
He's a first round pick after this year, his injury might slip him to 2nd. That's still a ton of money guaranteed for one season. If he flops he can pay for his own tuition to finish his degree.
You must not know the stats on average NFL salaries, average NFL career length and the stats on NFL bankruptcy.
So that applies to everyone that plays in the NFL???
Pretty sure you missed this part
High picks get lots of money. If you're leaving to be a UDA or a very late round pick it's pretty bad idea. Contracts don't dip below $500k a year and $500k signing bonus until the 4th round. That's $1 million guaranteed. Even more if he manages to stay in the league and just flounders around.
This isn't some random barely 1st string or backup player leaving early for the NFL.
You can always go back to school to finish a degree. You only have one very short window to cash in as a pro athlete. I also have a hard time believing these kids are any less likely to go bankrupt just because they graduated with a bachelors. The negative influences and poor decision making that typically lead to pro athletes going bankrupt will still be there a year later.
I'd wager there is no correlation between NFL Player Bankruptcy and if that NFL player left school early. In this situation, bankruptcy is normally the result of an individual spending more money than they have, and not understanding that one day the income can/will stop. If you can't figure this out in 3 years of college, an extra 2 isn't going to help.
Agree in full...if he were my kid I'd say go to NFL young man......u can come back to school later .....with bags of money in hand
As a junior and taking summer classes he may already have one. But one of the positive arguments for leaving college early is that really college is about preparing students to go out and get a job and make money. If you're good enough to go pro and make millions then I'd say an advanced level class unrelated to your profession isn't so important. The last pick in the third round of the 2015 draft signed a $2.9MM contract, almost $600k guaranteed. So even if he slips a little he'll have a good start in life. As long as he doesn't overextend too much he should be ok.
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/draft/
Rehab with the school? Take classes? Support his teamates?
I don't see how this is any different than anyone else leaving the team for personal reasons.
Or train and rehab for the combine. Money. That's all that really matters here.
Not necessarily saying you're wrong, but just offering an opposing view.
He may be able to get better medical attention through other means
All his focus should be going to his career. Bill Gates didn't stick around to take classes. Neither did Jobs, Zuckerberg, Musk, etc. You don't put your career on hold to go to school.
I'm sure he could still attend practices/games (as a viewer) if he really wanted to.
Couple things...
1) Elon Musk has two bachelor's degrees.
2) The aforementioned magnates left school behind to start their own businesses. Not to be somebody else's employee.
Elon did drop out of PHD school at Stanford. But I guess you're right, not a really valid comparison.
Regarding #2, I would say that there are plenty of players that are their own business. Any player that does advertisements, gets endorsements, etc is a business. Jack isn't there yet, but he has the potential to be. No need to wait longer than you have to.
I'm also seeing stuff that he had a talk with his mother and they both agreed this was best for him and family.
Doesn't matter he should get his degree #sarcasm
Interesting that you don't support this since the youngest fuller is likely doing the same thing
I think its funny people have no problem with people leaving early after 3 years, but anything before that is selfish.
He is leaving his teamates in the middle of the season. I'm sure they would appreciate a guy who thinks he is that good to stick around and help the TEAM get better.
How is him rehabbing going to help the team get better? I know guys that have rehabbed at VT. They don't even bother to watch the games
#REALEST. So true!
Its torture. Injured players can't help on field. So they do not bother watching what happens on the field and will review during film time with everyone else.
Injured players don't necessarily spend the same amount of time with the team (like not going to away games). This really isn't that big of a deal.
I think we forget that football players are people too and they're trying to earn a living. If I put in a two weeks notice and have to use a weeks worth of vacation days I'm not sticking around to support my co-workers. I would think Jack has some sort of private rehab and treatment he is going through, and it may even be a part of his insurance policy. We don't know a lot about this situation.
I bet Jack is working with a rehab guy that was hired by his recently hired agent.
Also, Michael Brewer is therefore an exception in this discussion. I knew I liked that guy's moxie.
Brewer isn't out for the season. That's the difference.
Nor is he an NFL prospect
Yes, like I said there are likely stipulations with who Jack works with once he declares.
Another thing to note - we are also assuming that UCLA would close off their facilities as soon as someone declares for the draft. If this were true why do pro-days exist?
VT Snapchat had images of Kendall Fuller on crutches in the Beamer barn with the Dbacks. That's what I like to see, kid who may not be there next semester, has a season ending injury and yet is still out there supporting his TEAMATES. For me it's not different than a brother firefighter injured on the job, even if they go out on disability they are still part of the family, they come by the station they are part of events. They just don't pack up and leave.
Kendall Fuller has yet to declare for anything, for all we know he might be coming back next year.
I've got no problem with what Jack is doing. UCLA doesn't need him on the sideline. They need the next man up ready to play on the field.
Nobody is going to look out for you like you. I fully support anything an "amateur" athlete does that they believe will help their future.
I'm sure the teammates are disappointed and would rather have him around but I bet if you ask them the vast majority would support his decision. Purely my opinion.
Im not agreeing or disagreeing with you.... I want to know what was your opinion on Mark Leal for leaving the team the way he did it???
I notice that you did not get an answer here. I am curious as to his viewpoint on Leal last year, as well.
Not sure who you are addressing. But if it's me, I had an issue with it. The team needed him look at how close Ford was to having to go into the LOLUVA game. While Leal had his degree already I felt he let his teammates and coaches down.
You think he should have put his career on pause for a sport?
He made a commitment and then broke that commitment.
Maybe he came back to school because he couldn't find the right job when he graduated. And when the opportunity arose, he jumped on it.
Edit: There are regular students that end up going to grad school because they can't find a job. Not a big difference other than he was on the football team. Ask Frank if he's happy for Leal, and I bet he says yes.
First of all, maybe a contract, but not a commitment. Second of all, if one of my friends made a commitment to me, but had to back out in order to make a career move, I would encourage them to do so. Obviously there's degrees to that (friend cannot walk out of wedding to take client update call, friend can walk out of my wedding if he needs to meet with Chris Sacca about his start up off the ground), but you're a terrible person if you hold someone back from personal improvement because they 'made a commitment.' Circumstances are always changing, and once in a lifetime opportunities come once in a lifetime. If you have an opportunity to pursue something you're passionate about, you have to go for it.
I know that CPJ isn't well liked around here, but I thought he had a really good response when one of his returning senior linebackers decided to forgo his r-SR year to take a job with Microsoft:
http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/college/techs-albert-rocker-leaves-early-...
Really not trying to sound like an a-hole here though I'm sure it comes across like I do.
Do you truly feel a back-up quarterback should put his dreams on hold when a job opportunity is presented (which I think is why most people go to college) in order to be there for his team if and when he needs to step in and play? Your time is college football is limited and whether you are there or not, the team has to go on and play their best. I don't think any players on that football team had their future careers altered by having Leal leave, whereas, he would've had his altered if he stayed. As fans we always want the best talent available to help our team win, because, we're fans. I try to take a step back and see the bigger picture that someone's future is more important than whether an athletic team they're apart of for four years wins or loses some games.
I think the major part you're missing is that life is bigger than football. Leal already had his degree and had a job opportunity, so he took it. I do not fault a guy who recognizes that he will not be making a living out of football, and pursuing a career. Kudos to him.
As far as Jack, as a 1st or 2nd round prospect, I don't fault him either. He is seizing a job opportunity, one that can make him millions. His teammates that you keep alluding to, recognize this.
Frank Beamer and the coaching staff didn't have an issue with it, but that doesn't hold as much sway as fan opinion I guess.
The comments from Frank, Shane and Whit saying they were "surprised" on a Tuesday by Leal saying he was leaving makes me think that was as harsh as your going to get from this staff.
Just continuing along with the devil's advocate approach, they may have been pleasantly surprised.
I know this isn't a thread about Leal, but it has been drawn out. Why would his situation bother you? The only thing we know about Leal, was that he had a degree, and he was presented with a job opportunity.
Isn't that what college is for?
The difference is that Kendall has not left school. He is still at Virginia Tech. Jack is leaving UCLA.
I heard a rumor (unsubstantiated) that Kendall's parents are insisting he get his degree.
Someone check me here: Did all of his brothers get their degree before they entered the draft? Thanks.
Vinnie and Corey did. Not sure about Kyle, but I believe so. And the Fuller Family is about education. Vinnie studied/studies Law at Fordham, I think. After his pro career.
Kyle got his finance degree the December before the draft.
If he had played all four years and didn't graduate, I'd have to wonder what he was doing.
I can confirm that. I started college at the same time Kyle Fuller did and was watching a friend graduate in December 2013; I heard Kyle get his name called and saw him walk up.
Did he get a standing ovation when they called his name? He should have.
I assume he also jumped the line of graduates in front of him to grab his diploma before it even got into Pres. Steger's hands. You're at Virginia Tech, you can do that!
And when Steger threw his hands up in bewilderment, Kyle high fived him.
Unfortunately, I don't think he did. I guess that day, Kyle was like the rest of us, enjoying his special moment as a graduate with close friends and family.
Given the insurance policies the schools help the athletes acquire, I'm sure he's covered somehow. But, if UCLA has any sort of decent PT program, and I have no reason to think they don't, why not just utilize their facilities. Once he drops out of school, wouldn't this be closed off to him?
I know there's draft money coming in the future, but why spend a big portion of it before even having it in hand. I understand that not all kids are cut out for school. And fewer might be cut out for the school that they are currently attending. (Myles Jack didn't select UCLA because of their scholarly accolades, it just happened to be there... Football first, school second.) But why not hang on 6 more weeks. I mean he doesn't even have to really attend class if there is no plan to finish. The only way this matters is if he plans on coming back to school after the NFL. If so, he wouldn't want the bad grades in this semester to count against him.
I was thinking something similar. Why would you give up the free medical expertise and facilities for rehab?
Exum opted to see an industry leading doctor instead of using our staff; Jack may be in a similar boat. If his agent will pay for his recovery, and he could potentially have access to better doctors, than he really has no choice but to leave.
Yeah, starting to see that...and don't blame him. It seems as if UCLA is either lacking, or he just isn't getting what he feels is the best treatment for him.
My initial thought is that Jack is basically dropping out of school for a job. There are a lot of college dropouts who have left to pursue other interests who have turned out quite alright..
Did those drop outs have free education? Free job training? Free rehab?
Gimme a break. You're acting like the helpless school is being taken advantage of by these kids. These kids are on a year by year scholarship. They don't have any of the power. If they can get cut, why can't they leave?
Outside the SEC I can't recall many players having a scholarship pulled between seasons for purely athletic reasons. In fact "full" scholarships are starting to take hold at many schools. Also my ire at players who do things like this is because of how it hurts them and their teammates. Most NFL careers are short VERY short, add in the fact that few underclass end are drafted every year and who is he harming the most?
I would imagine the kid that gets recruited for a 6 it 7 figure job during his junior year was probably on scholarship at whatever school he goes to. And the job training is kind of both...during school and on the job. Not much different honestly.
I'm sorry a free education is not worth an over 7 figure income loss. Worst case scenario is he busts, unless he's a complete idiot, he gets a few million and then goes back to school and slugs out a $40k+ starting job with something in the bank far ahead of his peers.
If I was a couple years through school and someone offered me even $250k a year for at least one year I'd take it in a heartbeat. Think about what it's like offered literally millions.
His agent is likely paying for his rehab and training. His agent would not be able to pay for this if he was in school. If he wants to see a specific doctor, this may be the reason he is leaving school early.
Since he's left the team and declared for the draft, he can actually profit off his likeness now.
When Aaron Murray tore his ACL in 2013, he did the same thing. The difference, though, is that Murray was a redshirt senior, while Jack is a true junior. He better impress everyone highly.
He can also officially hire an agent and all that comes along with it.
Yep, the good and the bad.
Probably a good time to reminisce...
I noticed he waited until Logan Thomas was on a practice squad to declare. Still scurred.
I was talking to my friend about this earlier today..hes a projected first round pick, I fully support this decision. Rehab, try and get back to full strength and enter the draft.
He could have waited until the end of the season, for X's sake...
It rubs me wrong too. I have no problem with players leaving early, but early should be after the season.
Would he have to pay back this semester's scholarship since he is terminating the agreement? I've wondered this in the past about players that leave the program for whatever reason. I would think that the schools let them off to avoid the bad PR and all, but technically it is a breach of contract. And before people start screaming about the poor pitiful athletes that the school is taking advantage of, the value of the contract is a different issue than discussing if it is a breach or not.
So when a player gets injured during a season he should have to pay the school for the remainder of the semester? How about when a player gets a career ending injury his freshman year and he gets taken off scholarship until he can play again?
It's not a breach of contract. These players are on year to year scholarships. He's out for the season for an injury he suffered during it. He literally cannot play if he wanted to. He could have left if healthy after this season. Why does it matter if he just decided that if he can't play he might as well still leave?
Being injured and still with the program is different than voluntarily leaving the school. What if there is no injury at all and a player just leaves?
What is the difference between saying you're leaving for the Draft before, during, or after the season? You wont be playing there anymore. You're just getting into emotion now.
He could say that he's staying another year and then declare in January. Instead he's just getting it out of the way so everyone can move on right now. Plenty of players declare during the season. I don't see what him being injured and then deciding has to do with anything.
He's not just declaring though. The guy is physically leaving UCLA. No longer a student.
From Choppin's post below, with the Tweet, it seems that he's doing so for medical reasons. I would think that as long as he's associated with the school, they are the ones providing the medical attention. He might be able to go out on his own, but again, would think the school would have to authorize that. If they don't, he would be stuck with the Drs that UCLA has on staff. If they aren't being honest and open with him, he would have to dis-associate himself from UCLA in order to go get a second opinion. And given that a clean bill of health, along with a solid knee are keys to being drafted and getting the payday in the NFL, he's getting his ducks in a row. Sucks that he has to do this (means the medical care he's receiving could be lacking...maybe a one off, may be a theme) but he's looking out for #1.
I'm not emotional at all, just thinking out loud. This situation may be unique anyway. But what about a player that just choses to leave for personal reasons? Leal is a good example, but if I remember correctly, he was specifically granted a release. Maybe schools do for most anything. I just don't know what the precedent is.
The schools make out far better (at least at this level) than the athletes so they'll be ok. A valid question as posed earlier in the thread, what are your thoughts on Leal leaving early? If I remember correctly he left mid-semester. Did he have to pay his tuition back?
I said the inequality of the contract value was a different discussion. I remember being happy for Leal because he got what was reported as a chance of a lifetime and it was time sensitive. I don't see how Jack leaving early helps his NFL future much, but if it does I would change my mind.
Ah I apologize, missed that in your original comment. I agree on Leal. From what I understand Jack is rehabbing with a doctor from the Cardinals who has dealt with other NFL players so I think that's his incentive. Not sure if UCLA docs are no good, or just not as good as this guy, but I'm all for him getting the best care he (or his agent or whomever) can afford to buy.
And that does make a difference in my mind if the treatment is better. I do wonder what these docs and trainers could possibly be doing different. Is rehab really so specialized that only select people can do it the best. I can see how certain surgeons could be better than others, but wouldn't a big time college program have some of the best rehab facilities anyway? Or are we talking super secret overseas treatment like Peyton manning received? All in all, best of luck to the kid and I hope he has a full recovery.
Pure speculation, but my guess is he wanted recovery/training services he could not afford and UCLA could not offer, so an agent agreed to pick up the cost. Myles could not accept this benefit as a student athlete due to NCAA rules, so he chose to no longer be a student athlete.
I dug a little deeper into this and there's some rumblings that the dr's and medical staff are not really being clear with Jack. His injury is being described as a knee injury and that's all which is weird considering it happened awhile ago.
Here's a good article discussing Jack's decision. He says he had his teammates blessing and that he will head to Phoenix to rehab with an Arizona Cardinals therapist. Like I said, this is about him making a decision that's best for his future, even if it involves leaving the school to get better treatment from an NFL doctor. Nothing against UCLA doctors but I'd rather be treated by the same guys that rehabbed Darrelle Revis and Carson Palmer.
Check it out.
I couldn't find his major after a little bit of searching. This is a bummer because I wanted to make a joke about how that final year in Hotel Management and Hospitality would really help him manage his own NFL money. Also, hokiesports.com is so much better than UCLA's site.
I went and checked after you did, and you're right. Most other players had a major listed, but his said "interested in."
He's an adult. He can choose what he wants to do.