Eric DeCosta: NIL and NCAA rule changes mean more draftable players staying in school

A few years ago, when a college football player was good enough to be drafted, it was a safe bet that he would enter the draft to stop playing for free and get paid. But the times have changed.

College football players can now make money from endorsements – using their names, images and likenesses to earn money under new NIL rules – and that means a player who might just be a draft pick by day 3 might think it's safer to stay in school another year if he already knows he won't be guaranteed any money in college.

And this year, college football players had another reason to stay in school instead of entering the draft: The NCAA did not count the 2020 football season toward a player's eligibility, allowing players who were freshmen in 2020 and seniors in 2023 , had another year of eligibility in 2024. Many of these players chose to stay in school for another year of college football in the fall.

Combine those two factors, says Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta, and there simply isn't as much talent in this year's draft as NFL teams are used to. DeCosta said when the Ravens evaluated this year's class, they found that fewer players were good enough to be drafted than in most years.

“Because of COVID partly and NIL, This whole design landscape has changedDeCosta said. “There are fewer players in the draft this year. There are fewer draftable players, fewer underclassmen.”

The Ravens have two seventh-round picks, but are unsure if players worth drafting will be available in the seventh round. That's why DeCosta pointed out that signing the two seventh-rounders to move up could be an option.

“We've talked about the idea of ​​getting into the later rounds of the draft and, if there's no one there that you covet, potentially trading that pick for a better pick,” DeCosta said.

NIL has fundamentally changed college football, but we shouldn't overlook the impact it has had on the NFL. A college football player who in the past would have jumped at the chance to be a late-round draft pick now has another option.