Terrelle “Cash for ‘Graphs” Pryor, disgraced Ohio State quarterback and former Jeanette, PA All-State football and basketball star, was declared eligible for the NFL Supplemental Draft, which will be held “soon.” There was however, one proviso. The league decided that Pryor would serve a five-game suspension as soon as he is drafted by some NFL team.
Pryor won’t be able to suit up until the sixth game of the season, assuming that he is drafted, and although he is not completely happy with that situation, both he and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, know that the opportunity of playing in the NFL is worth the wait.
NFL players aren’t very happy about the notion that the league can suspend a player before he is even hired. One player representative stated that this opens up a Pandora’s Box with all kinds of potentially nasty surprises.
Meanwhile, others are concerned that players who screw up in the NCAA will just hop off the train and onto the NFL luxury liner. NFL spokespeople said that it is the league’s hope that this will be deterred by the prospect of similar suspensions.
But with half a year’s rookie salary being more money than these guys have ever seen before (except possibly the Miami Hurricanes), it is likely that they would gladly opt to take the punishment in exchange for a contract and a chance at an NFL career.
The Supplemental Draft will be conducted sometime next week without the rigid structure and hoopla of the regular draft.
