The NFL Eligibility Requirements

NFL rule requires a player to either be out of high school for three

years or have finished three college football seasons before joining the

league. (Lupica, M. 2004) The NFL is the only major professional sport

that prohibits the drafting of players who have not completed three college

seasons or who are not three years removed from high school graduation

(Gehring, 2004; Nieporent 2004). The NFL claims that this rule is in the

athlete’s best interest. The NFL argues that this rule protects player’s

physical safety. However, the NFL and the NCAA benefit by capitalizing

on amateur athletes.