Count LSU coach Les Miles among those that would like to see the NFL give college underclassmen more time to decide whether to apply for early draft eligibility.
Miles believes the mid-January deadline doesn't allow enough time for players to make their decisions.
"What you would like to do is have time with each player, be able to describe his situation," Miles said, according to the Dothan Eagle. "And if you have 10 guys -- oh my gosh, in the middle of bowl practice -- it's impossible. So back (the deadline) up. Why make (the decision) in a hurry?"
Miles is not alone. Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said in January, prior to playing Oregon for the national championship just three days before this year's underclassmen deadline, that he would like to see the deadline pushed back as well. No underclassmen from Meyer's national championship team applied for early eligibility in 2015.
As it is, the deadline is about five weeks prior to the start of the NFL Scouting Combine.
Miles also said he is in agreement with Alabama coach Nick Saban's suggestion that the NFL Draft Advisory Board not return draft status feedback to underclassmen until after the bowl season. Saban said at SEC Media Days last week that his 2014 underclassmen received feedback around Christmas time, prior to a playoff game against Ohio State, and that the feedback affected the team's preparation for the game.
If the NFL were to take up Saban's suggestion and withhold draft feedback until after all college competition is complete, it could follow with action on Miles' suggestion, as well. Otherwise, the window between players receiving feedback and the deadline to declare would be smaller than ever. However, this isn't an issue for many of college football's elite underclassmen. For those players, the decision to turn pro is often made weeks before the deadline.
For the prospects with less certainty about their draft status, the issues forwarded by Miles and Saban are highly important.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
