An alarmingly high number of college football prospects (38) forfeited their remaining college eligibility for the NFL draft this year, only to go unchosen over three days and 256 picks. In the aftermath, Nick Saban and others are wondering what can be done to curb that number in the future.
Morgan Breslin could be part of the answer.
The former Southern Cal linebacker is well-positioned be the first college player to collect on a loss-of-value insurance policy, according to yahoo.com. Breslin could collect as much as $750,000 to $1 million on a policy he took out in 2012 to protect him in the event that an injury damaged his draft stock. Breslin was a dominant player for the Trojans in 2012, piling up 19.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. Beset by injuries and a hip surgery last season, however, he was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in February and went unchosen in the draft's final rounds on Saturday. He signed an undrafted free agent deal with the San Francisco 49ers.
If Breslin collects and opens the door for more underclassmen to be made whole through insurance in the event of an injury, it could be a factor in encouraging more of them to stay in college rather than declare early draft entry.
The elite prospects who stand to become millionaire first-round picks, of course, wouldn't likely be swayed by such an incentive. But those aren't the kind of players who populate the undrafted 38 underclassmen who never got the call on draft day.
For them, a little peace of mind could make more of a difference.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread.*
