With the inevitable move to four 16-team conferences, the schools need to finally admit that they are a minor league for the NFL and treat themselves as such. All the money getting flung around to 18-year old high schoolers by a bunch of grayhairs that have money to burn has gotten out of hand. I say that you give the recruit 2 choices: the conference he wants to play in, and the school he would absolutely not want to play for. The 16 schools in the conference would then be set up just like the NFL draft, worst first and best last. Picks could be traded etc. Recruits would finally be paid out in the open. Highest pick would get the most money. I would also do away with the redshirt rule and give players 5 full years of eligibility. Pay could be renegotiated by the conference after 2-3 years. This would keep a recruit from getting paid top dollar if he turns out to be a bust and vice-versa. Transfers would not be granted except under extreme circumstances.<div>
</div><div>An exception could be made for those that absolutely want to go play for a certain school, however, they would only be given a scholarship and could not be paid for the first 3 years. To prevent too many of these players being enticed by outside money to take this route, only 2 to 3 of these exceptions would be made for each team per year. Also, the NFL should chip in the money to help pay for some of the players salaries since colleges are developing players for the league.</div><div>
</div><div>I thought I'd throw this out there on a slow day. You could think this is genius, or that it is the absolutely dumbest idea in the history of man .</div>
</div><div>An exception could be made for those that absolutely want to go play for a certain school, however, they would only be given a scholarship and could not be paid for the first 3 years. To prevent too many of these players being enticed by outside money to take this route, only 2 to 3 of these exceptions would be made for each team per year. Also, the NFL should chip in the money to help pay for some of the players salaries since colleges are developing players for the league.</div><div>
</div><div>I thought I'd throw this out there on a slow day. You could think this is genius, or that it is the absolutely dumbest idea in the history of man .</div>