Every year, thousands of college football players across the United States dream of hearing their name called during the NFL Draft. However, only a small fraction of those players actually get selected by one of the 32 teams in the league. So what happens to the players who don’t get drafted?
For starters, not being selected in the NFL Draft doesn’t necessarily mean the end of a player’s football career. Many players who don’t get drafted are still offered opportunities to try out for teams as undrafted free agents. These players attend rookie mini-camps, where they can showcase their skills and potentially earn a spot on a team’s roster. In fact, some of the NFL’s most successful players, such as Hall of Famers Kurt Warner and Warren Moon, went undrafted but still went on to have legendary careers in the league.
From an undrafted free agent to a 2x Pro Bowler 💯@athielen19's incredible story continues with the @panthers. pic.twitter.com/PBRe7928T9
— NFL (@NFL) March 21, 2023
Ways to make it on to an NFL roster
However, the competition for roster spots is fierce, and only a small percentage of undrafted free agents end up making a team’s roster. For those who don’t make it, the next step is often to sign with a team’s practice squad. Practice squad players train with the team and are eligible to be signed to the active roster during the season, but they don’t get to play in games unless they are elevated to the active roster. Practice squad players earn a minimum of $8,400 per week, which is significantly less than what active roster players make.
For players who don’t make it onto a practice squad or who choose not to pursue a career in professional football, there are still other options. Some players may choose to continue playing football in lower-level professional leagues, such as the Canadian Football League, the resurgent USFL, or Arena Football League. Others may choose to transition to other careers, using the skills and discipline they developed as football players to excel in their chosen field.
As bitter a pill to swallow as it is, the reality is that most college football players will never get the opportunity to play in the NFL. But football, at all levels, is about attitude and character building. Showing what you do when the chips are down is a huge part of life. As the saying goes, it’s not about how you start; it’s about how you finish.
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