There has always been an argument about whether major sports leagues should draft players out of high school. Truthfully, they should be focusing on college and getting a degree before they consider hitting the professional playing field. Should these growing adolescents continue their education and graduate, or should they focus on the field? For young adults, college is an important step into the real world, whereas for student athletes, it should be extra important. According to Cynthia Lalley, "The league (NBA) wants to keep the best players in college for marketing purposes to ensure they receive an education." Although this is true, student-athletes should still attend college due the low chances of genuinely playing professionally …show more content…
As mentioned by Lalley, “NFL’s rule (eligibility restrictions) is primarily about the physical readiness of 18-year-olds.” An athlete’s body needs enough time to reach its maximum potential, this includes the growth of bones and muscles and other bodily functions. Entering professional sports abruptly could put more physical strain on young athletes, which could result in long-lasting health issues. The league (NFL) would prefer players be fully developed, for the reason that they are less likely to be harmed. (Lalley 8) As indicated in the excerpt, the NFL would rather have physically and psychologically mature players to ensure the high demands of professional football. This would be better for both an athlete’s chances and the NFL’s preferences in drafting chances, as well as minimize the risks associated with early entry into the league. While some argue that drafting students due to the seen training benefits (i.e. getting rid of bad habits and training physical skills), it is important to think of potential negative impacts. Although there could be benefits to starting formal training, avoiding college-level play might delay overall development and put additional stress on the