In normal years, the Supplemental draft doesn’t mean much. It is only relevant to players that for some reason was not eligible for the normal draft, but who’s college status has since changed, and usually we are talking about maybe five players or so. The rules are that players who lose eligibility – often for off-the-field stuff – and thus can see their upcoming college season disappear, can file for dispensation to enter the Supplemental draft.
But what happens this year? At the time where players had to submit for the normal draft, no one could know how the Corona-situation would evolve, and now there is a very real possibility that no college season will be played, or at least that it will be shorten. The repercussions could be catastrophic for college players. But if there is no college season, how do you calculate the player’s eligibility? Do you add on a year, which would make many eligible for leaving school (the rule is three years removed from high school), and thus making them available for the Supplemental draft? Or do you keep it at status quo, and thus basically cheat the players, adding one more year of their life before they can enter the draft – and in theory make enough money to support their family and such?
So, what do decision makers and players do? Are we going to see a much larger number of players enter the Supplemental draft this year, and if so, how do teams treat it? Maybe some projected high rounds players? Will some teams get further major upgrades?
The process is kind of like a blind auction. The draft order is the same as in the usual draft, but teams are submitting there bid for any player they want. For example, let us say the Cardinals badly want a player they rank as the best in the pool, so they submit a first round bid. No one else does, and the Cardinals are awarded the player, but then loses the pick in next years’ normal draft. The few teams that bid every year very rarely offers high picks. For example, Jalen Thompson was projected as a second- or third round selection, with a slight chance of going in the first round this year, but the Cards got him for a fifth round pick in the Supplemental draft last year, and then they lost their fifth round selection this year.
Normally it is possible to get major draft steals in the Supplemental draft, but again, what happens this year? There is a very realistic chance that it will be wild.
Throughout the years, eight players have been selected in the first round – but the last one was in 1992.
It is unclear when the Supplemental draft will be held, but it is always at some point in July.
But what happens this year? At the time where players had to submit for the normal draft, no one could know how the Corona-situation would evolve, and now there is a very real possibility that no college season will be played, or at least that it will be shorten. The repercussions could be catastrophic for college players. But if there is no college season, how do you calculate the player’s eligibility? Do you add on a year, which would make many eligible for leaving school (the rule is three years removed from high school), and thus making them available for the Supplemental draft? Or do you keep it at status quo, and thus basically cheat the players, adding one more year of their life before they can enter the draft – and in theory make enough money to support their family and such?
So, what do decision makers and players do? Are we going to see a much larger number of players enter the Supplemental draft this year, and if so, how do teams treat it? Maybe some projected high rounds players? Will some teams get further major upgrades?
The process is kind of like a blind auction. The draft order is the same as in the usual draft, but teams are submitting there bid for any player they want. For example, let us say the Cardinals badly want a player they rank as the best in the pool, so they submit a first round bid. No one else does, and the Cardinals are awarded the player, but then loses the pick in next years’ normal draft. The few teams that bid every year very rarely offers high picks. For example, Jalen Thompson was projected as a second- or third round selection, with a slight chance of going in the first round this year, but the Cards got him for a fifth round pick in the Supplemental draft last year, and then they lost their fifth round selection this year.
Normally it is possible to get major draft steals in the Supplemental draft, but again, what happens this year? There is a very realistic chance that it will be wild.
Throughout the years, eight players have been selected in the first round – but the last one was in 1992.
It is unclear when the Supplemental draft will be held, but it is always at some point in July.
