Because some football players can prove they can compete in the NFL after two years.
I really don't like how Jadaveon Clowney's draft stock has been hit because he HAD to play his junior year. He was a draftable - possibly top ten - defensive end about halfway through his freshman year. Now he's being criticized and possibly losing money because he played cautiously and apathetically.
Or how about Marcus Lattimore. He was a 1st round pick after his sophomore year. But he was stuck playing his junior year and then blew out his knee.
Or Reggie Bush. Could have been a 1st round pick after his sophomore year. Instead, he had to play his junior year and ended up receiving extra benefits, which would have just been small gifts in the NFL world, and being ridiculed in the college football history books.
If a guy stars as a freshman and then stars as a sophomore and wants to see if he can be drafted, I say let him.
No. Not that. Baseball doesn't work like that either.
I'm still in favor of the 3 year rule....unless the star player that's ready to come out is on a rival team.
In all srsness, I would like to see 3 years across the board in all 3 major sports. Yes, there are those like the ones you've mentioned that would have benefited from being able to declare early, but they're a handful of exceptions. And if they think it's too big a risk to come back for that 3rd year....don't. Sit out and train, save your body from the rigors of practice and games and get ready for the NFL. I think sports, both college and professional, benefit from a 3 year requirement.
That.
Coming out of high school, you get a choice. Do you think you're hot shit enough that you don't need an education and can go straight to the pros? Or do you want to go the old-fashioned route and use college as a stepping stone to boost your value? Do that then. Completely up to the athlete and completely voluntary.
Now that this Northwestern union bullshit has hit the fan, and people want to equate getting your education and playing football for your university as a student-athlete with indentured servitude and overt exploitation, then this is the only way. You don't like it? Don't go. But if you choose to go, you've got to stick around for at least 3 years before you can move on to the next level.
I will say that the one thing universities can do as a compromise is if they sign them out of high school, they have to honor the full 4 year scholarship, should the athlete choose to stay in school for a full four years. Whether the kid loses both his legs and an arm or whatever. Unless he leaves the team or is dismissed for a legitimate violation of team rules, they should have to honor his full ride til the end.
Any more of the world's problems y'all need the answer to?