A notable potential participant in the upcoming NFL supplemental draft is Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor. There is still a looming question though whether or not Pryor will be eligible for the supplemental draft. After years of abusing the system, the NFL is wary of players using the supplemental draft as a way to manipulate their eventual team choice.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello explained in an email to FOXSports.com “[The supplemental draft] is for players whose circumstances have changed in an unforeseen way after the regular (college) draft. It is not a mechanism for simply bypassing the regular (draft).”
Pryor announced his departure from Ohio State shortly after head coach Jim Tressel did the same. Tressel, who was under a self-imposed five game suspension beginning the 2011 season, left under a cloud of NCAA investigations. Pryor was facing the same fate of suspension for selling his Big Ten championship ring and other memorabilia along with four other Buckeyes players.
The question remains as to whether or not the retirement of Tressel qualifies as an unforeseen change in circumstances. Aiello provided examples of unforeseen changes including players who were kicked off their college teams, declared academically ineligible or graduated and then decided to leave school. Of course Pryor’s situation doesn’t fit into these example cases.
With August 17th just over a week away The Sports Xchange originally reported that Pryor is planning to work out for scouts this Friday August 12. They also reported that former Georgia tailback Caleb King, who failed out of school, also has applied for the supplemental draft.
With another candidate, who is clearly eligible, available for the supplemental draft it remains to be seen if Pryor will make it in.
