After weeks of uncertainty, former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor has been declared eligible by the NFL for the supplemental draft and the league has announced that the draft has now been scheduled for Monday, August 22. The league had previously postponed the August 17 draft without setting a new date.
Pryor has scheduled a pro day workout this Saturday to enable interested teams evaluate him on the field prior to Monday’s draft, his agent stated on ESPN.
The league also ruled that Pryor will not be able to play in the first five games of the 2011 season after he does sign a contract. They explained their decision stating, “Pryor made decisions that undermine the integrity of the eligibility rules for the NFL Draft.
“Those actions included failing to cooperate with the NCAA and hiring an agent in violation of NCAA rules, which resulted in Ohio State declaring him ineligible to continue playing college football.
“Pryor then applied to enter the NFL after the regular draft. Pryor had accepted at the end of the 2010 college football season a suspension for the first five games of the 2011 season for violating NCAA rules. Pryor will be ineligible to practice prior to or play in the first five games of the NFL regular season after he signs.”
Carrying over a college penalty to the NFL is an extremely unusual step, and Howard Griffith of the Big Ten Network said the move set a “dangerous precedent” via Twitter upon the announcement.
For the moment, Pryor is just happy to have the uncertainty behind him and responded this morning via Twitter, “God bless and thanks for support! Time to have a little fun!!”
