And now the law of unintended consequences has struck, much to their dismay.  (h/t Mandel)

That leads players—and the agents and buddies whispering into their ears—to the following thought: Get into the NFL as soon as possible to get that free agency clock started and get to that big money.

The result is that you’re getting more and more players leaving school early, many of whom aren’t ready. “The college programs are having a big problem,” said one prominent NFC general manager who spends a lot of time on the road scouting. “That means the NFL has a big problem. I can only speak for me, but I want guys who have skins on the wall. A lot of these guys don’t have them, and you’re having to project even more.”

Quick – to the waaambulance!

There’s a suggestion that more education about life in the NFL is on its way to college players, but that ain’t gonna fly because who wants to knock the very thing that tempts so much talent into playing college ball in the first place?

Nah, my money’s on a more elegant, yet simple solution – the end of underclassmen being eligible for the NFL draft.  Blame it on Obama and concussions, or something.  Do it for the kids is always a popular working thesis. Pay no attention to that bank account behind the curtain.