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Pryor OK for NFL, must sit til Week 6
The NFL declared former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor eligible for the supplemental draft Thursday but ruled that he will not be able to play in the first five games of the 2011 season after he signs a contract.
The league announced Pryor was eligible in a memo sent to its 32 teams Thursday. The 2011 supplemental draft will take place Monday, Aug. 22. The draft was to have taken place on Aug. 17 before it was postponed.
The NFL said that Pryor can play in preseason games after he is drafted and signs but he is not eligible to practice with his new team or play in a game until Week 6 of the season. Pryor will be allowed at his new team's training facility for meetings and to work with coaches during the time he is ineligible, however.
"... 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."
Pryor's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN's "SportsCenter" on Thursday that his client will hold a pro day workout on Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh and will run the 40-yard dash, do agility drills and throw passes.
Rosenhaus also said that NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith and commissioner Roger Goodell worked together for the arrangement that will allow Pryor into the draft with a five-game suspension.
"The five games we happily agreed to, voluntarily," Rosenhaus said. "The alternative wasn't very attractive. We're grateful for the chance."
Rosenhaus, who called Pryor a "first-round talent", said he wouldn't try to predict when Pryor would be drafted Monday due to the "abbreviated" nature of the NFL's decision just days before the draft. He did say however, that he was confident that Pryor would be selected Monday.
Rosenhaus said Pryor was "elated" when he informed his client of the NFL's decision. Pryor tweeted Thursday morning: "God bless and thanks for support! Time to have a little fun!!"
David Cornwell, Pryor's attorney, said he and Pryor were happy with the NFL's decision but said the NCAA must be challenged on its "amateurism" rules.
"Ultimately we are pleased that Terrelle will have the opportunity to fulfill his dream to dream to play in the NFL," Cornwell said. "Personally, I hope this causes everyone to pause and conclude that we must challenge the NCAA on its 'amateurism' rules. Terrelle is going to the NFL because the NCAA mandated that he feed their families, but he could not feed his own."
In order to qualify for the supplemental draft, a player must show that his status has changed -- such as being declared academically ineligible by his school -- after the NFL's regular college draft has been held.
When he announced his departure from Ohio State, Pryor already had been suspended by the school and the NCAA for the first five games of what would have been his senior season this fall for accepting improper benefits, such as cash and discounted tattoos.
The scandal led to coach Jim Tressel's forced resignation May 30. Tressel acknowledged knowing his players were taking improper benefits but covered it up for more than nine months before Ohio State officials discovered the violations.
Pryor is Ohio State's all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks, with 2,164 yards. He also threw 57 touchdown passes, tying a school record.
Five other players are eligible to be drafted Monday: former Georgia running back Caleb King, former Northern Illinois safety Tracy Wilson, former Western Carolina cornerback Torez Jones, former Lindenwood University defensive end Keenan Mace, and former North Carolina defensive end Michael McAdoo.
Forty players have been selected in the NFL supplemental draft since its inception in 1977.
Teams submit picks to the league and if their bid is the highest, they receive the player but lose the corresponding draft pick in the following year's regular draft.
Source: AP
The league announced Pryor was eligible in a memo sent to its 32 teams Thursday. The 2011 supplemental draft will take place Monday, Aug. 22. The draft was to have taken place on Aug. 17 before it was postponed.
The NFL said that Pryor can play in preseason games after he is drafted and signs but he is not eligible to practice with his new team or play in a game until Week 6 of the season. Pryor will be allowed at his new team's training facility for meetings and to work with coaches during the time he is ineligible, however.
"... 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."
Pryor's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN's "SportsCenter" on Thursday that his client will hold a pro day workout on Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh and will run the 40-yard dash, do agility drills and throw passes.
Rosenhaus also said that NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith and commissioner Roger Goodell worked together for the arrangement that will allow Pryor into the draft with a five-game suspension.
"The five games we happily agreed to, voluntarily," Rosenhaus said. "The alternative wasn't very attractive. We're grateful for the chance."
Rosenhaus, who called Pryor a "first-round talent", said he wouldn't try to predict when Pryor would be drafted Monday due to the "abbreviated" nature of the NFL's decision just days before the draft. He did say however, that he was confident that Pryor would be selected Monday.
Rosenhaus said Pryor was "elated" when he informed his client of the NFL's decision. Pryor tweeted Thursday morning: "God bless and thanks for support! Time to have a little fun!!"
David Cornwell, Pryor's attorney, said he and Pryor were happy with the NFL's decision but said the NCAA must be challenged on its "amateurism" rules.
"Ultimately we are pleased that Terrelle will have the opportunity to fulfill his dream to dream to play in the NFL," Cornwell said. "Personally, I hope this causes everyone to pause and conclude that we must challenge the NCAA on its 'amateurism' rules. Terrelle is going to the NFL because the NCAA mandated that he feed their families, but he could not feed his own."
In order to qualify for the supplemental draft, a player must show that his status has changed -- such as being declared academically ineligible by his school -- after the NFL's regular college draft has been held.
When he announced his departure from Ohio State, Pryor already had been suspended by the school and the NCAA for the first five games of what would have been his senior season this fall for accepting improper benefits, such as cash and discounted tattoos.
The scandal led to coach Jim Tressel's forced resignation May 30. Tressel acknowledged knowing his players were taking improper benefits but covered it up for more than nine months before Ohio State officials discovered the violations.
Pryor is Ohio State's all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks, with 2,164 yards. He also threw 57 touchdown passes, tying a school record.
Five other players are eligible to be drafted Monday: former Georgia running back Caleb King, former Northern Illinois safety Tracy Wilson, former Western Carolina cornerback Torez Jones, former Lindenwood University defensive end Keenan Mace, and former North Carolina defensive end Michael McAdoo.
Forty players have been selected in the NFL supplemental draft since its inception in 1977.
Teams submit picks to the league and if their bid is the highest, they receive the player but lose the corresponding draft pick in the following year's regular draft.
Source: AP