Can a college player skip the draft?
James Craig
Updated on April 17, 2026
Just so, does a college player have to enter the draft?
NFL Draft eligibility In order to be eligible for the NFL Draft, a player must be at least three years removed from high school. That means a college football player is eligible to enter the NFL Draft after his junior season or, in some cases, his redshirt sophomore season.
Also Know, does a drafted player have to sign? Players are constricted by the confines of their draft slot, meaning that we have less holdouts and deal delays than ever. Still, draft picks are not mandated to sign with their respective clubs, and the drafting team does not hold the player's rights in perpetuity.
Likewise, can a college basketball player skip the draft?
The rule effectively mandated that players spend at least one year in college. High school players who would otherwise have jumped directly into the NBA were instead playing in college for the required year before leaving and entering the draft—a phenomenon known as one and done.
What happens if a player is not drafted?
What happens when a player doesn't get drafted during the NFL Draft? Any player who goes through the draft without being selected becomes an Undrafted Free Agent, who is free to sign with any team of his choice. Others can end up plying their trade in the Arena League or in Canada on a CFL team.