Just let him go.

What! Your earning potential is greeter than a 1st year pick at $500K SBS. The amount of bankrupt NFL players in 3- 5 years is staggering.

That's not because they aren't earning enough. It's because they go crazy buying cars, jewelry and houses like they are making 3x what they earn. The only people I can think of earning 500k straight out of college are emergency medicine doctors and surgeons.

A person making $80K a year will make more than a last pick draft athlete 95% of the time.

You mean over their whole life? Probably , but 3 or 4 years at 500k , living frugally and invested wisely, will produce way more income in the long run just based on compound interest. Are most athletes doing that? No, but it's completely possible.

You give me 500k for 3 years and I'll live like i'm making 100k and invest the other 200k (post income tax) annually and you will never catch up making 80k a year even if you invested half your post tax income for the next 40 years.

Correct.

Why do people begrudge college football players so much? They're finding the best path forward with the skill set that God gave them. If they were good at computers, they'd have a 34 on their SAT, the school would give them a full scholarship, plus a few thousand extra, and if Google came calling after their junior year with a $500k offer, everyone would say "Awesome opportunity! Go take it! College won't help you anymore".
Football is no different. It's a career decision.

Because college was established for education, not vacation.
Now, that being said, I will only watch college football. When they go pro I couldn't care less. Haven't watched a NFL game, ever, and never will.

The irony in this is laughable

If you don't see the hypocrisy in you're statement then take a step back. You're stating that college football is only for education but in the same post you state that's the only type of football you'll watch. I enjoy most of your posts but this one is off.

Actually this one defines me better than most. I'm a walking conflict.

hahahaha

Totally agree with this.

For whatever reason, football is held to a higher standard than even the other money sports and not to mention regular students.

"Oh, Amateur Johnny said he was coming to State U to play for us and he's leaving early! He's terrible! He should pay FOUR YEARS because he didn't live up to his word!"

Pfftttt. Such hypocracy. Scholarships are given now on a 1-year basis. Coaches leave ALL THE TIME and no one says jack, other than the NCAA telling the athletes they can't just easily leave because Coach Moneybags moved from College U to State U or the NFL for more money.

College baseball? No one cares when a kid gets drafted. NBA? It's expected now for a one-and-done. Swimming? Tennis? Golf? Not one single word about any player who competes at a pro level - Jordan Speith, just for example in golf - and decides to turn pro.

Whizkid Wanda is a computer genius and Apple wants to hire her after her sophomore internship, and pay her $250K or more a year? Hey, good for her!

Yet football somehow retains this mystical amateurish "they play for US and the school!" crapola. It's a business. It's fun to watch. Would be cool if they stayed four years, like Andrew Luck did at Stanford because he enjoyed it and wanted to maybe win a championship.

But passing up being a T-15 pick and millions in security? That's a no-brainer.