Philon's Big Mistake

[josh_sec33]

I'll be honest, it's a mistake only because I want to be greedy and see him in a Razorback uniform one more year because he's improved so much and I wanted the guilty pleasure of watching him play more often.

So yeah. Hope he has an excellent combine.

[Peter Porker]

I'll be honest, it's a mistake only because I want to be greedy and see him in a Razorback uniform one more year because he's improved so much and I wanted the guilty pleasure of watching him play more often.

So yeah. Hope he has an excellent combine.

Thank you for being honest. Yoo bad the rest of them can't be so honest aboutwhy they're calling it a mistake.

[discombobulationist]

Good luck to him! I hope he shows out at the combine and gets PAID.

[trashcan maN]

I am guessing you don't watch much draft coverage.  Kiper is just a talking head, and is usually way off.

He will be lucky if he is taken at all.  I will come on here and eat crow if I am wrong. 

Take a look at how many guys he had proj in the 2nd rnd in his final rankings  fell to the 4th rnd or lower. I never said he was 100% accurate, only that the rankings are normally within a round or so.

If youre going to be a condescending prick, try to at least be right.

[trashcan maN]

Nm

[Inhogswetrust]

The only knowledge I have is based on the fact that I listen to ESPN radio every day to and from work. I've heard Kiper talk on several different shows over several years.

He's open about the fact that he bases his draft rankings on 'what he's hearing' from GMs on how much they like certain players as well as team needs.

About two thousand media members if not more hear what GM's say about drafts and team needs................how in the world that makes Mel an expert above anyone else is laughable.

[wholehog92]

1.  I think Kiper's an idiot.
2.  I hope he's right about Philon.
3.  Nobody saying the kid made a mistake is hoping he does poorly if they are a hog fan.
4.  If I were a GM, I wouldn't draft him until 5th or 6th round.  If he's the 8th best DT, I would have to put the #1 DT a little further up my board if I needed one.

[Kevin]

funny how many on here cussed mel kiper for many of his evaluations of hog players, now they are relying on him to prove philon did not make a mistake.

we will not know until the draft.

[toshortrock]

Kipper sucks

[wholehog92]

funny how many on here cussed mel kiper for many of his evaluations of hog players, now they are relying on him to prove philon did not make a mistake.

we will not know until the draft.

Precisely.  It has given me a good chuckle this afternoon though.

[Piggage]

Dallas, like every NFL team, drafts who they think is the best player available that fits their needs. They don't care what school a kid went to.

Thank you. For every Hog football player that ever gets talked about as an NFL prospect, somebody ALWAYS theorizes that the Cowboys may take him, regardless of where the Cowboys or that player are in the draft order. I can't think of one Razorback NFL prospect that hasn't been talked about as possibly going to the Cowboys.

Arlington TX is only 10 miles closer to Fayetteville than St. Louis is. I know, you're thinking who cares about the Rams? I don't care about them either, but I can easily show you many football fans in Arkansas who hate the Cowboys.

Yeah, there's the Jerry Jones connection, but some people speak of it as though the Razorbacks are the Cowboys' minor league affiliate.

[trashcan maN]

funny how many on here cussed mel kiper for many of his evaluations of hog players, now they are relying on him to prove philon did not make a mistake.

we will not know until the draft.

funny how often posters on Hogville read things written by totally different posters and combine the contradictory opinions to make it seem as though specific posters are waffling to make an agenda fit.

Ive never said a bad word about Kiper, and I doubt whether you actually recall if anyone on this thread has badmouthed him. You know thousands of people post here, right?

[bennyl08]

Being insured for one contract doent insure the rest of his life. Say he gets hurt geets insured and then what cant play football, what do you do now. Go pro early avoid injury in college get first contract play well possibly sign 3 or 4 more contracts throughout your career. your point is irrelavent with Lattimore. He got drafted paid and now out of the league becuase of his injury, wht does he do the next 60 yrs of his life now that hes out of football 10 yrs too soon...?

He's even more likely to get hurt at the next level than he is in college. You are comparing him get a career ending injury in college to him having a healthy long career in the pros. I could just as easily say what if he is drafted late and put on the practice squad for a year just so he can get up to par with his technique and add some weight, which crushes his confidence, and he ends up becoming a drug addict vs him staying here another year, improving his technique, size, and draft stock so that when he leaves here as a junior, he is actually able to contribute on the roster of an NFL team next year and has a lucrative career.

The question to be asked is which would be higher, the insurance policy he could get while here, or the guaranteed money of a 5th round draft pick? He could just as (if not more) easily have a career ending injury in the NFL as in college.

[thirrdegreetusker]

Cameron Wade is the poster boy for the premise that NFL teams sometimes just flat do not know what they need/want. Undrafted out of Penn State, thought too small for DE, to unathletic for LB, he went to Canada and tore up the league. So then the Dolphins sign him and pay him 5 million. Been to the Pro Bowl three times now.

Of course we all know the Tom Brady story. Every team in the NFL had 5+ chances to draft him, and did not. Now being called maybe greatest of all time.

[PEtrader]

funny how often posters on Hogville read things written by totally different posters and combine the contradictory opinions to make it seem as though specific posters are waffling to make an agenda fit.

Ive never said a bad word about Kiper, and I doubt whether you actually recall if anyone on this thread has badmouthed him. You know thousands of people post here, right?

Chill out big guy

[Peter Porker]

Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) tweeted at 3:40 PM on Fri, Feb 13, 2015:
Anxious to see Ark JR DT Darius Philon in Indy. He's an effective interior pass rusher with quick hands/feet. Plays with good leverage too.
(https://twitter.com/MoveTheSticks/status/566351310996254720?s=03)

[Dark Helmet Hog]

I still believe Philon made a mistake.

Getting drafted is hard for underclassmen, regardless of talent.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/dennis-dodd/24559565/leaving-early-for-nfl-draft-a-riskier-proposition-every-year

"Perhaps the most overlooked story of draft weekend, though, was record unemployment. That came after a record 98 underclassmen declared for the draft resulting in a record 36 such players going unselected...That's a failure rate of almost 40 percent."

Even after being drafted it's still cutthroat.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp12/story/_/id/8194468/five-truths-nfl-training-camp

"most released players have done everything the team asked them to do: work hard in the offseason program, take reps in practice, play in preseason games, etc. Simply, they had very little chance of making the team when they signed and there was little they could do to change that equation."

The importance of completing a degree cannot be overstated for a young man like Philon. He is an extraordinary player, but even with all that talent the chances of long term success in the NFL are small. He may very well need his education to fall back on if the NFL doesn't work out. Any money earned from the NFL is just gravy at that point.

The bottom line is most players that are drafted will not make enough money from the NFL to secure them for life. They need the education to help them succeed in the long term. He should have stayed for that reason alone.

All that said, I hope he succeeds and makes a ton of money.

[PEtrader]

I hope he does great,  but the odds are against him. 

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I still believe Philon made a mistake.

Getting drafted is hard for underclassmen, regardless of talent.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/dennis-dodd/24559565/leaving-early-for-nfl-draft-a-riskier-proposition-every-year

"Perhaps the most overlooked story of draft weekend, though, was record unemployment. That came after a record 98 underclassmen declared for the draft resulting in a record 36 such players going unselected...That's a failure rate of almost 40 percent."

Even after being drafted it's still cutthroat.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp12/story/_/id/8194468/five-truths-nfl-training-camp

"most released players have done everything the team asked them to do: work hard in the offseason program, take reps in practice, play in preseason games, etc. Simply, they had very little chance of making the team when they signed and there was little they could do to change that equation."

The importance of completing a degree cannot be overstated for a young man like Philon. He is an extraordinary player, but even with all that talent the chances of long term success in the NFL are small. He may very well need his education to fall back on if the NFL doesn't work out. Any money earned from the NFL is just gravy at that point.

The bottom line is most players that are drafted will not make enough money from the NFL to secure them for life. They need the education to help them succeed in the long term. He should have stayed for that reason alone.

All that said, I hope he succeeds and makes a ton of money.

Retirement Benefits: National Football League

The NFL has had a retirement pension in place since 1959. Players with at least one credited season in 1993 or after are vested after three credited seasons.

Players earn benefit credits for each season they play. The credit for each season earned between 1998 and 2011 is $470; the monthly pension is calculated as the sum of all benefit credits. So a player with five credited seasons between 1998 and 2011 would receive a monthly pension at age 55 of $2,350 for his lifetime.

In addition to the pension, a 401(k)-type plan called the NFL Player Second Career Savings Plan provides an employer match of up to $2 for every $1 contributed by the player. The maximum match is $24,000 through 2014, rising incrementally to $28,000 through 2020. Players are eligible for the 2-to-1 club matching contribution once they have earned their second credited season.

In addition, players receive contributions to the Player Annuity Program once they have earned their fourth credited season. The contribution amount for a credited season from 2011-2013 is $65,000, increasing to $80,000 for 2014-2017 and $95,000 from 2018-2020. Players may choose to receive this benefit as early as age 35 and five years out of the league as a monthly annuity or in annual installments.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/09/25/go-long-retirement-plans-for-pro-athletes/

A degree can be a very useful thing for those who don't reach these steps in terms of NFL retirement.

That said, I hope he hits a homerun at the NFL level and has a 10 year career and makes tons of money and retires early enough to keep his health for the long term with lots of great memories of being a Hog and playing in the NFL.

[online-with-swine]

funny how many on here cussed mel kiper for many of his evaluations of hog players, now they are relying on him to prove philon did not make a mistake.

we will not know until the draft.

No, I think it is more of we want former Hogs to do good and get drafted higher.  We will cling to whoever gives our guys the best outlook.

[Dark Helmet Hog]

Retirement Benefits: National Football League

The NFL has had a retirement pension in place since 1959. Players with at least one credited season in 1993 or after are vested after three credited seasons.

Players earn benefit credits for each season they play. The credit for each season earned between 1998 and 2011 is $470; the monthly pension is calculated as the sum of all benefit credits. So a player with five credited seasons between 1998 and 2011 would receive a monthly pension at age 55 of $2,350 for his lifetime.

In addition to the pension, a 401(k)-type plan called the NFL Player Second Career Savings Plan provides an employer match of up to $2 for every $1 contributed by the player. The maximum match is $24,000 through 2014, rising incrementally to $28,000 through 2020. Players are eligible for the 2-to-1 club matching contribution once they have earned their second credited season.

In addition, players receive contributions to the Player Annuity Program once they have earned their fourth credited season. The contribution amount for a credited season from 2011-2013 is $65,000, increasing to $80,000 for 2014-2017 and $95,000 from 2018-2020. Players may choose to receive this benefit as early as age 35 and five years out of the league as a monthly annuity or in annual installments.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/09/25/go-long-retirement-plans-for-pro-athletes/

A degree can be a very useful thing for those who don't reach these steps in terms of NFL retirement.

That said, I hope he hits a homerun at the NFL level and has a 10 year career and makes tons of money and retires early enough to keep his health for the long term with lots of great memories of being a Hog and playing in the NFL.

Unfortunately the average NFL career is 3.2 years which barely earns a pension. Also, a staggering almost 80% of NFL players are broke after 3 years upon leaving the league. Here is a take on some reasons why.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/leighsteinberg/2015/02/09/5-reasons-why-80-of-retired-nfl-players-go-broke/

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Unfortunately the average NFL career is 3.2 years which barely earns a pension. Also, a staggering almost 80% of NFL players are broke after 3 years upon leaving the league. Here is a take on some reasons why.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/leighsteinberg/2015/02/09/5-reasons-why-80-of-retired-nfl-players-go-broke/

That's exactly why I posted what I did. How many make it that far or make those kind of investment decisions? How many, though counseled by NFL Advisors, actually listen and invest wisely, even those with careers that last more than 5 years?

Unless you get a major league signing bonus, getting the degree first can offer more long term security to a player, than not doing so. At least you give yourself a chance for the future if the NFL thing is short lived.

[Dark Helmet Hog]

That's exactly why I posted what I did. How many make it that far or make those kind of investment decisions? How many, though counseled by NFL Advisors, actually listen and invest wisely, even those with careers that last more than 5 years?

Unless you get a major league signing bonus, getting the degree first can offer more long term security to a player, than not doing so. At least you give yourself a chance for the future if the NFL thing is short lived.

Yeah, I was just trying to back you up.

Imagine the head start in life these kids could have if they only lived within their means during the "average" NFL career then used that money to invest and start again after sports was over.

I really do wish Philon the best., and I hope he beats the odds.

[code red]

I am guessing you don't watch much draft coverage.  Kiper is just a talking head, and is usually way off.

He will be lucky if he is taken at all.  I will come on here and eat crow if I am wrong. 

Think I'll just go with Kiper.....and the evidence on the field...Kid is built for the NFL.

[PEtrader]

Think I'll just go with Kiper.....and the evidence on the field...Kid is built for the NFL.

Built for the NFL?  Exactly which position is he the prototypical NFL player at?

[Vantage 8 dude]

Kiper has him as a solid 2nd rounder per a segment today on ESPN. #8 DT overall.

Has him to DAL in 2nd round.

Turns out his big mistake may not have been a mistake at all. Good luck to this young man. Great kid.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/cfb/134045/darius-philon

In this case I certainly hope that Kiper is correct. I hope that DP is picked in one of the first two or three rounds. IF he isn't then a legitimate argument could definitely be made that he might have been better served by waiting a year to hopefully improve his status. However, it matters little now as he's made the decision and I wish him a long and successful career.

[Peter Porker]

That's exactly why I posted what I did. How many make it that far or make those kind of investment decisions? How many, though counseled by NFL Advisors, actually listen and invest wisely, even those with careers that last more than 5 years?

Unless you get a major league signing bonus, getting the degree first can offer more long term security to a player, than not doing so. At least you give yourself a chance for the future if the NFL thing is short lived.

You can always go back to college after the NFL.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

You can always go back to college after the NFL.

You can and I have no idea how many actually do that. Maybe more, maybe less than we think. I just don't know. What I do know is that for many people it is difficult to go back to finish a degree after you have left and "life" and other responsibilities have taken over. It certainly isn't impossible, but I think it does become more difficult.

[online-with-swine]

You can and I have no idea how many actually do that. Maybe more, maybe less than we think. I just don't know. What I do know is that for many people it is difficult to go back to finish a degree after you have left and "life" and other responsibilities have taken over. It certainly isn't impossible, but I think it does become more difficult.

Is it Auburn who will pay former athlete's tuition if they return for their degree?  Maybe we need to that, if we aren't already.

[OnTheHillHogFan]

Is it Auburn who will pay former athlete's tuition if they return for their degree?  Maybe we need to that, if we aren't already.

We already do that

[Hogfaniam]

You can always go back to college after the NFL.

Retirement Benefits: National Football League

The NFL has had a retirement pension in place since 1959. Players with at least one credited season in 1993 or after are vested after three credited seasons.

Players earn benefit credits for each season they play. The credit for each season earned between 1998 and 2011 is $470; the monthly pension is calculated as the sum of all benefit credits. So a player with five credited seasons between 1998 and 2011 would receive a monthly pension at age 55 of $2,350 for his lifetime.

In addition to the pension, a 401(k)-type plan called the NFL Player Second Career Savings Plan provides an employer match of up to $2 for every $1 contributed by the player. The maximum match is $24,000 through 2014, rising incrementally to $28,000 through 2020. Players are eligible for the 2-to-1 club matching contribution once they have earned their second credited season.

In addition, players receive contributions to the Player Annuity Program once they have earned their fourth credited season. The contribution amount for a credited season from 2011-2013 is $65,000, increasing to $80,000 for 2014-2017 and $95,000 from 2018-2020. Players may choose to receive this benefit as early as age 35 and five years out of the league as a monthly annuity or in annual installments.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/09/25/go-long-retirement-plans-for-pro-athletes/

A degree can be a very useful thing for those who don't reach these steps in terms of NFL retirement.

That said, I hope he hits a homerun at the NFL level and has a 10 year career and makes tons of money and retires early enough to keep his health for the long term with lots of great memories of being a Hog and playing in the NFL.

Here's the thing that players need to look at.  NFL research shows that a player that gets his degree makes more money and stays in the league longer than the player that comes out early. 

[online-with-swine]

We already do that

That's good to know

[Vantage 8 dude]

Is it Auburn who will pay former athlete's tuition if they return for their degree?  Maybe we need to that, if we aren't already.

Partially correct. True in the sense that AWbarn pays "bag money" to EVERY recruit. They just like to claim it's for tuition and such.

[k.c.hawg]

We will all know if he did the right thing or made a mistake by May 3rd.

We won't know crap by May 3rd! If he is good enough to play in the NFL a year from now, 2 years from now or 3 years from now he's not making a mistake by coming out. He is never going to be a middle of the first round guy so staying another year is a wash at best.

Everyone thought Jason Peters decision to come out reached the finish line on draft day when he went undrafted. He has since signed contracts worth $130 million. You can say a guy is losing upfront money by being a 3rd round pick vs bottom of the first, top of the 2nd money but in all actuality, if you can play, getting to free agency one year sooner or 2 years sooner (due to team control of early picks) can be much more lucrative than being drafted 20 to 30 picks earlier if you aren't a top of the first round player.

Good luck Darius Philon, you've earned this opportunity, now go make the best of it!

[fieldturf]

I think Darris will do fine in Indy, but was concern that Brey Cook wasn't invited!!

[Pigliophile]

Who knows how he will end up. I hope for the best for him, and would love to see him sacking fools on Sunday. It is a hard league to break into, but with just one good season a player can earn a little bargaining room in contract talks.

And for the people saying he should have stayed to get a degree, you do know that a university does allow re admittance right?  I know he was on scholarship, but paying for one year of school is not the end of the world. 

Either way, the guy will be fine.

[k.c.hawg]

Who knows how he will end up. I hope for the best for him, and would love to see him sacking fools on Sunday. It is a hard league to break into, but with just one good season a player can earn a little bargaining room in contract talks.

And for the people saying he should have stayed to get a degree, you do know that a university does allow re admittance right?  I know he was on scholarship, but paying for one year of school is not the end of the world. 

Either way, the guy will be fine.

The RF pays for any former scholarship athlete to come back and get their degree. Actually helps the APR.

[Pigliophile]

Nice to know k.c.  That's pretty cool.

[DeltaBoy]

I would love for him to stayed with us one more year. But going to Dallas would be great for the Boys.