A federal appeal court in New York ruled in favor of the NFL yesterday and has blocked the entry of underclassmen into the 2004 NFL draft this weekend. This puts the future of stars like Ohio state running back Maurice Clarett and wide receiver Mike Williams of USC in question. Both players were expected to go very high in the first round of this weekend’s draft. In an interview with the Missourinet, Vic Carucci, national editor of NFL.com didn’t expect the decision to be reversed before the draft, saying, “I think it’s going to hold up through this weekend and Maurice Clarett, Mike Williams, the other underclassmen will not be a part of this draft.” However, they could possibly be taken in a supplemental draft which is held periodically in cases that require individual hearings on a case-by-case basis. The NFL requires players to be three years out of high school to enter the league. This decision will have little, if any affect on the Rams and Chiefs who are picking 26th and 30th in the first round.
