McGahee, Johnson set to enter NFL draft -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ESPN.com news services Apparently injury won't keep Willis McGahee out of the NFL draft. The sophomore running back, who tore is anterior cruciate ligament in Miami's national title game loss to Ohio State, is going to declare for the 2003 draft along with Hurricanes teammate Andre Johnson, the Miami Herald reported. McGahee rushed for a school-record 1,686 yards and 27 touchdowns this season and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. Johnson, a junior receiver, led the 'Canes in receiving yards last season with 1,092. He also caught 52 passes, nine of them for touchdowns. The deadline for underclassment to declare for the 2003 draft is Wednesday. The draft will take place in Manhattan, N.Y., on April 26-27.
I wanted the Texans to draft him, but now I really hope they don't. I doubt he will get drafted before the 3rd round...to much of a liability.
Perhaps he wants to be under the medical care of the experts provided by an NFL franchise rather than the ones he can get while in college? Plus he will get paid while rehabbing, rather than being stuck in school, homework, and classes.
He should go in the later rounds of the draft. I would love for the Titans or Texans to take a chance on the guy. He could be Eddie George's successor or he could rehab his knee while the Texans build up an offensive line over the next few years.
Man, why's he doing this? I'm thinking 6th round pick. He must be pretty confident that he'll come back to something close to what he was prior to the injury.
We should definitely pick him up with one of our late picks, assuming he's available. Those fifth and sixth round picks rarely pan out anyways. If he doesn't recover, it's no real loss for the Texans because they likely wouldn't have gotten much from that pick anyways. If he does recover, and returns to even 85%, he could be a real steal.
It will never happen, and if so he is ignorant. His insurance policy clearly states that if he is drafted in the NFL within one year of the injury then he does not get the $2.5 million. Monday, January 6 Decision could secure McGahee's financial future -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Darren Rovell ESPN.com When Keith Lerner saw University of Miami running back Willis McGahee go down in the fourth quarter of the National Championship game, he bolted from his couch, went into his home office and immediately began rifling through the papers. Only five hours before, Lerner, an insurance agent based in Gainesville, Fla., had completed the paperwork on a $2.5 million insurance policy for the Hurricanes' sophomore stud who was projected to be a top NFL draft pick in April. "I faxed his physical information to Lloyd's of London at 3 o'clock on Friday," Lerner said. "The ink wasn't even dry on the paper yet." McGahee might have had only one game left in his collegiate career, but he approached Lerner -- who had written policies for former Miami players Santana Moss, Ed Reed and Bryant McKinnie -- to take out a large policy for the Fiesta Bowl. Thanks to that decision, if McGahee, who had surgery on his torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments Sunday, never returns to the gridiron, he will collect a tax-free, $2.5 million one year from the date of the injury -- Jan. 3, 2004. "I originally said I could get him a $1.5 million policy, but he wanted more," said Lerner, president of Total Planning, a financial consulting firm. "Then, I got $2 million and he still wanted more. So eventually we got to $2.5 million, which is a very large policy and possibly the largest policy a sophomore has ever had." Lerner declined to give the exact premium paid for the policy, but he did say McGahee's family took out a loan and paid less than $20,000 for it. Premiums usually cost about $10,000 per $1 million policy, but McGahee was able to get a better rate partly because it only covered him for the National Championship game and up until he signed an NFL contract. McGahee also was able to get a larger policy because his projected draft status rose throughout the season. Lerner said if McGahee took out a policy in October, he would have received about $500,000 in total coverage. McGahee finished the season with a school-record 1,686 yards and 27 touchdowns this season. Lerner visited McGahee at HealthSouth Doctors Hospital on Monday. "He was a little surprised to see me," Lerner said. "But he had a smile on his face. He wouldn't have taken this out if he was 100 percent sure he wasn't going to get hurt. I think it's very unfortunate that he was minutes away from a big payday in the NFL and now that situation is changed. But he did make a smart, intelligent decision." Lerner most recently paid out a $1 million, tax-free policy to former University of Florida defensive tackle Ed Chester, who suffered a career-ending knee injury in a game against LSU in 1998. About 70 football players are part of the NCAA Exceptional Student-Athlete Disability Insurance Program, according to Juanita Sheely, travel and insurance coordinator for the NCAA. The NCAA provides athletes, who are projected to be picked in the first three rounds of the NFL draft, with a loan to take out a premium. Sheely declined to say if McGahee had insurance through the NCAA's program, administered by ASU International. Penni Key, associate athletic director of compliance at the University of Miami, said that athletes are encouraged to look at the NCAA's program as opposed to outside underwriters because the school wants to make sure that an agent isn't paying a premium for the athlete, which would be an NCAA violation. Key said that about five University of Miami football players are covered by some insurance policy each season.
Is McGahee on crack? Are non first rounders even guaranteed contracts? There no way in hell a team will pay him $2.5 million to rehab without any guarantee he will be back at full strength. The best he can hope for is the rookie minimum ($150k?). If he's going to declare he should do it next year after collecting $2.5 million tax free. If it's possible I'd draft him just to have his rights and not sign him to a contract till he's healthy enough to put on pads.
It's probably a smart decision for him. Think about it...some team will take a chance on him, and probably pay him for at least a year. Even if he doesn't recover enough to stay in the NFL, he'll get a nice chunk of change for even one year...probably more than he'd make in any other career for a year. If he stays at Miami and doesn't fully recover, he gets benched in favor of Payton, and his NFL dreams are over.
More than $2.5 million? I don't know the salary structure in the NFL, but unless he gets drafted in the first-third rounds, I doubt he makes more than a million especially since he won't even see the field. Unlike the NBA, if McGahee can't pass the physical in year 2, his contract will get shredded.
It doesn't say if he plays before January 3, 2004, he won't receive his check. It says if he <B>ever</B> plays again, he won't receive his check...he just can't receive his check before that date.
Ahh that makes sense. He will play again, just not sure how good. Declaring might not be a bad idea then.
I don't think you can cut a guy on the IR. So for a team to cut him he would have to be able to pass a physical and if a team is willing to rehab him for a year (and pay him) then to cut him would be a tough call. I think he made the right choice: 1. Players come back from these injuries, it's not like 10 years ago where his future is doubtful. He may not be the same (100%) for a couple years but he is young and someday he will be a player in the NFl 2. If he goes back to Miami there is a good chance he would not even be the starter when he returns (Gore) Anyways I wish himthe best. Seemed like a good guy, so I hope it works out well for him.
as the Titans, I'd definately pick him unless somebody just as good is available. I'd even consider the second round. It's a great risk for any team if you ask me. Eddie George is slowing down and Willie might just be able to fill that void. Who knows. The Titans have been great at evlauating risky picks like Haynesworth and Bulluck. They've had nothing but success. As for the Texans. Thery should take him in the 4th or 5th if he's still available. They need healthy players right now, but he's still worth the risk.
Totally agree, also, there is no guarantee he will ever get back on the playing field for Miami. He and Clinton Portis weren't even supposed to play last year until the guy Gore got hurt. Miami is so loaded if he sits out a season, he may be forgotten.
I don't understand this. If he'd gone back, he might have had to share time. But if he looked recovered, he would have gone in the 1st round next time. The financial differential between 3rd-5th rounders (where he should go now) and 1st rounders is dramatic (and silly, given production expectations). I think this is a bad gamble. Even if he looked like crap next year, a team would still have taken a flyer on him in the 6th or 7th.
Not necessarily. No matter how good a season he could possibly have next year, there is no guarantee he'd be a first round draft pick next April. I don't think he could afford to take that chance. Especially with the dearth of talent that Miami already has at the tailback position and their unbelievable recruiting. I think McGahee's "inner circle" of advisors probably convinced him that he would get lost in the shuffle in the backfield when he was finally deemed healthy enough to play, and his draft status wouldn't improve to warrant waiting a year to delare for the pros. Plus he gets paid for an extra year by coming out this season. And of course his advisors get immediate financial gratification as well, let's not forget that little tidbit. Yes I am a cynic when it comes to sports and dollar signs.
Why does McGahee have to play at Miami? If I was McGahee, I'd get close to 100% and if I couldn't get PT at Miami, I'd transfer. I think proving himself on the college level again will improve his draft position significantly (as in millions). If he's satisfied being a high round pick (with the risk of being undrafted), that's cool. No matter what he'll have to earn his paycheck.
Sorry, drapg -- I am always messing up your threads, but: dearth = A scarce supply; a lack. Thought you'd want to know. Okay, carry on.
