Greg McElroy Would Like to See Underclassmen Graduate Before Entering Draft

The trend of underclassmen leaving for the NFL Draft has become a major concern for the college game and has dominated conversation since the season ended. Cincinnati Bengals' quarterback Greg McElroy has an idea that would significantly curb the growing exodus: make underclassmen graduate college to become eligible. 

McElroy, a national champion at Alabama, shared that idea during an interview with 'Houston & Huber' on Tuesday.

“I’d like to see, if possible, to make the requirement to leave school to have your degree," McElroy told Tide 99.1. (The requirement should) Not necessarily be three years out of high school, not necessarily be four years out of high school, however long it may be. If you’ve graduated from college, then you should be eligible for the NFL Draft.”

A record 98 underclassmen will be eligible for the NFL Draft this April, which marks the fifth straight year that the number has increased. We've reached that record number after having 73 underclassmen declare in 2013, 65 in 2012, 56 in 2011 and 53 in 2010. If McElroy's requirement was in place this season, that number would be nearly non-existent. According to this list compiled by CBS Sports, only four of the eligible underclassmen have graduated college.

McElroy explained that it has become so difficult to maintain a career in the NFL so graduating would benefit so many players.

“I would just be afraid if (a player) might get weeded out or if something bad might have happened, they would have left school without a degree. I talked to a bunch of high school kids last night, and the biggest thing is having that degree.”

Before you shoot down the idea, you should keep McElroy's credentials in mind. He arrived at the University of Alabama in 2006 but redshirted. By the time he won the starting job as a redshirt junior, McElroy had already earned his business marketing degree. He played two more seasons as a graduate, leading the Crimson Tide to a national championship victory over Texas at the Rose Bowl in the 2009 season.

In an era where student-athlete means less and less for a football player, McElroy exemplified the NCAA's idyllic career path. As the college football narrative shifts more and more to paying players, it's hard to imagine this idea gaining traction. But it would certainly provide value to everyone involved.

“I don’t know if that will ever be put into place, but I’d like to see it. I think it’d be beneficial, not only to players, but the universities and the NFL itself.”