In his article in Sports Illustraded, Andy Staples argues wisely that college football players should leave college and enter the NFL as soon as they have a chance at being drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. Players selected in the first round are guranteed between $10 million and $40 million depending on where they are drafted in the first round. Many people will argue that a player should stay in college to get the full college experience and be fully prepared for professional football. The truth, however, is that players talented enough to be drafted in the first round are already playing professional college football. 
If the NCAA and its universities and fans actually want players to stay in college then they should pay players to stay. The test cases this year have been players like Sam Bradford, Jevan Snead, and Colt McCoy who chose to stay in college versus players like Matthew Stafford, Mark Snachez, and Josh Freeman who all chose to enter the NFL Draft. In Staples' article he points to injuries, unfavorable scheduling, and general unluckiness for Bradford and Snead. Meanwhile, Stafford, Sanchez and Freeman all have guranteed multi-million dollar contracts and starting quarterback jobs in the NFL. Big-time college football programs make and spend tens of millions of dollars every year, yet the referees and scoreboard opperators make more money than the Vince Youngs and Tim Tebows of college football.
College football claims to be the new American pastime but if it wants to retain that position it needs to start paying its star players to stay otherwise we are going to end up with JJ Redicks and Adam Morrisons as our Heisman Trophy candidates instead of the Herschal Walkers and Charles Woodsons who make college football so special.
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