Jefferson's Contract a TEXTBOOK example of why (most) guys should return for Senior Year

"And saw among the simple,
I perceived among the youths,
A young man devoid of understanding,"
Proverbs 7:7

It's official.  Malik Jefferson signed his first NFL contract this week.  Details (from overthecap.com):


That's it?!?

That contract is nothing for an athlete with Malik Jefferson's level of skill.  He should make significantly more than that.  He's that talented.

Instead, he's making less than $1 million per year (in a league where your career could end on any given play).  We've heard conflicting reports on how much of it is guaranteed (some say $0, some say only the $700k signing bonus, some say about half)...but the fact remains the contract isn't even fully guaranteed.  Pretty small payday.

Imagine, instead, a world where Malik returns for Senior year.  If he has a monster Senior season (the most likely outcome), he's a first round pick and gets paid accordingly.  Even if he only has a so-so year, he's still a likely second round pick.  Obviously, there's a chance he gets hurt.  But, given the contract he just signed, there wouldn't be a big difference between getting hurt in the NFL and getting hurt playing for the Longhorns.

Bottom Line: It's a damn shame for Malik, but this is a lesson that should be hammered into the head of every draft-eligible student-athlete from now until eternity....