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FOR USE AS DESIRED ELIGIBILITY FOR 2004 NFL DRAFT The NFL issued the following memo Friday to its clubs: MEMO TO CLUBS: As you know, a federal court in New York ruled yesterday that the National Football League cannot enforce its long-standing eligibility rules. Unless the ruling is stayed by the courts, players who did not meet the prior eligibility requirements (three football seasons after high school graduation) will be eligible for the 2004 NFL Draft. Accordingly, we have established, after consultation with the NFL Competition Committee, the following procedures that will apply (unless and until a stay is entered) to such players seeking to enter the 2004 draft: 1. Any player seeking to enter the 2004 draft must follow customary NFL procedures and submit a completed Special Eligibility form obtained from the NFL Player Personnel Department. 2. Completed forms must be received by the NFL office no later than Monday, March 1. 3. Players will not be permitted to bypass the March 1 deadline in order to seek eligibility for a later supplemental draft, and no supplemental draft will be held to accommodate such an election. 4. The March 1 deadline for players seeking to enter the draft will not apply to those players who were previously eligible to apply for the draft by January 15 but elected not to apply. 5. The Scouting Combine in Indianapolis is scheduled to begin on February 18. Players who apply for special eligibility under the Clarett ruling by Sunday, February 15 will be considered for invitations to the Combine under its normal criteria. Applications received by February 15 will not automatically result in an invitation. # # # |