Would Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence play in the XFL instead of continuing his college career?
That’s the question floated by ProFootballTalk, and it’s not as crazy as it might sound. Lawrence must play at least two more seasons in college before he can take his shot at the NFL, and the XFL will be around before that time expires. That means there is a very real pro league that would take him if he wanted to get paid before heading to the NFL.
ProFootballTalk wrote the following when speculating about Lawrence potentially taking his talents to the XFL before being eligible for the NFL:
(Oliver) Luck has said the league will pay salaries in the $250,000-$300,000 range for top players (i.e. quarterbacks) for what could be a five-month commitment. That’s an alternative for a player who doesn’t want to develop his skills for room and board and the opportunity to take classes which fit into his football schedule.
College players can also take out “loss of value” insurance policies to protect themselves against an injury which would affect their draft stock.
There’s no indication that Lawrence is anything but happy with his Clemson experience and wants to stay. But if he decides he’d rather get paid while developing, it sounds like there’s a league that would be happy to let him.
Will this happen? Almost certainly not, but it’s a fun idea to consider. The experience somebody gets as a college football star is second to none. You’re pretty much treated as a god on campus.
Plus, you’re developing your skills with some of the best coaches in America if you’re at a program like Clemson. I have no idea who will be running the show in the XFL, but I’d be shocked if they had coaches as good as major college teams. That would be surprising to me.
So, Lawrence will be motivated to stay in college by the fact it’s fun as all hell and he will likely get better coaching. (RELATED: Clemson Beats Alabama For National Title)
The only upside to the XFL is the money, and $300,000 for five months of work is no joke. However, Lawrence will make more than $30 million guaranteed if he’s the first overall pick in the 2021 draft. He won’t get a penny of that if he goes to the XFL and gets hurt. Risking an NFL career and the earnings that come with being a quarterback for a year of solid money doesn’t make a ton of sense.
The only way I’d do that is if my family desperately needed money. We’ve seen nothing to suggest that’s the case with Lawrence. If I were him, I’d keep balling out at Clemson until it was time to get that NFL money. It’s fun to debate, but I don’t see it happening.