New vision: The NFL draft is on. Is it time to talk about 'amateurs'?

The truth is that a vast majority of young college football players will never have a career in the National Football League.

So while the story of the NFL Draft's No. 1 pick -- and his rather sordid college record of seemingly complete disregard for authority -- might be intriguing as a discussion topic, it is not representative of the vast majority of those who will wear college colors on a football field.

Jameis Winston is a star. We will see if he is able to translate that stardom into a professional career.

But as we watch the lucky few who will go in the first rounds of this year's draft, we should think about the others -- the low picks and the non-picks -- and we should think about what needs to happen next in college sports.

There will be a lucky few who will not need their degrees. They will have careers that create a nest egg that could keep them for a lifetime.

But there will be others who need to have something to fall back on -- for when the money, the attention and the career end.

So what do we do with the money-making machine that is college sports?

Perhaps there should be a major -- one that emphasizes money-management and the personal hurdles that come with sudden fame and big salaries? Maybe there should be a requirement to complete a degree.

And what do we do about boosters, gifts and struggling young people who are making millions for their college, but cannot accept a part-time job?

They are timely questions.

And now is the time to explore the answers.

Published in Editorials on May 1, 2015 11:01 AM