The debate about whether South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney should sit out next season, get $5 million in insurance or fight the NFL's draft rules all exposes one gigantic flaw in the system.
The NCAA continues to show little regard for athletes' earning power.
The maximum amount of insurance benefit that any player can get under the NCAA policy is $5 million, according to Chris Radford, an NCAA media relations official. "This insurance program is in place to protect against a career-ending injury, but should not be confused with a 'loss of value' policy, which the NCAA does not offer," Radford said. As first reported by FOXSports.com, Clowney is currently working on securing that much coverage.
Jadeveon Clowney emerged last season as one of college football's best players. (USA TODAY Sports)
To the credit of the NCAA, it has set up a program where a player can get a low-coast loan for the premium and pay it later. Typically, a $5 million policy will cost anywhere from $45,000 to $65,000, Salgado said. The premium is, like most insurance policies, dependent on a number of factors, including what position the player plays.