An oft forgotten portion of the NFL offseason calendar is the supplemental draft. And, honestly, for good reason.
The last player to be drafted out of the supplemental draft was Washington State safety, Jalen Thompson, back in 2019, who was taken by the Arizona Cardinals in the 5th round.
Whilst Thompson worked out better than most; the Cardinals signed him to a 3 year, $40 million extension back in 2022, the draft has not bought forth a Pro Bowler since the talented but troubled Josh Gordon was selected by the Cleveland Browns in 2012.
What Is The NFL Supplemental Draft?
![BREAKING: 2024 NFL Supplemental Draft Has Critical Update After League Memo Delivered To All 32 Teams 1 USATSI 23170949 168400517 lowres](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/USATSI_23170949_168400517_lowres-300x184.jpg)
The supplemental draft is reserved for NFL prospects who had affected eligibility or missed the deadline to enter the regular NFL Draft.
This is often for players with schooling or behavioural issues, such as academic ineligibility or off-the-field issues. Josh Gordon, for example, was unable to enter the 2012 NFL Draft due to a failed marijuana drug test.
But it seems like the lack of prospects generated in recent years from the supplemental draft has weighed down on the league, and consequently, the NFL has decided it will not occur in 2024.
NFL teams were informed today that there will be no supplemental draft this year.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 26, 2024
Supplemental Draft Scrapped For 2024, What Does This Mean For It Going Forward?
![BREAKING: 2024 NFL Supplemental Draft Has Critical Update After League Memo Delivered To All 32 Teams 2 NFL Roger Goodell](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/USATSI_23104618_168400517_lowres-200x300.webp)
It is unlikely that even the most die hard of NFL fans will truly miss the supplemental draft, even if it does produce a good quality player or two every half decade or so.
The bigger question lies in the whether this may entail the beginning of the end of the supplemental draft for the ensuing years, or if this is a one-off year where the league was borderline certain no additional players were likely to be selected.
Canning the supplemental draft totally could potentially give rise to issues of a select few players being ineligible to enter the NFL through the draft format totally.
Yet, as we have seen with the relaxation of the transfer portal and NIL rulings – often to the chagrin of NCAA head coaches , allowing players to both move colleges as frequently as desired and profit off of their brand, much of the ineligibility issues have died down, hence the lack of any supplemental draft selections for 5 years now.
Area Scouts Cheering After Seeing League Memo
![BREAKING: 2024 NFL Supplemental Draft Has Critical Update After League Memo Delivered To All 32 Teams 3 Philadelphia Eagles Howie Roseman](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/USATSI_22635331_168400517_lowres-300x200.jpg)
The big winners in this decision are the area scouts, who, per Jim Nagy, will be more than happy to save themselves much annoying and mostly inconsequential work over their precious time with their families.
Big W for NFL scouting community. Area scouts hate supplemental draft more than anything. This is only real extended family time of calendar year for them and nothing worse than trying to contact schools on players that usually have major red flags in middle of summer. Cheers!🍻 https://t.co/9ueDv0tPoV
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) June 26, 2024
Deciphering whether a “red flag” is really a red flag, or simply a miscommunication or misunderstanding can be one of the hardest evaluation factors for GMs and area scouts alike, and the latter will no doubt be glad to be rid of what has become one of the more tedious tasks in their job description.
Honestly, it does seem that, going forward, the NFL should do away with the yearly format of the supplemental draft if the trend continues of no really draftable players entering it and being selected by franchises.
If and when a player ends up requiring a supplemental draft, the NFL and Roger Goodell will no doubt find some solution round it, utilizing the very flexibility that has kept the sport growing to the now undisputed top of the American food chain over the past couple of decades.
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