NFL teams are no longer shying away from older prospects in the draft

There have been more older prospects drafted in recent years because the COVID-19 pandemic gave players an option to stay in school an extra year. Even though the window is ending, the transfer portal and NIL deals might continue to keep some players in school longer.

Teams used to shy away from older prospects. Scouts and general managers once considered the age of 24 a red flag in some cases.

But the success of guys like Nix and Jayden Daniels, who turned 24 during an outstanding rookie season, shows that experience can help players make an immediate impact in the pros.

“I came from BYU, where kids go on missions for a couple years, and so people go: ‘Well, they’re too old,'” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “Well, then they come in and they do a pretty good job. So, and really, if you start taking averages of careers, career length, there’s maybe a cutoff somewhere, but the careers aren’t very long as it is. But we do look at (age), though."

A majority of the older players selected in the draft last year were Day 3 picks, going in the sixth or seventh round. That indicates teams are more likely to overlook age later in the draft.

“It’s just unique to where we’re at right now in kind of the football world,” Raiders general manager John Spytek said. “You got guys with sixth and seventh years really, and so you’ve got to talk about a value of are we going to have a problem with the 25- or 26-year-old? Some people have more problems with that. I’m just looking for good football players, and I’m trying to impress that upon our scouts, too. Let’s just find good football players. We’ll figure it out. So I will say it’s been really hard on the area scouts.

“You go into these schools like Georgia and Michigan, Ohio State, and they’ve got a list of 30 guys that can potentially come out. ... I mean it used to just be like here’s these 10 juniors, maybe half of them come out. Now it’s like, you got a fourth-year, fifth-year senior, and he might take another year. So it adds a lot more names to it and uncertainty and a lot more work that has to get done in a finite amount of time. And that’s why the scouts’ jobs are so critical to go through all that in an efficient way and present the players the right way. We’re relying on it. It’s critical to every organization.”

The number of older players drafted will decrease this season. There are 46 players age 23 or older who are draft eligible, including 17 who are 24 or older.

Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough, who turns 26 in September, was the oldest player at the scouting combine. He spent seven years at three colleges, including Oregon, where he backed up Justin Herbert in 2019, and Texas Tech.

Tennessee wide receiver Bru McCoy, San Jose State wideout Nick Nash and Arkansas receiver Andrew Armstrong were among the 24-year-old draft prospects at the combine.

Teams that stick to the old philosophy of avoiding older players limit their talent pool.

“I think sometimes you have to ask yourself, are you trying to get this guy for 12 years? If you’re looking for that, it’s a small percentage,” 49ers general manager John Lynch said. “Or are you looking for one contract and then hopefully more? It’s an interesting topic. It’s one we constantly discuss. There are pluses and minuses to both sides. Having a young guy that you think you can develop and is already a good player, and then a guy who’s a little more battle-tested ... bent through a little more. It’s an interesting conversation.”

College experience is most valuable for quarterbacks. Nix and Daniels proved it last year when they led their teams to the playoffs. Meanwhile, Anthony Richardson threw just 393 passes in college before the Colts drafted him No. 4 overall in 2023. He has struggled to adjust at the NFL level.

The oldest player ever selected in the draft was quarterback Chris Weinke. He was 28 years and 264 days old when the Panthers selected him in the fourth round of the 2000 draft. Weinke started just 20 games in the NFL, going 2-18.

Quarterback Brandon Weeden was the oldest player ever drafted in the first round. He was 28 years and 195 days old when the Browns chose him 22nd overall in 2012. Weeden made 25 starts, going 6-19. Both Weinke and Weeden played minor-league baseball before college football.

Depending on the position of a player and the round, age can be a determining factor when a team is choosing between two guys.

“When two players are level, even, same grade, you start weighing what they have,” Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said about age. “OK, he’s a three-year starter and he’s a four-year starter. Great leader, team captain, those little things give them a bump. It’s not intentional but you talk through it and it shakes out that way.”

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Credit: AP

Credit: AP