The COVID pandemic has not only affected the professional sports league but also made its impact felt on the collegiate ranks. The current amateur studs who are on the NFL's radar might look to turn their focus into preparing for the 2021 NFL Draft. This move starts the moment they sign with an agent, which effectively ends their college eligibility.

An unnamed NFL agent shared the developing news to Ben Standig of TheAthletic.com:

“If this [pandemic] really continues down the path that I think it’s going down, there is a very likely chance that there’s going to be some high-profile kids signing with agents in the next 60 days,”

“They’re gonna bail,” another unnamed agent told Standig. “I mean, I’m recruiting some high-end kids. I talked to probably four of them last night, and they all echoed the same thing. Like, they’re done. This is over.”

For top prospects, missing the season won’t be a big deal. They have already made a name in the previous years of being in the spotlight of college football. It may make a big difference, however, to the players who are aiming to raise their draft stock in time for the 2021 NFL Draft.

The upcoming college football season was already put in jeopardy ever since the pandemic started. Universities don't have enough capacity to emulate the safety protocols and regulations being done by the professional sports leagues. Moving the schedule to a later date will be the most viable option for them.

Major college conferences including The Big Ten and Pac-12 have already announced moves to conference-only schedules after the Ivy League has decided to push all fall sports in the spring semester. Many other conferences are expected to come up with decisions in the coming weeks.

The next NFL Draft festivities are scheduled to begin in April of 2021.