Every year, a number of underclassmen declare for the NFL Draft. That number has been growing every year as a record number of players have entered the past two drafts early, and it doesn’t always work out. A number of underclassmen have ended up going undrafted, but for Ole Miss wide receiver Donte Moncrief the move paid off.
In the third-round of the 2014 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected Moncrief with the No. 90 overall pick.
Moncrief decided to forego his final year of eligibility in college for one reason and one reason only — to support his family.
“It was just time,” Moncrief told the Indianapolis Star. “I had some family [issues] that I needed to help with. I’ve got a daughter now, and that’s the big thing. . . . My mom’s been all alone working. I just wanted to be able to help my family and provide for my daughter.”
Moncrief enters the league at just 20 years old and he is the youngest player on the team’s roster, but he has received a $2.5 million contract that includes a $539,800 signing bonus. His family will be very happy.
For Moncrief, the money is now their, but his next focus will have to be on how he can maximize his talent on the field and make an impact on the field for the Colts that could potentially translate to an even bigger deal in his second contract.