Is this going to far offering an 8th grader?

[BisonBacker]

Alabama and others have offered an 8th grade linebacker a scholarship. Is this going to far in your opinion? 8th grade????

http://usatodayhss.com/2016/alabama-makes-offer-to-8th-grade-lb-phenom-jesus-machado

[344Johnson]

Yes. It's way too far.

Basketball is even worse.

[UAalum72]

Of course it's too far, but when has that ever stopped anybody?

[andthehomeofthe-BIZON-]

I understand the excitement, he is the second coming of Christ. Us bison fans see ginger jesus everywhere though.

[TheKingpin28]

Same thing happened with Dylan Moses. Perfect first name (my name as well) and Moses, well that is kind of hard to argue against.

[UNIFanSince1983]

The worst part about it is the offer really means nothing. If the kid commits (and stays committed until he's a senior) if Alabama isn't happy with how he has progressed or have better prospects they can just rescind the offer.

Obviously, the kid can back out of the commitment too, but in the end the offer really means nothing.

So yes this is going way too far. Someone needs to step in and protect kids this young from being preyed on by schools and more than likely agents.

[Professor Chaos]

Someone needs to step in and protect kids this young from being preyed on by schools and more than likely agents.
That should be the job of the parents or guardians of the kid to tell the school(s) to **** off if they don't want their kids being contacted that early in their development. The NCAA can legislate it all they want to but in the end its unenforceable to make a rule saying no contact at all with a school until sophomore year or something like that. If the kid and the kid's support system are willing to talk to the school and the school is willing to talk to them I say go for it, the NCAA can't be expected to protect these kids and the adults supporting them from themselves.

[UNIFanSince1983]

That should be the job of the parents or guardians of the kid to tell the school(s) to **** off if they don't want their kids being contacted that early in their development. The NCAA can legislate it all they want to but in the end its unenforceable to make a rule saying no contact at all with a school until sophomore year or something like that. If the kid and the kid's support system are willing to talk to the school and the school is willing to talk to them I say go for it, the NCAA can't be expected to protect these kids and the adults supporting them from themselves.

I am sure there are a lot of parents that do protect their kids. Heck LeBron is one of them and his son is only 11 right now. The problem is a lot of these kids don't have the correct support system. Their parents are either too naive or see it as their payday. I agree the majority of it is on the parents, but there is something more that could possibly be done I think.

[Bisonator]

It's beyond ridiculous! They shouldn't even be allowed to contact kids until they are Juniors in HS IMO.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Alabama and others have offered an 8th grade linebacker a scholarship. Is this going to far in your opinion? 8th grade????

http://usatodayhss.com/2016/alabama-makes-offer-to-8th-grade-lb-phenom-jesus-machado

BB, why is this in the FCS forum?

Yes, it is a bit much to be offering an 8th grader.

[Professor Chaos]

I am sure there are a lot of parents that do protect their kids. Heck LeBron is one of them and his son is only 11 right now. The problem is a lot of these kids don't have the correct support system. Their parents are either too naive or see it as their payday. I agree the majority of it is on the parents, but there is something more that could possibly be done I think.
I'd agree but that's a societal problem that the NCAA isn't going to be able to solve with increased legislation. ****ty parents will be ****ty parents when it comes to looking out for their kid's best interest whether the NCAA legislates when recruiting contact can start or not. And if the parents are that self-absorbed there's communications with a lot worse people/entities they could condone than to a university looking to provide their kid with a free education.

[bonarae]

And also possibly a problem with racial bias? Haven't heard of a case of a white player being offered scholarships in middle school... (but correct me if I'm wrong) blacks are far more affected here.

[Bisonator]

And also possibly a problem with racial bias? Haven't heard of a case of a white player being offered scholarships in middle school... (but correct me if I'm wrong) blacks are far more affected here.

Is there a twitter account called #awfulwhitemiddleschoolers ?xlolx

[GAD]

Same thing happened with Dylan Moses. Perfect first name (my name as well) and Moses, well that is kind of hard to argue against.
At nine years Dylan looked like he had been chiseled from granite

[MR. CHICKEN]

And also possibly a problem with racial bias? Haven't heard of a case of a white player being offered scholarships in middle school... (but correct me if I'm wrong) blacks are far more affected here.

.......DAVID SILLS QB....{CAUCASIAN)....FROM ELKTON,MD....PLAYED HIGHSCHOOL BALL IN DELAWARE....RECRUITED BAH COLLEGES FROM AGE 11....NOTABLY.....LANE KIFFIN...OFFERED HIM UH USC SKOLLY...HE'S CURRENTLY QB/WR @ W. VIRGINIA.....CAUGHT WINNIN' TD AGIN' ARIZONA STATE..IN CACTUS BOWL...HERE IS DUH EARLY YEARS...UH BIO..........RAWAK!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sills_(American_football)

[eiu1999]

It's beyond wrong, it's a child. Good grief.

[Cocky]

Its according to how much $ UAT offered.

[JayJ79]

In the Bible/Torah/Quran, Abraham was preparing to offer his son Isaac. Not sure if he was an 8th grader or not.