Jake Butt sounds off on college athletes getting paid
Michigan Wolverines tight end Jake Butt sounded off about college athletes getting paid for their likeness at the Michigan pro day…
Michigan tight end Jake Butt is undoubtedly going to get a shot in the NFL. There’s no question about it. As one of the top tight end prospects in a loaded class, even a torn ACL in the team’s bowl game against Florida State won’t prevent an NFL team from using a day two draft pick on him.
That said, Butt’s injury against the Seminoles opened his eyes quite a bit. Instead of competing for a chance to be selected in the first round with O.J. Howard, David Njoku, and Evan Engram, Butt will be someone’s ‘value’ pickup on day two of the draft.
It’s not the end of the world, as his NFL dreams will ultimately be realized, but the former Michigan star stated his belief that college athletes should be getting paid for their likeness, and it’s hard to argue with him…
"I should be the example of why college athletes should be getting paid in college or why I can’t use my name to benefit off my likeness in college…Why can I see ‘I Like Jake Butt and I Cannot Lie,’ I see those shirts and I’m living paycheck-to-paycheck in college. Who knows? Heaven forbid something happens in the NFL, can I really benefit off of it when it was at the most? No, I can’t."
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The idea that college athletes can’t get paid for their likeness is a joke to me. As Butt explained here, his name can be on a t-shirt and someone else is making money selling them, but NCAA rules prohibit him and any other athlete from making money that way.
Trying to find a job as a college athlete when you’re balancing classes, homework, and your responsibilities with the team is an impossible task, unless you plan on completely burning out.
Butt is apparently ahead of schedule in his knee rehab, and could be ready at some point in July. That would be an incredible feat, and as talented as he is, there’s really no need to rush him back to action.
Whatever NFL team brings him in will undoubtedly make sure he’s 100 percent before he hits the field.