re: It has been interesting seeing how loosely the term “NFL player”

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He was paid to try out. He didn't make the team, thus didn't get the contract.

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So they paid him 20k even though he never "worked for them"? And he literally did sign a UDFA contract. Look up how UDFA contracts work. They PAY you to come to their practices and try out for the regular season roster. You WORK for the team for that period of time and your WORK CONTRACT only lasts for a certain amount of time. It is not a guarantee you will have a contract through the season. That does not mean you do not WORK for an NFL team if you do not make it to the regular season.

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A contract that stipulates a try-out and if you don't make it the contract goes away, which is what happened in these cases.

They were paid to try out and didn't make the team.

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Those are called a tryout agreement.

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If you randomly met someone and started chatting,and he tells you how he recently went undrafted in the NFL draft, attended an NFL training camp and got cut before the season started….would you tell your friends, “I just met an NFL player”?

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I would think these rules are based on actual legal definitions, not the terminology some random person uses

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If so, I can't fathom how the Texas O lineman who was in NFL mini-camps is not in the same situation as the group the SEC is trying to ban.

I mean, you thought and were told your eligibility was complete, and you explored and actively initiated/participated in an NFL team's organized event. Mini-camps are not charity, you do get payment and you sign agreements/contracts.

To me, that indicates informed intent. The Cowboys didn't force him to attend that mini-camp, he was aware and chose to.

Seems like the SEC is trying to impose a sliding scale on this; if you're good enough to make an NFL active roster you're out. If you're good enough to have been invited to an NFL preseason camp (and you attended), you're out. If you're good enough to have attended a mini-camp beforehand, you're ok.

That shouldn't be the case, it should not be based on ability or success. This particular situation- class of 2022 guys who are wanting to claim their 5th year of eligibility, based on a recent ruling that they could, you need to either let them all do so, or let none. If you are going to look at NFL participation, then any NFL activity needs to be ruled a disqualifier.

Look at it this way, LSU has DJ Pickett and Harlem Berry, 2 true sophomores who were 5 star recruits. They obviously hope to one day progress to the NFL level. If they COULD do an NFL mini-camp, it would be organized work under qualified coaches during a period they aren't allowed official practice with their college team. Lots of guys go somewhere on their own to advance their skills... certainly this would be a great opportunity. For the NFL team, this would be camp bodies. If it doesn't make you ineligible, you absolutely should do it. But they can't.

So why does this Texas guy get to do that?

If you never get paid by NFL team, then you were never an NFL player. If a player comes back and never actually got paid by the NFL team then it’s probably OK to come back and play college ball, but if they received any type of money, they should be eliminated.