When mock draft predictions turn out wrong, it is often because these predictions are made… When mock draft predictions turn out wrong, it is often because these predictions are made before draft-day trades in which picks change hands. Last year, mock drafts went awry when the Minnesota Vikings took too long to pick.

This year, there is another little twist that may change some predictions.

On Monday, the National Football League’s appeal on the a court decision that allowed Maurice Clarett and several other players who are not three years removed from high school to enter into the 2004 NFL Draft, will be heard.

This appeal is being heard less than a week before the draft because the NFL would prefer that this be settled before the draft occurs. Representatives of the NFL went before a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals back on March 30 to persuade them to reverse the lower court’s decision. The panel decided that oral arguments would be heard at later date — this Monday.

The panel could make an immediate ruling on Clarett’s eligibility in the NFL draft, and chaos may ensue.

If the court rules in favor of the NFL, any players who were ineligible for the draft under the old rules who went to the trouble of hiring agents will no longer be eligible to play college football.

What will they do, and will the NCAA be forced to let them back in?

The decision will not just affect the NFL. There is a lot more weighing on this decision.

The commissioner of the National Basketball Association, David Stern, said on SportsCenter that he is waiting for the ruling, and hoping that the courts rule in favor of the NFL, so that he can put an end to players coming straight from high school to the NBA.

He expressed his feeling towards players straight out of high school in the NBA, and admitted that he knows players like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant (at least on the court) and Kevin Garnett have been great for the game, but their entries have opened a door for those who are truly not ready to step into the world of professional sports.

The NFL is afraid of the same thing occurring, and that is why it is appealing the court’s initial ruling.

And if the courts read into case law and follow precedent set before them, they should rule in favor of the NFL. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is allowed to refuse job applicants lacking college degrees. Doctors and lawyers are supposed to have college degrees, so why not athletes — professional athletes at that?

For lawyers and doctors, the nature of their job does make it more important for them to have an education as opposed to a football or basketball player, but the fact is, the law does not prevent firms or hospitals from setting educational requirements.

So why not the NFL or the NBA?

These are professional leagues, are they not?

This is why I hold that the NFL, and in essence, the NBA, should win their appeal on Monday.

So what exactly should be done?

The NFL and the NBA should be allowed to set an educational requirement for players, which would, in essence, set an age requirement.

I’m sorry, Mike Williams. I’m sorry, all you freshly graduated high school students who applied for the draft. And I’m sorry, Clarett. You all will have to wait your turn and go back, or even, just go to college for a couple years.

It’s not that tough.

Larry Fitzgerald did it. Donovan McNabb did it. And, believe it or not, Randy Moss did it as well.

Jimmy Johnson is a staff writer for The Pitt News, and he would like to take this space to thank his editor, Joe Marchilena, for all that he has done here at The Pitt News. Good luck, my friend.