Why wasn't herschel walker eligible for the 1984 nfl draft?

Answer 1

Herschel Walker was eligible for the 1984 NFL draft. However, Walker was already playing professional football at the time, for the New Jersey Generals of the now defunct USFL.

Walker was the star of the USFL. Unlike the NFL at the time, the USFL allowed college juniors to enter their draft. The NFL draft eligibility requirements at the time stated a player was un eligible until his college class had graduated. So Walker entered the USFL draft in 1983 one year before his NFL eligibility kicked in. Why wasn't he drafted? Simply put - No NFL team exercised their rights to draft him in 1984.

However in 1985, things were a bit different. The USFL was involved with an anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL. To some owners in the NFL is was apparent the USFL was not going to last. The Dallas Cowboys took a chance and secured the rights to Walker by drafting him with the 114th overall selection.

When the USFL folded, Walker signed with the Dallas Cowboys.