The Air Force Academy has blocked wide receiver Jalen Robinette from graduating for unknown reasons, as Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post details. The decision has put his professional football future in limbo. 
“Cadet Robinette was removed from the graduation lineup after academy leadership became aware of information that called into question cadet Robinette’s eligibility/qualification to graduate and commission,” Bowden said. “Cadet Robinette’s graduation and commissioning will be placed on hold while we further evaluate. Due to privacy-related concerns, we are unable to comment on the circumstances. We can say that the circumstances do not involve any allegations of criminal wrongdoing and are unrelated to cadet Robinette’s professional football pursuits.”
Heading into the draft, Robinette was seen as a potential Day 3 pick. Unfortunately for him, the Department of Defense rescinded a rule change from 2016 which allowed for players from the service academies to defer their service in order to pursue professional sports. After he was blocked from immediately jumping to the NFL, he intended on going to the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School as a graduate assistant. Now that his graduation has been put on hold, he could wind up having to serve as an enlisted member of the Air Force. Alternatively, he could be asked to pay back his tuition to the academy. The latter scenario wouldn’t be ideal for Robinette, but he could theoretically go pro and pay back his tuition with whatever signing bonus he receives.
Earlier this year, Robinette competed in rookie minicamps for the Patriots and Bills with the hope that he would be signed to a three-year undrafted free agent contract and placed on the reserve/military list while he fulfilled his active duty.
He would need a $200,000-$300,000 bonus to pay the DOD back. Would he get that?
He could hope to make a roster. The minimum salary signing bonus should fo it.
Also, I think they’ll make him serve an enlistment period. The DOD will want to set a precedent. Otherwise, you’ll occasionally have a draft prospect intentionally flunk a class to avoid the service requirement and play for the NFL
I think they should release him from the commitment. There should be a rule that allows any player drafted or signed by a team to be released from any and all commitments.
I don’t agree with that. These players go to military schools fully knowing that they will have to fulfill a service requirement. If you want a future in the NFL, go to another school.
The same can be said of military schools. They should be flexible with top athletes if they want to continue to land top athletes. When those teams start going 0-12 and lose money, then I bet the rules change.
Do you think the Military Academies make like the big football schools? The students know their commitments when they agree/accepted into these Academies .
I disagree with this. Student athletes at service academies should be allowed to pursue pro careers contingent upon repayment of funds to the government, or serving their time in the reserves.
Having served in the Air Force for 22 years my opinion is that if these young men can pay back the services they could do reserve duty in the summers for 4 years so they can pursue a NFL career.