Jalen Robinette goes undrafted after Air Force changes policy

Jalen Robinette went undrafted this weekend, and a change in the Air Force Academy’s policy had a big reason to do with that.

Robinette is the Air Force’s all-time leader in receiving yards and was projected as a potential mid-round pick. He had been training and preparing for the draft, but then he got some awful news on Thursday night.

The Air Force changed its policy and decided not to allow athletes the chance to defer their two years of active duty to pursue a professional sports career. Consequently, Robinette was not chosen in the draft.

Last year Navy’s Keenan Reynolds was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the draft. That was under the Department of Defense’s policy, which allowed athletes to apply to have their active duty deferred on a case-by-case basis. The DOD’s policy remains the same, but the Air Force decided not to allow athletes the chance to defer their service.

This new rule is unfortunate for Robinette, who had been training and working out thinking that he would be allowed to join a team. He already attended the Air Force knowing he would be serving his country first and himself second, but to work and prepare the way he did and only be told the day of the draft that the rules were changing has to be disheartening for anyone.

Robinette says he is not going to stop playing football just because of the new rule.

You're out of your mind if you think I'm gonna let someone else hang up my cleats. Momma raised me better than that

— Jalen Robinette (@Jalen_Robinette) April 30, 2017