Stallworth decides not to appeal NCAA decision

Posted 6:52AM on Tuesday 5th February 2002 ( 23 years ago )

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - Receiver Donte Stallworth will not play at Tennessee next season after all and instead will try to go pro. Stallworth, who changed his mind about entering the NFL draft last month, told university officials on Monday he did not want to appeal the NCAA's decision to deny his eligibility for a final season at Tennessee. ``I wish he had gone through the appeals process, but he expressed to me he wanted to go on to the NFL and make the most of his opportunities,'' coach Phillip Fulmer said. Stallworth, a junior from Sacramento, Calif., announced on Jan. 10 he was leaving the university early to enter the draft but changed his mind before the NFL's deadline the next day. The NFL office retrieved his paperwork, eliminating his name from the early-entry draft list. But NCAA rules stipulate that even the intention to enter the draft results in lost eligibility. To complicate matters, Stallworth met with Memphis agent Jimmy Sexton and received nearly $1,300 in benefits, including airfare for his brother and a dinner, before he changed his mind. Stallworth and Sexton said no agreement was made for Sexton to represent him. Stallworth repaid Sexton using his Pell Grant money. Sexton said providing airfare for a family member while a player is deciding which agent to use is common practice in the business and does not signify an agreement has been made. Tennessee sent the NCAA a Jan. 16 request to reinstate Stallworth's eligibility. Last week, NCAA staff rejected it. Stallworth could have appealed the decision to a reinstatement committee but decided against it. Apparently no other dealings with agents or activities occurred that could have compromised Stallworth's appeal. ``Not that I'm aware of,'' Fulmer said. ``That was the first thing I asked him.'' Fulmer said he felt like the university had a good case for Stallworth and possibly even a precedent-setting one. ``I discussed that with him,'' Fulmer said. Without knowing how long the committee would take to make a decision, Stallworth could have lost time preparing for the NFL combine if his appeal had been denied. The combine begins Feb. 28, and the draft is held in April. NFL officials have said they did not expect it would be difficult to have Stallworth's name restored on the early-entry draft list. Stallworth is the second underclassman from Tennessee to declare himself eligible for the draft. Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth also chose to leave early while receiver Kelley Washington decided to stay another year.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/2/199221