Imagine you’re a recent college graduate taking phone calls from National Football League (NFL) front office executives, and the subject is this: they love your ability as an offensive player, and want you to play for their team … for if not millions of dollars, close to it. Then, right in the middle of these life-changing conversations, you get another call.

It’s the United States Air Force Academy, your alma mater, and they have an update. It’s about your active-duty service commitment. The one that, in the past, was nothing but a rubber stamp away from being postponed so that you or someone like you could pursue a dream like playing for the New England Patriots or the Denver Broncos. And prosper.

Yeah, they’re not going to let you or anyone else do that anymore. No more deferments. That’s it.

This is more or less what happened to Jalen Robinette, the academy’s all-time leading receiver, over the weekend.

This from the USAF, via the Denver Post:

“The Air Force notified Academy officials (Thursday) that the service would not approve requests to waiver active duty military service commitments for cadet athletes. Cadets will be required to serve two years active duty prior to entering Ready Reserve status, which would permit their participation in professional sports.”

To be clear, the change isn’t in the Department of Defense’s policy, nor is it with any of the other branches. It’s strictly the USAF. They’re not allowing any academy graduates apply for Ready Reserve status.

Robinette, an Ohio native, was expected to be taken in the final four rounds of the NFL Draft, which concluded on Saturday.