It shouldn't be free and players should get paid. The NCAA has tried to change that with the new rules, but hasn't done enough. Instead of going to college to get a meaningless degree, players should go straight into a football "job," get paid full time, and ideally be tought about financial responsibility. That would be the best for these young men.
Most college players don't make it to the NFL. I hope that more and more of these guys choose to forego a college team and choose to be developed on an actual pro-style team.
Despite not being an official farm league for the NFL, this could still lead to promising young players making the jump.