No, Ive never been a college athlete. But again, no one is making college athletes continue to stay in college or continue to be an athlete if doing one or both is too hard. I am not denying the fact it may be difficult, but its also not the only difficulty facing college students, and athletes arent the only ones who have full time jobs while attending college. Your statement that kids from good financial homes struggle in school is a little baseless, I dont doubt its true, but also not an outlier.
I also dont feel like its up to College to prepare someone for life. You pay to learn, not for them to make you more mature. That should start with parents, and be coupled with the fact that by 18 or 19 years old you shouldnt be a complete child any longer. I dont disagree that the NCAA is a sham, but I am also not going to feel bad for student athletes who do profit from both being in college and also being an athlete.
Also on your point about being made to go to college...no one, not a single person has ever been "made" to go to college. They could just as easily not go to college, which means they wouldnt be able to pursue the NFL. Kind of like how I couldnt pursue my job without going to college.
Furthermore, can we please do away with the poor kid from the South makes it big stereotype like everyone who guys to Alabama to play football is some podunk idiot with superior physical talents like Shaq's character in Blue Chips? The one which Rosen seems to reference here. I dont have the stats, but athletes are groomed long before they enter college and passing, lineman and other camps arent cheap.