There have been weeks of uncertainty about whether or not Terrelle Pryor would be eligible to play in the NFL this season.

And even if the troubled ex-Ohio State quarterback was eligible, would a team choose as its 2012 draft pick in this summer’s supplemental draft an unknown talent who comes with baggage like Pryor's?

All the uncertainty ended Monday afternoon when the Oakland Raiders organization selected Pryor with the 18th pick of the third round. The Raiders gave up their third–round pick in next spring’s draft as a result.

"We're tickled and thrilled that Terrelle went in the third round and to the Raiders," Pryor’s agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN.com. "The third round is quite an accomplishment for a young man who had his pro day 48 hours ago and didn't know he would be in the draft until Thursday morning and wasn't able to meet with any decision makers."

It has certainly been a whirlwind for Pryor, who decided to leave school in June with the intent of turning pro this summer amid an NCAA investigation into impermissible gifts he may have received while he was a student–athlete with the Buckeyes. Pryor had already been suspended for five games to begin this college season after a memorabilia-for-tattoos scandal was unearthed. Head coach Jim Tressel was forced out at Ohio State along the way.

The NFL didn’t make a decision on allowing Pryor into the draft until this past Thursday, pushing the supplemental draft back from last Wednesday to Monday. The NFL ruled last Thursday that, while Pryor would be eligible to be drafted and play this season, he would still have to sit out the first five games to protect the integrity of the NFL draft.

Pryor had two days after finding out he would eligible for the supplemental draft to prepare to work out for NFL teams in Pennsylvania over the weekend. Apparently, the Raiders were impressed with whatever they saw. He was orignally projected to go no earlier than the fourth round and, possibly, not at all.

It’s still unknown if the organization will look at Pryor as a quarterback or wide receiver.

He reportedly jumped on an airplane Monday to head out to the Bay Area, where the real work begins, as Rosenhaus and the Raiders get ready to negotiate a contract for Pryor that will either be based on this year’s pay scale or the project pay scale for next season.

Contact Terrance Harris at terrancefharris@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @Terranceharris

 (Photo: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)