issue 14 / volume 40

Educated risks

 

Eric Wilkins
Sports Editor
be MA sports
we ly @theotherpress.ca
[I the time of year when
college football players

make their decision whether

to declare for the NFL early or
head back for another year of
grooming—it’s a choice many
get wrong. Completely wrong.

The initial thought
through the minds of many is
to go for the bright lights and
substantial financial draw of
the NFL as soon as possible,
but, as with many get-rich-
quick schemes, the end result
doesn’t always match up with
one’s hopes. There is no such
thing as a sure thing.

Former Ole Miss
quarterback Jevan Snead
was thought of as a potential
first overall pick coming out
of his sophomore season;
however, his draft stock took
a substantial hit when he
threw 20 touchdowns and
20 interceptions as a junior.
Unwilling to head back for
his senior year, and perhaps
believing teams would still
value the potential he had
flashed previously, Snead
declared for the draft. Not a
single team was interested,
and Snead watched seven
rounds fly by without his name
called. He got a brief look as an
undrafted free agent with the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the
Tampa Bay Storm (of the Arena
Football League) but neither
worked out. For all intents
and purposes, his professional
football career is over.

With that in mind,
returning to school may seem
to be the obvious route, but
there are risks associated
with this as well. No player,
no matter how good, is ever
guaranteed a good season.
Along with this, injuries are
a constant threat. Throw
together a bad year and an

» Whether prospects should enter the NFL Draft early

: injury, and you've got the

: makings of a perfect storm

: down the rankings. A confident
: campaign for a Heisman can

: quickly turn into a nightmare.

: USC quarterback Matt Barkley:

: he was projected as a top-10

: pick for the 2012 draft, but

: citing “unfinished business”

: he put the NFL on hold and

: headed back for his senior

: season. He had a miserable

: go of it. Barkley struggled,

: finished on the injury

: list, and USC ultimately ,
: lost six games. He

: was drafted in the

: fourth round by the
: Philadelphia Eagles. 4

: the above examples,

: there is no set

: answer for whether

: players should try for

: the NFL early or keep

: playing college ball;

: however, a good rule

: of thumb is to make the
: jump while the going’s

: good. Staying in school
: is all fine and dandy, but let’s

: face it, most of these guys are

: never going to make use of that
: expensive piece of paper and

:a college championship isn't

: going to pay any bills. If getting
: drafted high is as close toa

: sure thing as possible, then go

: for it. On the flip-side, if the

: projections aren't looking

: good, don’t force it.

sports // 19

   
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
     
 
    
   
 
  
  
   
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
  
 
  
 
 
  

‘ie.

’

A recent example is former

As illustrated by