Tom Sorenson, a sports writer for the Charlotte Observer, suggested on Monday that South Carolina star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney should sit out the 2013 season. Sorenson’s point is that he has nothing to gain from playing another season. Most people feel that Clowney would be the #1 pick if he was eligible for this year, and Sorenson uses Marcus Lattimore as an example that staying in school too long can only hurt your draft stock.
If you’re Clowney, what do you do? Give the school everything you have and try to upend the Crimson Tide?
Play not to get hurt?
Or sign with an agent, get assigned coaches and trainers and spend the season pumping up and preparing for the pros?
If Clowney doesn’t return to Columbia, South Carolina would be cheated.
At the moment, only Clowney is.
Sorenson brings up an interesting point, no doubt, and injuries are absolutely a concern. But I think that it would reflect poorly on Clowney as a person if he chose to sit out next year. It would tell NFL executives/scouts, that he cares more about himself than the team that he is on. Plus, not playing for an entire year could hurt his development as a player and not make him as NFL-ready as he would be coming off a full college football season. I don’t think that Clowney would ever consider doing something like this, but other high-profile college football players could in the future.
[Herald Online]