First off, how freaking amazing is it that a guy who no one had even heard of on Thanksgiving, is holding a press conference to announce not entering the draft on Jan. 15 and everyone having an opinion about it?
That being said, after 3 games of an NCAA career, should Jones go pro?
The case against it is obvious. He’s not ready to play in the NFL, he needs to develop, and it will take serious time to do that. It will be hard to do that in the league, and he would obviously benefit from more playing time.
On the other hand, every other option is just as risky. Going back to OSU? He might not get any playing time there either, and even if he does, it might not go as well as the last three games have. Transfer to another school? Sit out a year and have the world forget about you?
See the problem here for Cardale? Every option has serious risks.
Of course, only one of those risky options includes Cardale getting paid. Could we really blame a guy for “striking while the iron is hot” and trying to cash in on his moment? I don’t see how we could.
How nice would it be if there was a minor league for the NFL where he could get paid, and develop by playing in actual games? A pipe dream, I know.
Obviously, based on what he said though, he chose the one option that wasn’t as risky. At the end of the day, he’s a hero in Columbus, always will be, and finishing his education will go a long way toward making sure he has a bright future, even if it’s not in the NFL. He’s come a long way from the kid who “Didn’t come here to play school”. That’s impressive in and of itself.
Good luck Cardale!
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