Three Underclassmen Exploring NFL
- Thread starter Orlaco
- Start date
I doubt Worley would get drafted. I'd be amazed if Shell did. Smallwood is a late round guy, maybe.
As long as they don't hook up with agents, they can get an objective appraisal of their likely draft status and some input on what the League thinks are their strengths and weaknesses.
RBs actually should consider going early more than any other position. They have limited NFL career-spans for the most part and the potential extra year of making money (and maybe qualifying for a pension) could be significant. A year in college as a 200 or more carry guy probably takes as much or more off your shelf life as does a year in the NFL because most will have many fewer touches as a rookint in the NFL compared to what thety would get that last year in school. You could also get badly injured and miss out entirely.
Smallwood should give it some serious consideration, depending on what he is told. One thing is it can depend on what you are told are seen as your negatives. Some things you can improve but others (size, speed,..) you really can't. If the main negative is they tell you your lack of high end speed is an issue, you're not going to be faster the following year. If they tell you you need to learn to cut back into thehole better or things like that, you might be able to impress them more with a nother year.
Unless the other 2 just hate school they need to return.
As long as they don't hook up with agents, they can get an objective appraisal of their likely draft status and some input on what the League thinks are their strengths and weaknesses.
RBs actually should consider going early more than any other position. They have limited NFL career-spans for the most part and the potential extra year of making money (and maybe qualifying for a pension) could be significant. A year in college as a 200 or more carry guy probably takes as much or more off your shelf life as does a year in the NFL because most will have many fewer touches as a rookint in the NFL compared to what thety would get that last year in school. You could also get badly injured and miss out entirely.
Smallwood should give it some serious consideration, depending on what he is told. One thing is it can depend on what you are told are seen as your negatives. Some things you can improve but others (size, speed,..) you really can't. If the main negative is they tell you your lack of high end speed is an issue, you're not going to be faster the following year. If they tell you you need to learn to cut back into thehole better or things like that, you might be able to impress them more with a nother year.
Unless the other 2 just hate school they need to return.
The lost value is a reason to think more about leaving early not less. The fact is that many teams would rather pay a young player less money than an older one more with the exception of the elite RBs.
If you get cut at say 27-28 and your career ends, it's better if your career was one year longer.
If you get cut at say 27-28 and your career ends, it's better if your career was one year longer.
Someone better talk to these young fellers. They will all need that degree soon. Don't get me wrong. They're all extremely talented but...................the NFL is extremely competitive.
I happen to agree with you about RB's, but if Worley (or his agent) somehow gets the impression he might get drafted high......not sure he can attend the Combine without declaring.......I'd bet a fair amount of money he goes. You also fail (apparently) to recognize that a fair percentage of these kinds of players didn't attend college for an education.
And regardless what anyone happen to thinks about his relative importance to the Program, I myself will be shocked if Shell is at WVU next season.
It is true that most of the kids head out to college with stars in their eyes. However, most of the glitter is gone by the time they make their Junior year or thereabouts and they realize it ain't gonna happen. That's when the wise kids turn their attention to getting a degree.
What % of the college players actually make an NFL roster and then.............how many stick on a team long enough to make their careers (financially) in football?
What % of the college players actually make an NFL roster and then.............how many stick on a team long enough to make their careers (financially) in football?
They don't have agents (at least not legally) . They can't work out for teams or anything like that. Right now, they just submit paperwork essentially saying they are thinking about it and then get a report detailing where people who know the NFL (GMs and personnel directors) think they might be drafted and a critique. If they officially declare for the draft next month they become ineligible. Invites for the combine only go to people officially in the draft.
I have no actual information whether Shell will be on the team next year. If he graduates he could play DI next year without sitting out. If he's not graduating he can only transfer down and have eligibility to play next season. He can't sit out a year because next year will be his 5th. I don't know what he is thinking but I don't think he has a chance of even sniffing the draft in April. His best chance for 2017 would probably be if Smallwood does leave and he gets to show he has dramatically improved.
Worley is not an NFL level corner. He'd be better in college at safety because he lacks elite corner speed, agility and balance. He could not play corner in the NFL. In terms of getting drafted, his best prospect probably would be for 2017, if he played safety for us and did well. I doubt that happens as we are thin at corner and he's the only one coming back with much experience. I don't see Worley as a guy anyone would view as having such elite athleticism that he'd get drafted as a project.
Smallwood is the one who has the hardest decision. If he's told he's a late round selection, he has to give it a lot of consideration. Unless he is told he could substantially improve his stock by improving on something it is possible to improve (skills such as blocking, receiving, etc.) as opposed to being told he's a late round guy because of physical traits -- his size and speed, which are not going to change significantly no matter how hard he works-- he has to think hard about spending an extra year of his limited career in the NFL.
I have no actual information whether Shell will be on the team next year. If he graduates he could play DI next year without sitting out. If he's not graduating he can only transfer down and have eligibility to play next season. He can't sit out a year because next year will be his 5th. I don't know what he is thinking but I don't think he has a chance of even sniffing the draft in April. His best chance for 2017 would probably be if Smallwood does leave and he gets to show he has dramatically improved.
Worley is not an NFL level corner. He'd be better in college at safety because he lacks elite corner speed, agility and balance. He could not play corner in the NFL. In terms of getting drafted, his best prospect probably would be for 2017, if he played safety for us and did well. I doubt that happens as we are thin at corner and he's the only one coming back with much experience. I don't see Worley as a guy anyone would view as having such elite athleticism that he'd get drafted as a project.
Smallwood is the one who has the hardest decision. If he's told he's a late round selection, he has to give it a lot of consideration. Unless he is told he could substantially improve his stock by improving on something it is possible to improve (skills such as blocking, receiving, etc.) as opposed to being told he's a late round guy because of physical traits -- his size and speed, which are not going to change significantly no matter how hard he works-- he has to think hard about spending an extra year of his limited career in the NFL.
Smallwood has size, speed and good hands, things that can't be coached.The NFL is about versatility and he has it.
I wouldn't undersell Worley. Joseph getting hurt had Worley stuck doing as much on field coaching as he did playing this year.
Shell must have a head full of rocks. He's not exceptionally fast and he rarely runs behind or follows blocks.
If Smallwood says he's coming back, I'll take his word for it. My feel with Worley is he wants to go. It will depend on how heavy this draft is with corners and nickle backs. Shell, I can't see him in the NFL at all.
I wouldn't undersell Worley. Joseph getting hurt had Worley stuck doing as much on field coaching as he did playing this year.
Shell must have a head full of rocks. He's not exceptionally fast and he rarely runs behind or follows blocks.
If Smallwood says he's coming back, I'll take his word for it. My feel with Worley is he wants to go. It will depend on how heavy this draft is with corners and nickle backs. Shell, I can't see him in the NFL at all.
More kids falling into the WVU talent abyss. How many have we see play at WVU and have a decent year, get a lot of internal pub (often from folks not really qualified to do any such evaluation), decide they are among the world's elite and make the jump to a league where the pay may be potentially more substantial? How many have been successful with this move? I am old enough to recall a whole lot of kids who jumped for the money without considering their real potential for success with the move. Sure, some may have made a little money, most never made anything near the 'big time'. Many never got their degree (or returned numerous years later to continue working toward that goal). Kids who are decent to good players need to recognize that the neighbors who work for minimum wage are not the ones to listen to regarding the 'future'. Don't fall for the false hope and, especially, the inflated ego that makes slightly above average play become super human accomplishment. Many use the 'poverty' play as their motivation to get the money NOW. Most have lived through 2 or 3 or more years of college and it's "poverty". Without the degree and gamble to seek the quick check is a potential dead end toward further, future monetary inadequacy. Stay and play and get the degree. If the skill is really there for the 'big money' it will still exist after the degree has been granted. Be smart--don't mine iron pyrite and think this worthless glitter is gold.
Shell is an experienced, and decent (for college), backup RB. Thomas-Williams has shown very little thus far and he's the only other true RB with any size. Smallwood is, evidently, not considered to be very durable or he would have been given more carries. Even if Smallwood does return, I think we're better off having Shell. If Smallwood leaves, Shell, if not the starter, is definitely going to get a lot of carries.
We're not exactly so overflowing with talent we can say that anyone who is good enough to play won't be a loss. There is a huge difference between being good enough for the NFL and good enough to be a very valuable contributor for WVU.
We're not exactly so overflowing with talent we can say that anyone who is good enough to play won't be a loss. There is a huge difference between being good enough for the NFL and good enough to be a very valuable contributor for WVU.