Matt Barkley Says No to NFL

Added on Dec 23, 2011 by Scott in

NCAAF

In a decision echoing the one Pac-12 compatriot Andrew Luck made a year ago, USC quarterback Matt Barkley has elected to return to school for his senior season rather than enter the 2012 NFL Draft. Barkley was widely considered to be a top-ten selection, but with Luck already a shoo-in to be the number one pick, and Heisman winner Robert Griffin III mulling his own decision to declare, the writing was on the wall for the Trojan to come back to campus.

His reasons for staying are simple, yet rare in today’s college landscape where the lure of big money is great.

“I have firmly decided to forgo the NFL draft in 2012 and finish the unique journey I have started at USC,” Barkley said.

That journey could end in a BCS title. With Barkley back in the fold, the Trojans will be the frontrunners in the Pac-12 and a legitimate Top 5 team heading into next season. In addition, the senior signal-caller will be the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 3,528 yards, 39 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in 2011.

He also led USC to a 10-2 record, which could’ve been enough to win the conference title had NCAA sanctions not prevented them from participating. Being clear of the punishment that has plagued the program for the last two years, the opportunity to compete for a national title was too good to pass up.

The decision to stay is not without risks. Despite not being the number one pick, Barkley would’ve been a definite first-rounder and potentially a top-five candidate had he made himself eligible for the draft. A poor senior campaign or an injury could lower his profile in 2013. There are no guarantees when it comes to projecting where a player might be drafted a year from now.

However, the NFL’s new rookie wage scale makes it less of a gamble to grab a quarterback in the first round. The days of handing out bloated contracts to unproven rookies are over. To put this in perspective, ex-Trojan Matt Leinart received a 6-year, $51 million contract as the tenth overall pick in 2006. Cam Newton, who went number one overall in 2011, was given a 4-year, $22 million deal.

Bottom line: Barkley staying put is good for USC and good for college football.

Source: NFL.com