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NFL Teams Hear Darnold and Jackson Inclined to Return to School

Updated Jan. 3, 2018
By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.

As the deadline approaches for underclassmen to declare for the 2018 NFL Draft, many pro prospects are weighing the risk and reward aspects of jumping to the professional ranks. Two prospects who are facing a tough decision are USC quarterback Sam Darnold and Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson. For weeks and months, scouts have been saying that Darnold would prefer to return to USC for 2018. Jackson's plans and feelings have been more of an unknown. As detailed by a few team sources, NFL teams are hearing that both have an inclination to return to school for next year.

On Wednesday, a NFC director of college scouting said this about what he has heard about Darnold and Jackson: "I've been told they both would prefer to return [to school] and are weighing the business odds more than anything."

Darnold has a recent USC example with Matt Barkley who could give him pause on going back to school. Barkley could have been a high first-rounder in the 2012 NFL Draft before deciding to return for another season. That year didn't go well, and Barkley fell to the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. After four seasons, he has been on four different teams while quickly becoming a journeyman backup quarterback. Darnold has a better skill set than Barkley, but the business decision to return to USC ended up backfiring on Barkley, and that same decision is something that Darnold is pondering.

Jackson is an interesting prospect as team sources across the league are higher on him and his NFL potential than how he is being portrayed in the media. One high-ranking AFC personnel executive had this to say about the suggestion that Jackson should switch positions and isn't viewed as a high quarterback prospect, "It's unfortunate, much like [Deshaun] Watson. Lamar's the most dynamic player in the draft."

Scouts do feel that Jackson needs to add weight for the NFL and improve his accuracy. The dual-threat quarterback also has to consider the injury risk of returning to school and how that could impact where he goes in the 2019 NFL Draft.

As part of the business decision on whether to go or not go pro, Darnold and Jackson could look to purchase insurance policies if they end up not going high in the 2019 NFL Draft. A lot is up in the air as players can change their minds and they get a lot of pressure from family members, coaches, and agents this time of year. Days after their 2017 seasons ended, NFL teams are hearing that Darnold and Jackson would prefer to return to school for next year.






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