DALLAS — Two years ago, Cardale Jones infamously let the world know that he didn’t come to Ohio State to “play school.”
As it turns out, he was right. Cardale Jones came to Columbus to win national championships.
The unlikeliest of heroes when the 2014 season began, Jones capped off an improbable three-game stretch on Monday night, leading the Buckeyes to the first-ever College Football Playoff championship with a 42-20 win over Oregon. But the Jones era at Ohio State may ultimately wind up as short as it’s been sweet, as the 6’5″, 250-pounder’s next step very well may be the NFL.
A third-year sophomore four years removed from high school graduation, Jones is eligible to enter the upcoming draft as an underclassmen. At 22 years old and with a newborn daughter at home, the timing seems to be right for Jones to turn pro, especially given the stellar three starts that comprise his college career.
That’s where Jones’ upcoming decision—he has until Jan. 15 (Thursday) to declare for the draft—becomes tricky. It’s hard to imagine a quarterback prospect having as small of a sample size as Jones has and getting picked early, although what Cleveland’s Glenville product has put on film could cause quite the conundrum inside draft war rooms.
“As an athlete, it’s all there. He’s huge. His arm is amazing. It would be the best arm in this year’s draft,” Bleacher Report Lead Draft Analyst Matt Miller told me. “He grades great throwing it to…
Continue Reading: Cardale Jones’ Case to Declare for the 2015 NFL Draft
