Jake Butt and Future Bowl Games

[mopkins]

Saw some interesting analysis from Adam Schefter this morning. He was talking about how Jake Butt tore his ACL in the Orange Bowl and because of that injury he plummeted to the 5th round in the NFL draft. He basically said that this will be the go-to reason for massive amounts of players skipping bowl games in the future.

Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffery both skipped their bowl games and then both got drafted within the top 10. So there's proof that there is nothing at all to gain by playing in that final bowl game so close to the combine/draft and millions to lose.

Expect to see this a LOT more often in the future.

 

[tksirius]

Kind of how I feel about Dez playing in the senior game.

 

[westender]

If it is not the playoff, what does it really matter? Leave it up to the kids to decide if want to sit out to not be hurt ahead of the draft. Always kids behind those that want to play. If they start doing it toward end of regular season then we will have issues. What if a team is like 3 - 7 or something like that. Fine line between quitting on the team and saving youself and how the NFL GMs look at you.

 

[mopkins]

If it is not the playoff, what does it really matter? Leave it up to the kids to decide if want to sit out to not be hurt ahead of the draft. Always kids behind those that want to play. If they start doing it toward end of regular season then we will have issues. What if a team is like 3 - 7 or something like that. Fine line between quitting on the team and saving youself and how the NFL GMs look at you.

I agree. I think the problem is that the bowl games are so late in the season and so close to the combine/draft. So a player can either:

A) play in their bowl game, for no reason other than school pride, and risk injury 2 months before the combine
B) Hire an agent and start preparing for the combine and draft

If you're expected to get drafted, I think the choice is simple really. It actually makes no sense to play in your bowl game.

There are already way too many bowl games...and in a couple years you might start seeing the top 5 players on each team not even participating.

 

[Fryowa]

I'm not in favor of kids punking out on the rest of their team and I've said as much in the past, but if this sort of thing hurts the current bowl system and leads to the elimination of the Music City/Foster Farms/Pinstripe/Vagisil bottom feeder bowl games then I'm all for it. A 6-6 team should not be playing in in the post season.

 

[Hawk1960]

There are good arguments on both side of this, but if I'm an NFL GM and a kid passes on a decent bowl game, for fear of getting hurt, that puts doubt in my mind regarding his loyalty to the team. On the flip side, a kid who does play and excel in a bowl game might raise his stock, so it can work both ways.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

I'm not in favor of kids punking out on the rest of their team and I've said as much in the past, but if this sort of thing hurts the current bowl system and leads to the elimination of the Music City/Foster Farms/Pinstripe/Vagisil bottom feeder bowl games then I'm all for it. A 6-6 team should not be playing in in the post season.

Yep, i'm with this thinking. If you are on a team that gets 9+ wins and gets a top 10-15 bowl game, I think you should play in the bowl game. If you are in a middling or lower tier bowl game and have a legit shot at a top 3-4 round draft pick, do what ya think is best.

Personally, i'll root for the guys who play, but I get why they don't.

If they are thinking it in December, they are playing like it in September, not necessarily sure I would want a player of this mindset on my college team, nor a guy I would be too keen on drafting....might get hurt in training camp. But I get it, If I had millions on the line and the ability to retire comfortably and take care of my entire family by my early 30's.....I get it. But those who take that money and go all "big baller"....meh.

 

[ibahawkeye]

Sets up perfectly for the NCAA to expand the playoff to more teams to help ensure guys have more to play for and won't sit out these post season games.

 

[mopkins]

There are good arguments on both side of this, but if I'm an NFL GM and a kid passes on a decent bowl game, for fear of getting hurt, that puts doubt in my mind regarding his loyalty to the team. On the flip side, a kid who does play and excel in a bowl game might raise his stock, so it can work both ways.

I used to agree with that thinking, but then you look at this draft. Like I said in my OP, Fournette and McCaffery both skipped their bowl games and it didn't impact their draft status at all...they both went top 10.

So it seems to suggest the GM's don't care a lick about loyalty. Which makes sense...after all, the NFL can sign you to a 3 year deal and cut you whenever they want to. There is no loyalty in the NFL.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

So what’s the over under on Wadley playing in a bowl game if Iowa ends up with 7-9 wins and doesn’t get to a “big” one? I can’t see him doing anything other than what McCaffery did. That dude just paved that path I think… Without a high dollar ins policy in your pocket it’s the prudent thing to do that any agent would advise… Butt lost big time money that just can’t be recouped even with his insurance pay out… 1st or 2nd round down to 5th is a long ways down. (Just as King)

 

[Fryowa]

So what’s the over under on Wadley playing in a bowl game if Iowa ends up with 7-9 wins and doesn’t get to a “big” one? I can’t see him doing anything other than what McCaffery did. That dude just paved that path I think… Without a high dollar ins policy in your pocket it’s the prudent thing to do that any agent would advise… Butt lost big time money that just can’t be recouped even with his insurance pay out… 1st or 2nd round down to 5th is a long ways down. (Just as King)

One thing to keep in mind is that even though these are kids, they're a different type of person from average Joes like us. They don't get to the position of being an early NFL draft pick by being passive, play it safe, cupcakes. When guys thrive on competing at a super high level they're probably not as quick to say,"Screw it; I'm done." They also have teammates who they've bled with for 4 years and I highly doubt they take that kind of decision lightly. 36 year old me has a whole different outlook on life and my future than what 20 year old me did, and while I'd probably sit now, my dumb, invincible, young kid ego wouldn't have let me then.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

One thing to keep in mind is that even though these are kids, they're a different type of person from average Joes like us. They don't get to the position of being an early NFL draft pick by being passive, play it safe, cupcakes. When guys thrive on competing at a super high level they're probably not as quick to say,"Screw it; I'm done." They also have teammates who they've bled with for 4 years and I highly doubt they take that kind of decision lightly. 36 year old me has a whole different outlook on life and my future than what 20 year old me did, and while I'd probably sit now, my dumb, invincible, young kid ego wouldn't have let me then.

Yup I totally get all that. It’s why there’ll be some exceptions here and there. What certainly is the case that isn’t much of a surprise is that the NFL teams don’t care and won’t hold it against you. None of the 7 teams that picked ahead of McCaffery didn’t take him because of him quitting early. If Joe Mixon with the baggage he’s got went in the 2nd round this type of deal is irrelevant and if anything the NFL would prefer to have a kid do this even if they wouldn’t publicly say so. I have no clue of Wadleys mind set on it. It’s just that as the seasons have gone on the agents have more cases to point to and say look that’s what your risking and here’s what the reward is. Do with that info what you want…

 

[koralakers]

Jeez. You have a FINITE number of college games you can even play. Why on earth skip the Bowl game (which is the 'Super Bowl' for every team that makes a bowl, even if not a playoff game).

 

[hawkdrummer1]

Sets up perfectly for the NCAA to expand the playoff to more teams to help ensure guys have more to play for and won't sit out these post season games.

I like the idea, but we're still only looking at about 16 teams.

 

[Duke]

Only the big bowl games truly matter. So games in Shreveport, Detroit, Nashville, Jacksonville etc. will soon be history.

 

[Fryowa]

Jeez. You have a FINITE number of college games you can even play. Why on earth skip the Bowl game (which is the 'Super Bowl' for every team that makes a bowl, even if not a playoff game).

Not justifying it, but if you're projected to be an early round pick and you get injured, it could cost you 10 or 20 million dollars like it did Jaylon Smith.

 

[Fryowa]

Only the big bowl games truly matter. So games in Shreveport, Detroit, Nashville, Jacksonville etc. will soon be history.

Hopefully.

 

[Fryowa]

I like the idea, but we're still only looking at about 16 teams.

To me that's about right though.

 

[ibahawkeye]

I like the idea, but we're still only looking at about 16 teams.

Agree... it's not going to stop everybody from sitting. But this is also just the first year and guys like Christian McCaffrey took a lot of public scrutiny by choosing to sit. Now with hindsight we can see it was probably a good decision as it didn't seem to hurt/affect his draft status and on the flip side you see a guy like Jake Butt who dropped significantly. I think more and more guys will be sitting in the future based on these results.

Now if the NCAA is able to expand the playoffs like as you mentioned to possibly 16 teams at least you're not having guys sit out New years Day type bowl games as they would likely to be playoff games if they do indeed expand.

 

[phdsvp]

I'm all for the top programs skipping bowl games entirely if they aren't in the playoff or games like the Rose Bowl. If you really have 5-10 senior draft prospects on the team, don't go play in the Foster Farms Bowl. Pack it in and go recruit.