FanPost

Opt-in vs Opt-out guys come draft day??

Let's be honest here, we're all in FA mode and draft mode, and why not this is the time of the year where we can sit here and say I can't wait for next year and it's the year to turn it around. One thing I've yet to really so discussed when it comes the guy that choose to play vs the guy the choose to opt-out of the 2020 season. It's been an unprecedented year in how guys approached in and opted out vs playing, and on that subject to each his own.

Let's get down to brass tax on this though, is a team going to view the opt-out guy better or grade him out better than a guy who choose to play?? These are guys that by the time training camp starts haven't seen real football competition for over a year and a half, I don't care what type of training they've done there's nothing that can simulate game play. Also these guys will have a year less film on them, which leads a team to have to gauge solely off film from the previous season and not seeing that growth or development from year to the next. A great example is D. Smith, if he opted out there's no way we're talking about a top 5 guy but he played and showed everyone his growth.

Most will remember years ago Maurice Clarrett challenging the ruling and trying to enter the draft because he had gotten into trouble and didn't want to wait it out at OSU. For as good as Clarrett was it never worked out for him in the NFL, now he was out 2 years, but let's not forget Mike Williams from USC regarded as the #1 WR in the country at the time also tried to follow suit and enter the draft only to be denied. He was still drafted that following year at #10 overall and he would matchup with exactly what these guys are doing in terms of not seeing live football. Williams was an absolute stud in college:

Awards and honors

  • Second-team All-Pac-10 (2002)
  • Pac-10 Freshman of the Year (2002)
  • First-team Sporting News Freshman All-American (2002)
  • Honorable mention All-American (2002)
  • First-team All-Pac-10 (2003)
  • Consensus First-team All-American (2003)
  • Biletnikoff Award finalist (2003)
  • Heisman Trophy finalist (2003)
  • CBS Sportsline.com National Player of the Year (2003)
  • Sporting News National Player of the Year (2003)

So now if you're a team picking in the top 10 does this factor into your decision?? Some players might only have 1 true year of starting under their belt and then they took this year off but they are draft eligible. Look at Trey Lance before this season started he was possibly in the running for the #2 QB taken, but seems now that Fields, Wilson and possibly even Mac Jones have passed him by because NDSU didn't have a season. If you're a team drafting in those high positions you might be waiting 2/3 into the season if at all their 1st year to acclimate to football again and now you're doing it against the best of the best. So if you're a scout, GM or owner where does this weigh in at come decision time when you're on the clock. Let's look at the Bengals for instance guys that have been linked to this team, Sewell, Slater, Chase, and even some have mentioned Parsons all sat out this past season. Guys like D. Smith and Surtain 2 positions of need and highly talented players are sitting there at #5, at this point does it matter if a guy took a year off or not to a team in need of a player NOW??

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan, which is as important as the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors.