Joe McKnight Declares for NFL Draft Amid Controversy

Just when the NCAA gets a whiff of another USC tailback receiving gifts, (no, the SUV was bought for his girlfriend because she’s a nice person!) said tailback departs the program and heads for the NFL.

While McKnight is not the first or last, this is all too typical.  Leave the school behind holding the bag.  Obviously this is what type of person Joe McKnight is.  But he begs to differ.

“The time is right,” McKnight said. “This was my first healthy season and I really don’t want to come back and risk injury.”

That’s the best he could come up with?  Now put yourself in a NFL GM’s shoes.  I bet you can’t wait to draft that guy!  That’s the most ringing endorsement for an NFL running back I have ever heard.

1. He is obviously greedy.  He put his team and university at risk by letting his girlfriend accept gifts.  Of course he knew she got it because of him and whether or not it is technically wrong, it violates that spirit of amateurism.  He could care less about that.  Look more closely at his comment and you’ll see that he is more concerned with a contract that he is sure he will lose due to inevitable injury.

2. He is admittedly injury prone, which is a major red flag for a GM looking for an NFL tailback.  He is so afraid he might get hurt by college kids that he’s going to sign a contract, collect his signing bonus and at least get paid to be hurt.  And he won’t have to worry about all those pesky NCAA officials and their stupid rules and regulations.

So he’s either afraid he’s going to get hurt, running from the rules or both.  Either way, if I’m an NFL GM or a draft talent evaluator, I’m staying far away from this guy.