UCLA two-way star Myles Jack, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in September, announced that he has withdrawn from UCLA and will be entering the NFL Draft. It’s rare that these announcements are made in October, particularly for true juniors — though Georgia running back Todd Gurley did it last year — and Jack’s coach, Jim Mora, seems to think this is a bad idea.
Why is UCLA coach Jim Mora questioning Myles Jack’s draft stock?
Mora had some odd points.
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Mora: "I've been in 25 Draft rooms. I've never seen a guys taken off (two games of junior tape)." He's worried if scouts have enough film.
— Pete Thamel (@SIPeteThamel) October 6, 2015
Mora: "Myles talent is without question. I hope he's put enough out there where they can get a true evaluation." No flyers in Round 1.
— Pete Thamel (@SIPeteThamel) October 6, 2015
"The timing caught me by surprise but I don't hold any ill will...I support him 100 percent" -- Mora on Jack's decision.
— Matt Joye (@mattjoye) October 6, 2015
Those are some interesting comments from Mora. The tape comments are erroneous, too, as many players are drafted off just two years of tape — hello Jameis Winston and Johnny Manziel.
Jack got a first-round projection on at least two sites. SB Nation’s Dan Kadar lists him as the 15th overall pick even after the injury, while CBS Sports lists him as the 25th-best player in the draft. While he played both linebacker and running back in college, Jack is projected as a linebacker in the NFL.
Perhaps Jack won’t be a first-round pick, but he’s going to get drafted and start making himself some money, rather than have UCLA make more money off him while he risks further injury. That’s a good thing.
Mora has a history of publicly calling out his players both in college and in the NFL, and just this year, he called out true freshman quarterback Josh Rosen for his performance in preseason practice.
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