Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones appears headed toward the NFL draft after just three college starts.
Jones has confirmed on Twitter that he will make a “life changing decision at 4 p.m.” (Jones initially tweeted that he would make the decision at 3 p.m., then changed it to 4 p.m. Apparently he wants another hour to think about what he’ll say.)
Although Jones hasn’t said what he will be announcing, players rarely schedule press conferences to announce that they’re staying in school. And on the rare occasions when players do make such announcements, the press conference usually takes place in conjunction with the school’s athletics department. But according to multiple reports, Jones’s announcement will be at the Ginn Academy, where Jones attended high school.
So it now appears nearly certain that Jones will turn pro, after one of the most unusual college careers in the history of the sport: Jones only started three games, and in those three games he led his team to victory in the Big Ten Championship Game and then to the national championship with two wins in the first-ever college football playoff.
Is Jones ready to start in the NFL? Not yet. But he has all the tools that NFL teams look for in a quarterback, and less experienced quarterbacks than Jones have been drafted before, including Matt Cassel and Jay Schroeder. Jones is making a decision few expected as recently as a few days ago, but he’s probably making the right decision.