Based on talent alone, UCLA linebacker Myles Jack may be the best player in this year’s draft. Not only was Jack one of the best linebackers in college football, but he’s such a great all-around football player that when the Bruins needed him to he played very well at running back.
But Jack’s knee injury may keep him out of the Top 10 in the draft.
Albert Breer reports that Jack has a type of cartilage injury in his knee known as a chondral defect, and there’s debate among doctors who have examined him just how serious that will be. It’s possible that some team with a high pick will give Jack a clean bill of health, but Breer reports that teams outside the Top 10 are doing additional research on Jack with the idea that he could fall to them.
Jack’s agent has disputed reports that Jack’s bad knee could shorten his career, but Jack’s knee has been a common topic of conversation throughout the draft process.
The reality of the draft process is that the people putting out negative information on Jack’s knee may actually be from teams that like Jack and hope he drops to them in the draft. We’ll find out on Thursday if it goes down that way, or if Jack remains one of the top players in this draft, as his play at UCLA suggests he should.