At least for now, one high-profile player won’t be McCaffreying a bowl game. Or Fournetting it for that matter.
Last season, running backs Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey, both at the time considered likely high first-round picks in the 2017 NFL draft, raised eyebrows and made headlines by skipping LSU’s and Stanford’s bowl games. It led some to wonder whether this would, or even should, become the norm for players projected to be taken early in the next draft.
Josh Rosen is currently projected to be one of the first quarterbacks taken in the 2018 NFL draft, should he decide to leave college early. Wednesday, the junior seemingly put to bed any talk that he would sideline himself should the 4-5 Bruins qualify for a bowl.
“I mean, bowl games are just fun,” Rosen said by way of the Los Angeles Times. “I like going out there with the guys and you’re in another city for a week and you have a good time.”
Rosen is currently dealing with a concussion that kept him out of a Week 10 loss to Utah, but is on track to return this weekend. His sophomore campaign in 2016 was marred by a nerve issue in his throwing shoulder that sidelined him for the final six games of that season.
The decision to skip the bowl game had no impact on either Fournette or McCaffrey as the former was taken fourth overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars while the Carolina Panthers selected the latter with the eighth pick in the draft.