Notre Dame football: Should Tony Jones Jr. have declared for the NFL?

Notre Dame running back Tony Jones Jr declared early for the NFL draft, despite not being a 1st round prospect. Was this the right decision for him?

College football players go pro early all the time. They have different reasons for doing so, be it they have no chance to grow in college, they already have their degree, or they can’t turn down the potential money anymore. One of those players who went pro for Notre Dame was running back Tony Jones Jr.

Jones left South Bend after his redshirt junior season, leaving a year of eligibility on the table. He recently went on to struggle at the NFL Combine, and will undoubtedly fall to the late rounds of the NFL draft.

Add to the fact that this year’s class of skills position players is insanely talented, and it seems that Jones could have benefited from waiting out a year. He’d have more chances to put strong games on tape and develop his speed and strength.

Furthermore, with a weaker running back class in 2021, Jones could have been drafted higher without putting a great season together.

Of course, there’s a risk that comes with returning for a fifth season. The most obvious being he’d be exposing himself to a potential injury, without the safety net of being under contract. Notre Dame fans remember Jaylon Smith’s traumatic injury all too well to ever condemn a player for putting their health forward.

Tony Jones Jr also already has his degree from Notre Dame. Academically, he has nothing to stay for, save credits towards a Masters Degree.

This means that Jones had a decision to make. He could stay and work towards a better position in the draft, which would also lead to a larger contract down the road. however, this would be a gamble on himself because being drafted a round or two higher is the only good that could come from coming back to Notre Dame.

His other option, to leave early, will come with some struggles. Jones will be buried on an NFL depth chart, and he won’t be making as much as rookies drafted in early rounds. However, he would still be making money as he develops as a player.

Given this, Tony Jones Jr. made the right decision to leave Notre Dame for the NFL. His potential will not exponentially change over the course of a season, and he’ll be able to prove himself in the NFL.