Grinding Gears: Darnold made the correct choice


Eric He | Daily Trojan

There are few events as overhyped and dramatized in sports as the NFL Draft Combine, where, for four days, NFL scouts, GMs and coaches drool over prospects while fans and media overreact and nit pick the good and bad in everything.

This year’s combine, which begins Friday in Indianapolis, will be no different, as the 2018 draft class sports a gluttony of high-profile quarterbacks that include UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Wyoming’s Josh Allen, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph and, of course, USC’s Sam Darnold.

Thanks to Darnold, the first mini-controversy of the week has already sprouted. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Darnold will not throw at the combine. Instead, he will spend his time doing athletic tests and interviews, and he’ll be the first high-end quarterback to not throw at the combine since 2014, when Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater abstained from passing drills.

The reason for this is calculated. If he showed off his arm at the combine, he would have been compared to the other quarterbacks in the loaded class — some of whom are better passers from the pocket than Darnold is. Darnold’s strength is not the same as that of Rosen or Allen’s, who fit more of the prototypical drop-back-and-throw type of quarterback.

Where Darnold shines is his ability to improvise, scrambling away from pressure and running in the open field. This is where he gains first downs with his feet or bides his time until a receiver opens up. But there is no drill or test at the combine that would simulate the in-game chaos that Darnold thrives in.

In addition, it’s no secret that Darnold is prone to interceptions. He had 13 last season, when turnovers were a weekly occurrence. He improved his throws marginally toward the back end of the regular season, when he finally found a rhythm with USC’s young receivers. But at the combine, he would be throwing to receivers he has never thrown to before, opening up the risk of off-target passes and more criticism about his arm.

Despite an up-and-down 2017 campaign, Darnold’s hype train is still in full throttle. Darnold is projected by many mock drafts to be the top selection, so he has more to lose than gain with full participation. He would need a great performance to outshine the arms of Rosen or Allen. If he underwhelms, he may see his draft stock slide.

It does put more pressure for Darnold to impress when he goes through individual team workouts and at USC’s Pro Day on March 21. But at least the environment will be more controlled, and at Pro Day, he’ll be throwing to familiar targets.

Moreover, the combine should not be about Darnold and the other top prospects in the draft. There is plenty of tape, plenty of games that NFL teams can review. A majority of Darnold’s career at USC was broadcast on national television. At this point, we know what he can and can’t do, where his strengths and weaknesses lie. Every little aspect of his game has already been scrutinized and broken down. Another day of passing drills shouldn’t change much.

This is the right decision for Darnold, whose focus should be on making a solid impression at private meetings with teams. Hue Jackson, the head coach of the Cleveland Browns — who own the first and fourth selections — has already said he doesn’t mind Darnold not throwing.

“We wish he’d throw, but there’s going to be other times to watch him work out,” Jackson said. “That’s not going to hinder us making a decision about what kind of player he is.”

There used to be a time when every top prospect would participate in the combine. But it’s a different age now, an age where players are taking it upon themselves to make decisions that are best for them. You see it in the multitude of stars who skip meaningless bowl games, not wanting to risk injury and their NFL careers. Now, this is Darnold, making a decision that may not please people outside of his circle, but is what he sees as the best option for himself.

Eric He is a junior majoring in print and digital journalism. His column, “Grinding Gears,” runs Thursdays.