Missouri quarterback Drew Lock may declare for 2018 NFL Draft
After a breakout junior season, Missouri quarterback Drew Lock may go against an outside evaluation and declare for the 2018 NFL draft.
In his first season with Josh Heupel as his offensive coordinator, Missouri quarterback Drew Lock had nearly 3,400 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Those numbers went up this year, to an SEC-leading 3,695 passing yards and FBS-leading 43 touchdown passes entering bowl season. During the Tigers’ six-game winning streak to end the regular season, Lock had 26 touchdown passes and just five interceptions.
Lock will lead the Tigers into the Academy Sports+Outdoors Texas Bowl against Texas on Wednesday night. He has submitted paperwork to the NFL Draft Advisory Board for an evaluation, and he was very candid about it to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
"“They ended up telling me to come back to school. I’m actually still considering [leaving early for the NFL] due to things I’ve heard otherwise.”"
That means Lock did not receive a first or second-round grade from the advisory board, but he may go against that evaluation and declare for the draft anyway.
Heupel left Missouri to take the head coaching job at UCF, and Lock went further with the idea he wants to see who head coach Barry Odom hires as the new offensive coordinator.
"That’s why I’m waiting to make a decision to [see] what could I squeeze out of [the Tigers’ new coordinator]. What could I learn from him rather than jumping ahead and possibly missing the opportunity to learn from a great mind that may have been in the NFL and may have coached really good quarterbacks?"
According to the Post-Dispatch, UCLA interim head coach Jedd Fisch has interviewed for the offensive coordinator position at Missouri. Fisch, of course, worked with top draft prospect Josh Rosen this year at UCLA, but he also been an assistant coach in the NFL, most recently as offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013 and 2014. So with Lock citing having “been in the NFL” as an important point, the hiring of Fisch may forge a path to coming back for his senior season.
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A deep quarterback class was surely one factor in Lock’s lackluster grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board. But when it comes down to it, he can’t be faulted if he declares for the draft coming off what is likely to stand as his best collegiate season.