Chuba Hubbard declares for 2021 NFL Draft: Will OKST back crack first round?

Chuba Hubbard has played his final snap as a member of the Oklahoma State football team.

Oklahoma State football running back Chuba Hubbard has opted out and will be entering the 2021 NFL Draft

Hubbard’s head coach Mike Gundy announced his star player’s intentions to opt-out for the rest of the 2020 college football season to get ready for the 2021 NFL Draft. Oklahoma State was the last undefeated team in the Big 12 this year but has since lost three conference games. He was a Doak Walker award favorite, but he will not end up winning it. Is he even a first-rounder now?

Only one running back was taken in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft

Hubbard leaves Stillwater after three excellent seasons. He amassed 585 carries for 3,459 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns, as well as 53 catches for 479 yards and three additional trips to pay dirt out of the Pokes backfield. However, injuries and a coronavirus-shortened 2020 campaign knocked Hubbard’s draft stock down a bit from its all-time high after his sophomore season.

Last NFL Draft saw only one running back go in the first round, and that was LSU tailback Clyde Edwards-Helaire to the Kansas City Chiefs with the final pick on Thursday night. Though the running back position has been devalued in recent NFL Drafts, we should expect a handful to be top-32 selections at this point. The question is if Hubbard will be one of those players in 2021.

While he certainly could if the right playoff-bound team values him as a first-round talent, it is not like Hubbard guaranteed himself of being a first-round pick after this season. Frankly, if he opted out earlier, he would not have done any damage to his draft stock. Though he is a lock to be a top-100 pick, it is more likely he goes in day two than he does in day one at this point.

Hubbard turning pro before Christmas epitomizes the frustrating end to Oklahoma State’s season.

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