A year ago, Texas A&M left tackle Cedric Ogbuehi might have been a first-round pick in the NFL Draft, before the school enticed him to return by paying for an insurance policy.
Unfortunately for Ogbuehi, that draft stock has taken a hit, with the news that he suffered a torn ACL in the Aggies’ Liberty Bowl game against West Virginia.
Via Robert Cessna of the Bryan-College Station Eagle, school officials confirmed the injury, and Ogbuehi will have surgery to repair the injury.
He was slated to play in the Senior Bowl, but will now have to wait to see how far he falls in the draft before someone is willing to burn a pick on a player who might need to redshirt this season, or at least be compromised heading into training camp.
While the college experience is one of a kind and an education is a building block for a secure future, he remains a cautionary tale.
Any player who thinks his future is in the NFL and gets reliable confirmation of that should simply go the first chance they get, so they can actually be compensated for putting their body at risk for their ability to play a game well.