Wisconsin junior running back Montee Ball said shortly after finding out that he’s a Heisman Trophy finalist that he’ll seek an opinion from the NFL draft advisory board about whether scouts think he’s ready to go pro.
Ball told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that if he’s projected as a first- or second-round pick, he’ll go to the NFL. If he’s told that he’d go in the third round or lower, he’s leaning toward returning to Wisconsin for his senior season.
“Obviously I’d love to hear first round,” Ball said. “I’d love to hear even late second. But third or four I’d most likely stay.”
Last year a Wisconsin running back, John Clay, chose to enter the NFL draft and was stunned when no one drafted him. Clay is currently on the Steelers’ practice squad.
But Ball, who leads the NCAA in rushing yards (1,759), rushing touchdowns (32) and total touchdowns (38), has been better at Wisconsin this year than Clay was last year. And Ball will almost certainly run a better 40-yard dash than the 4.87 that Clay ran this year. So there’s a good chance that Ball will get the news he wants to hear, and that he’ll be done playing college football after the Rose Bowl.
