Mizzou Football: Could Drew Lock leave for NFL after 2017
Mizzou football has seen a positive turnaround over the past month, winning four straight games after dismantling Tennessee on Saturday night. Drew Lock has played a large part in that. Could this push him to the pros?
At one point this season, the Missouri Tigers were 1-5 on the year and fans were depressed. Drew Lock was slinging the ball, but wasn’t performing well against ranked teams, or even Power Five teams for that matter.
Fast forward to mid November and Lock has become what all MU fans were hoping he’d be this year. After ten games, Lock has thrown for 3,012 yards, 35 touchdowns, and ten interceptions. He’s played especially well over the past month, but the argument could be made that Mizzou’s schedule has been light during that time.
With the Tigers playing better and evening their record to 5-5, Drew Lock clearly has confidence now. Could the Lee’s Summit native decide to depart Columbia a year early and declare for the 2018 NFL Draft?
I don't know if he will, but if #Missouri QB Drew Lock leaves school early for the 2018 NFL Draft, he's going to shake-up a lot of these QB rankings. Gifted passer w/ a bright future.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) November 9, 2017
According to Dave Matter of St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the chatter is justified as far as Lock’s pro intentions are concerned.
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"Another strong month could create some NFL buzz for the junior quarterback. College teams are allowed to submit NFL draft evaluations for five draft-eligible underclassmen. Lock will surely be among Mizzou’s five to seek feedback."
A few weeks ago, I would have laughed at any possible discussion of Drew Lock leaving Missouri early to go pro. He struggled against some of the tougher teams this year and did not look to be NFL caliber at all.
Now, however, Lock is playing well. He’s facing easier teams, but he can sure sling the football and appears to be more poised over these last few weeks. As Dane Brugler’s tweet displays, Lock is a talented passer and could be a great player in the pros.
Are we sure Drew Lock is coming back next year?
— Carrington Harrison (@cdotharrison) November 4, 2017
With that said, it would probably benefit Lock more to stay in school for another year. He’s good now, yes, but if he stays for his senior season and helps get the Tigers back on track, then his draft stock could really climb. He could even be a first or second round pick should he put up these type of numbers and do so against tougher teams.
That’s the biggest knock on Drew Lock right now. He needs to learn how to beat good teams before heading to the NFL, which is why I hope he decides to stay in Columbia for another year.
Well… That and the fact that I feel like he and this Mizzou offense is just starting to figure it out. Imagine how good they could be next season if the defense can pick it up as well. Missouri could get back to prominence in the SEC.
What do you think, MU fans? Do you think Drew Lock will declare for the NFL Draft or will he stay with Mizzou football for his senior season?