The speculation about whether or not Michigan State running back LJ Scott will declare for the NFL Draft after the season has really picked up lately with the regular season drawing to a close. Scott is a junior this year, and leads the Spartans with 731 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Scott raised some eyebrows on Sunday night, posting a picture of him walking out of the Spartan Stadium with the caption reading “Last one until September”.
On Tuesday, he was asked about whether or not he will be skipping his senior season to enter the draft or if he’d be returning to school.
“As of right now, I’m just focused on the of the season, and we’ll see where things are at after the season,” Scott said. “Two more wins, and we’ll see what’s up.
Reporters then went on to ask Scott if he will play in the bowl game this season, or if he’d take a similar approach to guys like Christian McCaffery, who sat out their bowl games to avoid risking injury.
“Those guys were in a better situation than I am now, so we’ll see what happens,” he said.
Scott has had a good career at Michigan State, leading the team in rushing every season since he took over as the starter his freshman year in 2015. This year hasn’t been his best season, as he’s lost four fumbles and was also arrested for driving with a suspended license in mid-October. However, head coach Mark Dantonio allowed him to play.
Comparisons have often made between Scott and former Michigan State running back Le’Veon Bell, who is now one of the best backs in the NFL. Scott has shown flashes of greatness at times, but he’s also had his share of low-lights. This would make him a very interesting prospect for the draft if he were to declare early.
It remains to be seen whether or not another year could really help or hurt his draft stock much, but for now, it appears that Scott is just taking it one game at a time.
