Myles Jack - one of the biggest mysteries in the NFL Draft - explains his decision to quit school and how he passed the time
He is the most talented linebacker in the draft, an athletic specimen who at UCLA also thrived at running back. As a true freshman in 2013, he was named the Pac-12 Offensive and Defensive rookie of the year.
He has been described as a "sentient avalanche" based on how he moves through space on the football field, and two weeks before the NFL Draft was a consensus top-5 pick.
But because of lingering knee concerns, and a last-minute admission that he could need microfracture surgery down the road, on the day of the NFL Draft Myles Jack is now expected to fall out of the top 10.
On Thursday night in Chicago, teams picking early in the first round will be faced with a difficult decision with Jack still on the board: either use an early first-round pick on a player whose knee could let down a franchise, or pass on a player whose athleticism and skill could change one.
Jack knows all about tough decisions. In September, after season-ending meniscus surgery only three games into his junior season, he made the gutsy choice to drop out of UCLA, hire an agent, and spend all his time preparing for the NFL. He moved to Phoenix, changed his diet, and spent his time in relative solitude focusing only on his recovery.
"I would understand if I fell," Jack told the Post on Thursday, already sounding like he has readjusted his expectations. "This is a talented draft class, so if I was to fall, I wouldn't take it personally."
Falling into the middle of the first round is not, of course, a travesty, though it could cost him millions. On the bright side, he could be a steal for a team like the Oakland Raiders at No. 14, who would be more than willing to snag an athletic freak - even one with some injury concerns.
"Nobody knows how long anybody is going to play in this league," he told the Post. "To play three years in this league would be above average."
Back at the Speed Stick event, Jack is asked repeatedly about whether he regrets his decision to drop out of school and forfeit his eligibility.