I spoke at length with Su'a Cravens after the game and part of our discussion centered on his future plans. Interestingly, he has yet to request an NFL evaluation.
"I'm not worried about that," he said. "I'm worried about playing. I'm not worried about what teams have to say about me. I'm worried about the next bowl game. It's not a concern of mine right now. I'm honest with what I say. Everybody assumes that I'm just playing a game but I got other things to focus on like winning the next game."
Cravens said he does not have a timeline to make a decision.
"I'm not even thinking about that," he said. "I want to play the next game, give it my all and when the season's over I'll start thinking about that stuff."
When asked what position he sees himself at, he somewhat emphatically said he's a safety.
"I'm a safety playing linebacker for the millionth time," he said. "Everybody thinks I'm an inside linebacker. I came to play safety and that's what I plan on playing."
Cravens then made it clear that going pro is not a mere formality.
"I'm not leaving if I'm not first round," he said. "That's something to think about. I didn't come here, start as a freshman, get Freshman All-American and all these accolades to be a second-day guy. I want to be a first-day guy. It's my dream since I was a kid. That's just another one of those things to look at. That's the reason why I haven't made up my mind. If I feel like I need to spend another year to solidify that, then that's what I'll do.
"I want to be an All-American and I want to be a first-round draft pick. That was my goal, I told my dad in middle school. I still have the journal I wrote it in when I was in middle school. Come here, be a Freshman All-American, be a first-team All-American and be a first rounder."
My feeling was always that Cravens was a lock to leave for the NFL after this season. Hearing him put these stipulations on his decision, particularly about being a first rounder, makes me think he really could return. Needless to say, it would make a huge difference for this defense.
"I'm not worried about that," he said. "I'm worried about playing. I'm not worried about what teams have to say about me. I'm worried about the next bowl game. It's not a concern of mine right now. I'm honest with what I say. Everybody assumes that I'm just playing a game but I got other things to focus on like winning the next game."
Cravens said he does not have a timeline to make a decision.
"I'm not even thinking about that," he said. "I want to play the next game, give it my all and when the season's over I'll start thinking about that stuff."
When asked what position he sees himself at, he somewhat emphatically said he's a safety.
"I'm a safety playing linebacker for the millionth time," he said. "Everybody thinks I'm an inside linebacker. I came to play safety and that's what I plan on playing."
Cravens then made it clear that going pro is not a mere formality.
"I'm not leaving if I'm not first round," he said. "That's something to think about. I didn't come here, start as a freshman, get Freshman All-American and all these accolades to be a second-day guy. I want to be a first-day guy. It's my dream since I was a kid. That's just another one of those things to look at. That's the reason why I haven't made up my mind. If I feel like I need to spend another year to solidify that, then that's what I'll do.
"I want to be an All-American and I want to be a first-round draft pick. That was my goal, I told my dad in middle school. I still have the journal I wrote it in when I was in middle school. Come here, be a Freshman All-American, be a first-team All-American and be a first rounder."
My feeling was always that Cravens was a lock to leave for the NFL after this season. Hearing him put these stipulations on his decision, particularly about being a first rounder, makes me think he really could return. Needless to say, it would make a huge difference for this defense.
