USC Trojans QB Matt Barkley to stay with college team for one more season – NFL News
National Football League franchises will miss out on one of the hottest draft prospects this year as University of Southern California’s Quarterback Matt Barkley has announced his decision to forego this year’s NFL Drafts.
Barkley called a press conference on Thursday to inform the press and National Football League franchises looking for his signature that he has decided to stay for another season with USC Trojans. Flanked by his university Coach
Lane Kiffin and his family the 21 year old told the assembled press pack to huge cheers that he has some unfinished business to take care of and the NFL will have to wait another year.
"This 2012 team has some serious unfinished business to attend to and I plan to play a part in it," Barkley said. "I have firmly decided to forgo the 2012 NFL draft and finish that."
The quarterback was in line to become one of the top ten picks for the upcoming season and many scouts had placed him just behind this year’s number one pick Andrew Luck in ability and skill. The quarterback was on the radar of
many franchises that had rather poor seasons in the National Football League but now they will have to look at other players who are available.
Barkley went on to say that he was satisfied and had no regrets on his decision and he had taken a lot of advice to make his final choice.
"I am not postponing my dream of playing in the NFL just so that I can have one more year of college life," Barkley said. "I am staying because I want to finish what I started."
The quarterback however, said he believes that he is ready for the National Football League but the lure of winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association Bowl Championship Series was too good to pass off.
The 21-year old has not had a chance to win the prestigious BCS Bowl in the past two years due to USC’s postseason sanctions. With the sanctions ready to be lifted next season Barkley wants to win the event and only after that
declare for the drafts in 2013.
His Coach Lane Kiffin was ecstatic at the decision saying, "This is a special, special college student-athlete story. To be a part of this story is unbelievable for all of us involved."
Barkley has had two brilliant seasons as starting quarterback for USC Trojans. This year the quarterback showed his brilliant skill and maturity throwing for 3,528 passing yards with 39 touchdowns and a 69.1% pass completion rate
with 308 completed passes from 446 attempts.
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