The decisions of LSU running back Leonard Fournette and Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey to skip their respective bowls to focus on their draft preparation has sparked a heated debate with strong opinions on both sides of the argument for playing and not playing.
One voice that carries a lot of weight on the topic: that of former Miami running back Willis McGahee, who tore the ACL, MCL and PCL in his left knee in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl just before he entered the draft. He says players have to weigh their futures and risk injury against playing for their team and making the most of another opportunity to improve their draft stock.
It can't be an easy decision. There may be variables we don't know about, such as a player who feels the heavy responsibility of providing for his family, making it unfair to pass judgment on whether he's making the correct decision. Even if a player decides to play and gets hurt or decides to skip this team's bowl, it's not necessarily a make-or-break decision. McGahee talked about the rehab process and the hard work he had to put in getting back onto the field, making him a better player in the long run.
Finally, prospects should investigate insurance policies and look into protecting themselves against an injury before playing in a bowl.
Here's a look at five players in our top 32, all underclassmen who could return to school for another year. Whether they should consider skipping their respective bowls is based on the assumption they are going to declare for the draft.