Will Mississippi State football players sit out Outback Bowl?

Will any of the Mississippi State football players with hopes of hearing their name called on NFL Draft Day skip the upcoming Outback Bowl?

One of the trends that has emerged over the last few seasons has been NFL draft prospects skipping out of the bowl game to ensure they don’t injure themselves and hurt their draft stock. The Mississippi State football team has a number of prospects who might consider doing the same thing for the Outback Bowl,

Joe Moorhead did address this on Sunday. Here’s what he had to say at the press gathering after the bowl announcement was made.

As of right now, it looks like they will all play. But there is still four weeks left until the Mississippi State football team takes the field at the Outback Bowl and things could change.

Every NFL draft prospect is not the same. The same can be said about the Mississippi State football players who are hoping to be drafted by NFL teams during the 2019 NFL Draft. Some players can still do quite a bit to help their stock, while others would have a hard time doing so.

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Players from the Mississippi State football team like Gerri Green, Jamal Peters, and Jonathan Abram could certainly help their draft stock by playing in the bowl game. If they needed inspiration to suit up in the Maroon and White in the hopes of climbing up the board, they need to look no further than how Fletcher Cox improved his draft stock by playing in the Music City Bowl in 2011.

Most scouts saw Fletcher Cox as a good draft prospect in 2011. There were thoughts he could be drafted in the 1st round, but he wasn’t a lock to do so. After completely dominating the 2011 Music City Bowl and turning the bowl into his own personal showcase, Fletcher Cox was drafted in the top half of the 1st round by the Philadelphia Eagles.

The two Mississippi State football players who have the least to gain by playing in the Outback Bowl are Jeffery Simmons and Montez Sweat. Both are expected to be drafted in the first round, and neither would likely move up much by playing lights out against Iowa.

However, if there was ever reason to do so, this year is expected to have a bevy of players taken in the first round along the defensive line. The Outback Bowl could be one more chance to have to stand out among a crowded field. I don’t know if any will choose to sit out, but there is certainly enough reason for most of them to play in this year’s bowl.