The USC Trojans might have to be prepared for life without Matt Barkley. With no more football games left to play, the quarterback has taken the next step and filed his paperwork for the NFL Draft. Pedro Moura of ESPN Los Angeles files this report.
It's standard procedure for a draft-eligible junior. More than 150 players from across the country typically request evaluations each year. It also has been Barkley's plan for some time; he told ESPNLosAngeles.com earlier this month he would submit the paperwork soon after the season ended.
"Don't think too quickly. I think it's something that every top recruit, or potential draftee does before thinking about going out. It's just a kind of evaluation, I don't think it's even that detailed. Just listing a potential round that you'd go in," Barkley said on SportsCenter Wednesday night.
Barkley still says he's open to returning to USC, but it'd be pretty shocking to see him come back for one more year with his draft stock so high. Barkley figures to be a top five draft pick and among the top two quarterbacks selected with Stanford's Andrew Luck. To pass up on all that to come back for another season would be surprising.
There is a lot awaiting Barkley if he decides to return to college, with the potential of a national championship not that far out of reach. But at some point Barkley is going to be thinking of his pro future instead of his collegiate future.
To discuss Barkley and USC football, head to Conquest Chronicles.