Why Jason Worilds didn’t think about leaving early for the NFL
Darryl Slater
Dec 17, 2009
Media General colleague Nathan Warters of Lynchburg’s News & Advance lobbed a couple questions after Monday’s Virginia Tech football practice to junior defensive end Jason Worilds, who gave some up-front answers that merit inclusion in this space.
Of Tech’s underclassmen, Worilds seemed the likeliest to submit paperwork with the NFL’s committee that advises underclassmen on where they might be taken in next spring’s draft. He was as second-team all-ACC selection this season, for the second consecutive year. Tech’s coaches consider him their most productive player, based on a points system they use to grade players’ performances when they watch video of games.
Filing paperwork doesn’t mean he would turn pro a year early. He would just get an estimate on where he could get selected, which would help him make a more informed decision.
Free safety Kam Chancellor and offensive guard Sergio Render submitted paperwork after last season, and both returned to school. Two years ago, cornerbacks Victor “Macho” Harris and Brandon Flowers submitted paperwork. Both announced they would leave early, but Harris changed his mind and came back to Blacksburg for his senior season.
There would have been no harm in Worilds inquiring with the NFL’s committee. But he didn’t even do that, nor did any of Tech’s underclassmen.
Why didn’t Worilds do it?
“I’m really not interested in it right now,” he said. “I’m trying to focus on my grades, trying to focus on graduating, trying to focus on the season.”
Are there things, Warters asked Worilds, that he believes remain unfinished at Tech?
“Definitely,” Worilds said. “We didn’t win anything. What did we win this year? You keep that in mind, the team goals are definitely still intact. We still have an opportunity to achieve those. That’s what I want to be a part of.”
Though Worilds is a junior, he redshirted his freshman season because of shoulder surgery, so this is his fourth year at Tech. He said he is on track to graduate in May.
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Virginia Tech’s junior defensive end has some unfinished business in Blacksburg.