Can’t blame Ja’Marr Chase for decision to opt out with big money looming

If you have a pot of gold worth 30 million bucks on the horizon, would you say “no thanks, I’ll pass” to that?

Of course not.

LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has made a business decision.

A source confirmed that Chase will pass on his final season of college football to prepare for the draft. He’s expected to be a top five pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

And he knows the numbers.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was the 5^th pick in the 2020 NFL draft. He signed a contract worth $30.3 million, with $19.6 million guaranteed.

What else does Chase have to prove?

His body of work in 2019 was all any NFL coach or general manager would need to see.

Chase had 1,780 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. In what will turn out to be his final college game, Chase had 221 yards and two touchdown receptions against Clemson.

Chase is the rare size, speed and strength combination that can be a matchup nightmare in professional football.

The only thing that could derail his giant payday is a serious injury. In this sport, that is always a risk.

So, the number of college players who declared for the NFL draft after waiting the mandatory three years of college continues to grow.

Last year, the number of underclassmen declaring for the NFL draft was 135, up from 119 from the year before.

Players understand that big time college football is a business. Like the coaches, they know when it’s time to cash in.

Ja’Marr Chase was part one of the greatest teams in the history of college football. He gets his championship ring and now he gets his millions.

Can’t blame him for that.

Chase used his college experience to produce generational wealth. He’s doing what every college student should do.

That is, study hard and get a high paying job.