It's certainly commonplace for college underclassmen considering an early jump to the NFL to lean on family and coaches for advice. But it's quite another to, essentially, leave the decision to them.
And while Ole Miss wide receiver Moncrief will no doubt have a place at the table when he decides whether to declare draft eligibility or return to the Oxford, Miss., campus for one more season, he essentially indicated Tuesday that he'll let Rebels coach Hugh Freeze and his parents determine whether he is ready.
"I'm going to let my parents and coach Freeze sit down and talk about it. I know coach Freeze knows what's best for us," Moncrief said. "I'm going to let them sit down, have a good talk, and they'll figure it out."
Moncrief's production this year as a junior (53 catches, 825 yards, five TDs), was down from 2012, perhaps making the NFL decision a bit more tricky for one of the SEC's most gifted receivers.
Moncrief makes the comments at the 0:56 mark below:
Could it be that Moncrief is deferring to Freeze and his parents because he wants to bring as quick an end as possible to the entire line of questioning? No doubt. He certainly doesn't sound thrilled to be commenting on the topic, and it's far from the first time he's been asked. Then again, it could be that Moncrief legitimately has that much trust in Freeze, who has undoubtedly won over the Rebels in just two seasons as coach. The bond between coaches and players at the college level, in some cases, can be exceptionally strong.
Either way, it certainly sounds as though Freeze's advice on the matter may weigh more heavily for Moncrief than most.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread.*
