Mike Gundy Not Sure Rudolph, Washington Are Ready For NFL

There is a lingering uncertainty sort of hovering over the last quarter of this college football season. With the announcement that Marcell Ateman will redshirt and be back next year for a senior season, the question standing between here and OSU potentially being a Big 12 title favorite is, “what if Rudolph and Washington leave?”

I don’t think this will happen, and Mike Gundy addressed it on Monday at his press conference. What he said was really intriguing.

“We haven’t had very many players here I felt like were ready to enter that level of football as juniors. That’s including Weeden and Blackmon and Russell Okung. Even though they were great players, I didn’t feel like they were ready for what that level can put out there or put in front of those guys. That’s my opinion.

“Both of them played as freshmen so they’re still very young. Last night I watched a little bit of the end of that [NFL] game on TV. If you watched that game, that’s a completely different game. It’s not even the same. Those guys are all big, they’re all fast. The windows those quarterbacks have to throw in are so small.

“I think both of those young men have great futures in this game, but in my opinion they need to grow and mature. But that’s a decision they have to make with themselves and their family.”

Of course this is a reality that directly benefits Mike Gundy. Some people might be saying, “of course that’s what he’s going to say!” But Gundy also mentioned that he thought Brandon Pettigrew was ready. Gundy seems like a pretty straight shooter when it comes to kids’ futures. Maybe he’s not, but I think he’s being honest here.

And I think that maybe unlike Dez and Pettigrew, both players could actually use a little more knowledge and a little more seasoning before entering the league. Their stock has been rising all year, though, and could crest as the season ends (which would be perfect). The allure of pro ball might be strong to resist. Though for the the sake of 2017 I sure hope it’s not.

Mike Gundy thinks it’d be wise for both Mason Rudolph and James Washington to return to Stillwater for their senior seasons. #OKState pic.twitter.com/9pU3Teknu2

— Cayden McFarland (@caydenmc) November 7, 2016