2012 NFL Draft: Signs Point to Matt Barkley Staying at USC

At 4 p.m. EST, we'll know whether or not USC quarterback Matt Barkley will enter the NFL draft or come back for one more season. Fans of the Trojans have good reason to be hopeful, as it appears that Barkley will come back to Los Angeles.

You have to read between the lines a little bit, as Barkley hasn't given any direct clues. But when you do read between the lines, it looks compelling that he'll stay.

Andrew Luck

Luck will be the No. 1 pick in April's draft. So, from a financial standpoint, Barkley will be missing out. He's at best the second-best quarterback in the draft, and while that does mean a likely Top 10 (or even Top 5) pick, the money and prestige will be better for Barkley in the 2013 Draft. 

Coming back for a year would make Barkley the obvious favorite to be not only the top quarterback next year, but the top overall player. 

Heritage Hall

While ESPN's Arash Markazi points out that Heritage Hall is where Matt Leinart announced he would stay and Mark Sanchez announced he would go, the fact that Barkley is making this announcement on USC's campus and that it will be broadcast on the school's website suggests that he'll stay.

Remember that when Sanchez made the announcement that he would leave, it didn't exactly go off without a hitch.

Barkley is Sanchez's immediate replacement at USC, so that's his last memory of a quarterback making this decision. If he was going to leave, it would only make sense that Barkley would make that announcement at another building in Los Angeles. 

Advisers

Markazi also mentioned that Barkley would speak to Leinart, Sanchez, Carson Palmer and Andrew Luck about what entered their minds when these decisions were made. 

With the exception of Sanchez, every one of those players came back to school for another year. Leinart has even tweeted that he believes Barkley will stay. 

Hard to go against a guy that went to the same school, has advised Barkley and made the same decision. 

Pride

Because of the sanctions that USC has been hit with, Barkley has missed out on a few opportunities. He hasn't had an opportunity to play in a Rose Bowl, which Leinart, John David Booty and Sanchez all got immediately before him. Palmer played in and won an Orange Bowl. 

USC is hands down the best team in the Pac-12 South. If they were eligible, the Trojans would have easily made the Pac-12 championship game to take on Oregon, who they had already defeated in Oregon during the regular season. 

That's an opportunity that Barkley hasn't had the chance to earn. The same can be said about the national championship. With Barkley, USC would be on a short list of favorites to win next season.

Barkley will get those chances, as USC's postseason ban will end after this season. 

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