Why Landry Jones Needs To Take Matt Barkley's Place in the 2012 NFL Draft

A college player leaving early for the NFL is always one of the most difficult decisions he'll ever have to make. Not only are you putting school on hold, but it's a move that could backfire if it's not made at the right time. 

This is the perfect time for Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones to leave.

A month ago, I would have liked to see Jones stay in school for his senior year, as he didn't exactly have the junior season he would have liked. He threw 14 interceptions and lost three games, two of which the Sooners should have won. But with USC quarterback Matt Barkley announcing he will return for his senior season, this is the perfect opportunity for Jones to declare eligible for the NFL draft.  

Entering the draft is really about two things: Are you ready for the next level from a physical and talent standpoint, and where would you get drafted?

Jones is maybe a year away from being ready, but he has all of the tools to be a successful quarterback. He has the size at 6'4" and 230 pounds, the strong arm and is accurate with the football. Although, he does sometimes make boneheaded decisions and there are questions about his leadership on and off the field.

There's no question the talent is there.

The reason Jones should go to the NFL now is because there is less talent in this year's class at the quarterback position. Let's say Barkley went into the draft. Jones would have been the fourth-best quarterback and maybe even drafted after Ryan Tannehill, making him the fifth-best. There was a chance Jones wouldn't have even gone in the first round of the draft.

Now, Jones is a top-three option behind Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin, and he will be pretty much guaranteed a first-round pick. He'll also go slightly higher than he should with the lack of depth at the position this season.

It's all about where you'll go in the draft, and Jones will benefit from Barkley staying and him leaving. Of course, he could use another year of school and could improve his stock a little bit more with a great senior season. But he'll always be below Barkely, so just how much would that really help him?

The USC quarterback returned to school for a chance to win the Heisman and a national championship. Jones needs to go to the NFL, as he'd end up with a better draft pick than he would have had a couple of weeks ago.

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers College Football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]