Landry Jones living in the shadows right to the end
Published: 12/13/2012 9:18 AM
Last Modified: 12/13/2012 9:18 AM
Todd McShay released a mock first round for the 2013 NFL draft this week. He has Geno Smith going No. 8, but Landry Jones out of the first round.
Mel Kiper talked about soon-to-be-drafted quarterbacks this week. He guessed North Carolina State's Mike Glennon would be the first QB selected. He also mentioned Smith, Matt Barkley and Logan Thomas. He did not mention Jones.
SI.com put out its 2012 All-America Team this week. It included 14 quarterbacks, guys like Colby Cameron of Louisiana Tech, Nick Florence of Baylor and David Fales of San Jose State. Jones did not make the cut.
Just another week in the life of Oklahoma's senior quarterback. Jones has been overshadowed his whole college career, whether by Sam Bradford or Ryan Broyles or his own mistakes or some of OU's bigger losses or some of his harshest critics.
You figured if the Sooners played in a non-BCS bowl, surely he would at least be the big glowing story going out. But OU drew Johnny Manziel in the Cotton, and now Jones is one of the subplots in the run-up to his final game.
I seriously doubt he has noticed. I seriously doubt he'd care if he did notice. It's not how he's wired.
But what if Jones was the last quarterback with the ball in his hands at Jerry World? What if he repeated his late-season feats against West Virginia and Oklahoma State, won his fourth straight bowl game and stole the story right out from under Johnny Football?
Think then he'd allow himself to smirk at the draftniks and the All-America voters and media and fans and critics? Maybe pound his chest once or twice? Refer to himself in the third person? Accept the MVP trophy and drop the mic like Randy Watson?
Ah, probably not. But you couldn't blame him if he did.
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
