Players Skipping Bowl After Declaring For NFL Draft (Updated)

December 28, 2018 by CFP Staff

The list of high profile players who won't play in their school's bowl game includes West Virginia QB Will Grier and Oklahoma State RB Justice Hill. Now you can add Georgia DB Deandre Baker to that list as Baker opted out of playing for his Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl vs. Texas.

Others who declined to risk injury in advance of the NFL draft include the nation's 2nd-leading rusher, Memphis RB Darrell Henderson. He did not play in Memphis' 37-34 loss to Wake Forest in the Birmingham Bowl. Henderson ran for 1,909 yards and 22 touchdowns this season. He had 1,154 yards and 9 TD's in his sophomore year.

Kentucky running back, Benny Snell, Jr., 15th in the nation with 1,305 yards and 14 TD's, declared for the draft on December 14 but also announced that he WILL play for his team in the Citrus Bowl versus Penn State. RB Mike Weber of Ohio State and DT Dre'Mont Jones will declare after the Rose Bowl.

Here's a list of some of the 'star' players you won't see this bowl season:
Arizona State - N'Keal Harry, WR
Georgia - Deandre Baker, DB
Houston - Ed Oliver, DL
Iowa - Noah Fant, TE
LSU - Greedy Williamns, DB
LSU - Edwin Alexander, DT
Michigan - Rashan Gary, DL
Michigan - Karan Higdon, RB
Michigan - Devin Bush, LB
Michigan - Juwann Bushell-Beatty, DT
Michigan State - Justin Layne, CB
Minnesota - Donnell Greene, OT
Mississippi State - Jeffery Simmons, DT
N.C. State - Germaine Pratt, LB
N.C. State - Kelvin Harmon, WR
Ohio State - Nick Bosa, DE
Oklahoma State - Justice Hill, RB
South Carolina - Deebo Samuel, WR/RS
Stanford - Nate Herbig, G
West Virginia - Will Greer, QB
West Virginia - Yodny Cajuste, OT