IRVING, Texas — Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin is one of the four underclassmen contemplating an early jump to the NFL. He admitted on Tuesday his current draft stock isn’t as high as he expected.
“It’s not as high as where I wanted,” he said. “I’m not going to get into specifics about what it said, but it wasn’t as high as I wanted. But it was high enough.”
Colvin, who was an All-Big 12 player this season, said he’s talked to OU coach Bob Stoops about the decision he’ll make after Friday’s AT&T Cotton Bowl, but hasn’t sought defensive coordinator Mike Stoops’ advice.
“I don’t know if I will or not,” Colvin said. “I’ve talked to Bob. He just wants me to maximize my money situation. It was a positive speech. I needed to hear it. I know it came from his heart. I feel like it was sincere. I definitely took it into consideration, everything he said.”
Mike Stoops isn’t expecting to meet Colvin or any other player seeking advice. They generally don’t want to hear what he has to say.
“They don’t rely on us. These are all personal decisions,” he said. “When money is involved, it’s hard to be rationale with kids. They want to listen to the agents.”
Colvin said one of his goals was to make some All-American teams before he left college. He didn’t make any this season, and that could be a factor that brings him back to school.
“I hear that a lot. Coach Stoops definitely opened that up to my eyes. That was a goal of mine, getting some awards like Jim Thorpe and All-American,” Colvin said. “That is on my bucket list.”
Privilege of youth: Mike Stoops suggested one thing that’s helped Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel during his Heisman Trophy-winning season has been his inexperience.
“Sometimes it’s better when you don’t know and have no expectations and fly by the seat of your pants and do what’s instinctual. He’s very instinctive,” Stoops said. “Those are some of the most important qualities as a football player, is great instincts. Certainly all his seem to — he knows what to do in each situation and has done an unbelievable job.”
Rested and ready: Safety Tony Jefferson played most of the season with an ankle injury. He’s finally had some time to heal with the time off since the end of the regular season.
“You know, you get a high ankle sprain, it takes about six to eight weeks to heal. I didn’t really get a chance to do it because we had a game every week. But it’s not about being injured and stuff. You’ve gotta fight through those type of things.”
The waiting is the hardest part: The Sooners and Aggies still have three more days until they meet at Cowboys Stadium. The anticipation is building.
“This is the worst part,” OU defensive lineman David King said. “You sit around and you’re watching all the other bowl games happen, you say, ‘Man, I wish our bowl game was today.’ However, I understand that we have to wait for a reason and when the time comes we will be ready to play.”
Pulling for someone else: OU safety Tony Jefferson didn’t have a problem with Manziel winning the Heisman trophy, but admitted on Tuesday he wouldn’t have been his first choice.
“I think Johnny deserved it,” Jefferson said. “For a defensive guy, you don’t see that ever though, so I was rooting for (Notre Dame linebacker Manti) Te’o. I think he deserved it ... He had a lot of great games this year.”
John ShinnFollow me @john_shinnjshinn@normantranscript.com
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