Monte Ball an NFL Hopeful Decides to Return To Wisconsin For His Senior Season!

[Deputy Nutz]

This is good news for Badger fans. Although it is a strange move considering Ball would have been a taken between rounds 1-3. It is also a bit of over kill in the Badgers backfield for 2012, Ball is surely the best back on the Badgers roster but they will be very deep with Ball, White, Gordon, and Lewis. Four guys that could all be starters in 2012.

[pbmax]

As a RB, he might last longer had he left, but I hope he enjoys his final year.

[LEWCWA]

dumb move imo...the guy has nothing left to prove and plenty to lose...

[Deputy Nutz]

He said he was better than a 3rd round pick. Apparently that is what the advisory board told him.

[Tarlam!]

He said he was better than a 3rd round pick. Apparently that is what the advisory board told him.

Then he should prove that in the NFL. 3 great NFL years and a big payday. Alternatively screw up his senior seasonor worse still, suffer an injury, get picked in the 5th. Bad advisers. RBs SHOULD come out early.

[channtheman]

If he isn't a first rounder, he should come back. If he improves to a first rounder after this year, he just gave himself at least a 5 year career in the NFL. Plenty of time to be set for life financially. Who was the other Wisconsin RB that left school a year early just a few years ago? He should have gone back to school. Just checked. It was Brian Calhoun. He did himself a disservice by entering a year early. He was a 3rd round pick in 2007 I think and is now out of the NFL already.

[mission]

If he isn't a first rounder, he should come back. If he improves to a first rounder after this year, he just gave himself at least a 5 year career in the NFL. Plenty of time to be set for life financially. Who was the other Wisconsin RB that left school a year early just a few years ago? He should have gone back to school. Just checked. It was Brian Calhoun. He did himself a disservice by entering a year early. He was a 3rd round pick in 2007 I think and is now out of the NFL already.

There's no such thing as a first round RB anymore. Sure, Richardsons and those kind of guys, but that's about it. Dumb move by Bell IMO-- he might love college and I hope that's true. If he's staying because he wants to be drafted higher then he's really gambling with bad odds/-EV.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I saw a list of RB prospects on ESPN yesterday, Ball wasn't in list of six. I am surprised, he is such a smart player, catches ball well, has some real juke.

I think James White will not sleep well tonight. Won't be surprised if he transfers.

[ND72]

If he isn't a first rounder, he should come back. If he improves to a first rounder after this year, he just gave himself at least a 5 year career in the NFL. Plenty of time to be set for life financially. Who was the other Wisconsin RB that left school a year early just a few years ago? He should have gone back to school. Just checked. It was Brian Calhoun. He did himself a disservice by entering a year early. He was a 3rd round pick in 2007 I think and is now out of the NFL already.

Did you know that Calhoun tore his scrotum his rookie year? That would end my life also.

[Patler]

Heard on the radio tonight that Ball was advised he likely would not get picked before the later half of 3rd round, and that scouts said he needed to add 5-10 lbs of muscle. Apparently he lost weight after last season, which was OK because it was "bad" weight, but now they want him to add some "good weight." Some suggested that if he did, he could be a second round pick in 2013.

If the scouts told him his body wasn't ready, perhaps not mature enough, staying in school is probably a good idea.

[ND72]

I think initially he is a 3rd rounder, but after pro days and combine he'd be a bottom 1st through 2nd rounder...just my opinion. I'm happy he is coming back, but really think he should have left. on the other hand, LeMichael James looked really good in GREEN...just sayin...

[Deputy Nutz]

I think he made the right move. he can take a policy out to insure himself, and really unless he blows out a knee or a shoulder he should be ok he will still be a prospect in the NFL. But the Advisory board is right, he is only 205 pounds, he adds ten solid pounds with his running style he should be a solid second round pick in 2013.

[Lurker64]

on the other hand, LeMichael James looked really good in GREEN...just sayin...

Hopefully you mean the color Oregon wears sometimes, since rumor has it that LMJ is going back to school after the DAB gave him like a 4th round grade.

[Bretsky]

A few weeks ago I thought Ball would be crazy to come back; I've changed my mind.
Consider the following:

The best eye candy on ABC, Erin Andrews, has run some nice stories about how Balll worked his ass off in last offseason
Ball was noticeably faster, more decisive, and more powerful from his sophomore to his junior season.
He'll do the same this offseason and while his stats will be nowhere near as good, he will improve a lot.

Ball is not a blazing speedster; after the combines I could have easily seen him falling to round fourth rnd this year.
Ball is a genuine good person; he likes school at the UW and wants get get his degree....a good thing.

Ball is not a first round pick in the world of you must be near superstar to go in round one if you are a RB NFL system
He wasn't going to be this year and he won't be a year from now.

But another offseason will be good for him to develop his skills so TT uses the last pick on him in the 2013 draft in rnd 2

He'll only score about 20-25TD's next year, but he can work further develop some skills that will make him more NFL ready while enjoying college, and getting one more year to chase all the gals at UW who look like Erin Andrews. He's the king on campus.

Let the Balllbuster go back to college and have fun

[Gunakor]

There's no such thing as a first round RB anymore. Sure, Richardsons and those kind of guys, but that's about it. Dumb move by Bell IMO-- he might love college and I hope that's true. If he's staying because he wants to be drafted higher then he's really gambling with bad odds/-EV.

He made a promise to his parents that he'd leave UW with a degree. He's on pace to get a degree in sociology next year. I'm sure that isn't the sole reason for his decision to stay, but it reportedly played at least a minor part in it.