Report: Sam Darnold expected to return to USC

Though Sam Darnold continues to be regarded as one of the top NFL quarterback prospects in the country, it seems more and more likely that he will return to USC for his redshirt junior season.

Sporting News’ Eric Galko reported in a column published on Tuesday that Darnold is expected to return to school. He says that Darnold has “spurned away NFL discussion and the role agents play in the process since the first half of the season.” He adds that most around the league are more excited about Darnold as a 2019 prospect than 2018 QB.

Darnold just completed his second season as USC’s quarterback, though next year will be his fourth in school since he redshirted in his first year. Though he led the Trojans to an 11-3 season, Darnold saw his turnovers increase, while his completion percentage and passer rating decreased from his excellent redshirt freshman season a year ago.

The consensus was also that Darnold had a poor showing in the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State as he failed to throw a touchdown or make USC competitive. If Darnold indeed decides to return to school, many will probably agree that it is the right decision for him. As of November, he wasn’t talking about his draft status.