Skip a bowl game for the draft? Not for the Rose Bowl, USC players say

USC receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster ducked behind teammates marching from USC’s practice field to the locker room, using them as a shield. Smith-Schuster had been asked often about whether he would leave early for the NFL draft, and by Tuesday, he’d heard enough. After USC’s practice, he tried to sneak out before anyone noticed.

When someone did, he attempted to dodge. He threw up his hands and declared, “I’m coming back, OK?”

Smith-Schuster was joking — he has said he won’t decide until after the Rose Bowl. One decision he will not be making, however, is whether to play in the Rose Bowl at all.

In the last week, running backs Leonard Fournette of Louisiana State, Christian McCaffrey of Stanford and Shock Linwood of Baylor decided to skip their bowl game to avoid injury before entering the NFL draft.

USC has several players who could be drafted early, but none have entertained passing up the Rose Bowl.

“No one’s thinking about doing that here,” offensive tackle Chad Wheeler said. “We’re all locked in to get that W.”

The three players’ decisions have raised questions about the bowl system, player compensation and what players owe their schools and teammates. USC players surveyed Tuesday understood the decision, but most said they would not have done the same.

“I think you should play for your brothers that you’ve been with,” quarterback Sam Darnold said. “It’s a decision that I’m not in a position to make. I can’t really speak on anyone else’s position, why they do things. But if it were me, I would definitely stay and play that bowl game.”

Coach Clay Helton used former USC defensive end Leonard Williams as an example of how returning for the bowl game could be beneficial. Williams left after his junior season but played against Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl, where he was a terror. He was selected the game’s defensive most valuable player. That performance, Helton said, might have vaulted him to the No. 6 overall pick.

“I hope every young man would want to have one last opportunity to play with his brothers, but at the end of the day, I think it’s a personal decision for each guy, and I think you would have to support it,” Helton said. “What’s my vote? My vote is to have that opportunity and that experience.”

The one dissenting opinion was Smith-Schuster, who said he empathized with McCaffrey’s situation in particular. McCaffrey sat out a game this season because of an undisclosed injury. He recovered, but another injury could torpedo his draft stock.

“That’s reasonable, you know,” Smith-Schuster said. “Playing in the El Paso bowl against I don’t know what team, for him to take the opportunity to not risk it, I probably would do the same thing.”

Smith-Schuster, of course, does have the opportunity to do the same thing. He could choose to pass up the Rose Bowl and enter the draft. But the Rose Bowl is a bigger enticement than Stanford’s game in the Sun Bowl.

None of the three departing players, in fact, would be playing in marquee bowl games. Louisiana State is playing in the Citrus Bowl and Baylor in the Cactus Bowl.

For Wheeler, who could be selected in the top three rounds of the draft, a lesser bowl would not have changed anything.

“This is my last game at USC,” Wheeler said. “I would play no matter what.”

Surgery schedule

USC has remained mostly healthy during bowl preparation, with the exception of two players slated for surgery.

Defensive back Jonathan Lockett underwent surgery on his hip and will begin rehabilitation Wednesday.

Offensive lineman Nathan Smith, who tore a knee ligament, is scheduled for surgery Thursday. USC hopes that the early surgery date will make possible a return by the beginning of next season.

Quick hits

USC will give players about four days off for the holidays. After Thursday’s practice, players will not have to return until Monday night. The team will check into a hotel downtown Tuesday, where it will stay until the bowl game. … Several USC players competed during special-teams drills over who could catch the most punts in a row. Receiver Deontay Burnett caught the most, with five.

zach.helfand@latimes.com

Follow Zach Helfand on Twitter @zhelfand