Ohio State’s Cardale Jones: Future ‘up in the air’ after winning title

Cardale Jones just finished leading Ohio State on an incredible run as the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback during wins in the Big Ten title game, the Sugar Bowl and the College Football Playoff national championship game.

But not even Jones knows where he’ll be next fall. As a third-year sophomore, he will be eligible to enter the NFL draft this spring. Normally that probably wouldn’t be a great idea for a player who has only three collegiate starts under his belt, even when those three games were on such a big stage.

Jones doesn’t seem to have made up his mind just yet, but he echoed that sentiment when asked about making the leap to the NFL.

“It’s very odd [after] only starting three games in three years,” said Jones, who passed for 742 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions in his trio of starts for Ohio State. “In my personal opinion, I’m not ready for that level yet.”

Makes sense. Nothing wrong with coming back and leading the Buckeyes in their attempt to win back-to-back national championships. Only problem with that is he could come back and end up on the bench.

The only reason Jones got the chance to start in December and January was the injuries to fellow Ohio State quarterbacks Braxton Miller, who entered the season as a Heisman Trophy candidate, and J.T. Barrett, who finished fifth in Heisman voting.

Those two guys still have eligibility remaining, but it doesn’t sound like transferring to another program is an option for Jones.

“It’s up in the air, sort of, because my No. 1 priority is graduating from Ohio State University and walking away with something that no one can take away from me,” Jones said.

Miller could transfer without having to sit out a season because he’s already graduated, but Barrett said he doesn’t think anyone is going anywhere.

“I’m not leaving,” Barrett said. “I don’t think Braxton is leaving. I don’t think Cardale is leaving.”

Which leads us to ... well ...

“It’s definitely a ‘who knows’ right now,” Jones said after Monday’s game.

We better just leave it at that for now.

Twitter: @chewkiii