There’s nothing more disconcerting than to read Bob Smizik agree with you. Forces you to re-analyze your position. Either that or he was cribbing from this blog (I somehow doubt that). Smizik defends Lee’s decision to enter the draft early.

Lee signed a free-agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals. He will have every bit as good a chance to make the NFL as if he had been drafted in the seventh round. His life is not over. He has an outside chance of making the Cardinals, a better chance of making their practice squad. If he makes the Cardinals’ roster, his salary will be in excess of $200,000. If he makes the practice squad, he’ll make about $60,000.

If he makes neither, he can go back to Pitt and get his diploma, if he chooses.

The suggestion by those ridiculing Lee that he could have significantly improved his draft status by returning for his senior year isn’t necessarily so.

What if he broke his leg?

What if in Dave Wannstedt’s run-oriented offense his numbers continued to decline?

The truth is NFL evaluators have seen all they need to see of Lee. It’s possible his draft status might improve somewhat, but not enough to secure him the riches some are suggesting would be his if he played another year at Pitt.
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It’s not the numbers that cost Lee in the draft; it’s his ability. That’s not going to change appreciably from this year to next.

Let’s see, mentions being able to come back to Pitt to complete his education; talent and ability issues; and of course not necessarily going to be any better draft status if he had come back. Yep, pretty much repeats what I’ve already covered.