Kenjon Barner must stay
With star running back LaMichael James declaring that he will go pro and enter the NFL Draft, the spotlight is now on backup running back Kenjon Barner; it’s his turn to make his decision. Barner is still weighing his options, and therein lies the problem; he doesn’t have a choice. James and Barner are in two opposing situations, because James has already proven that he can be a feature back. Barner has been a career No. 2 back in college, and- to make matters worse- he’s undersized and plays in a spread offense. Barner hasn’t proven that he can be the feature back, and he will go undrafted if he decides to enter the draft.
The decision for both of these running backs is quite easy. LaMichael James made the correct choice by foregoing his senior season, because he had nothing to gain and too much to lose by staying. Barner, on the other hand, would be foolish to enter the NFL Draft. He isn’t even a ranked running back prospect at this point, because he has only 297 carries in college football. Barner has been excellent in those limited opportunities by averaging 6.1 yards per carry, but the keyword here is limited. No team is going to draft a running back who is unproven, especially with the wealth of options available.
If Barner decides to stay in school and ends up playing well with 225 carries and can hold up with a higher workload, he will be a top ten running back prospect next year and get a flier in the fourth round. If Barner digresses with more carries but is still effective, he will be a top fifteen back who will still be taken in the fourth round. Any sane player would rather be selected in the fourth round than climb the undrafted hill, and Barner had better stay another year in college and make the sensible choice.
Everybody from Oregon’s running backs coach to scouts are saying that Kenjon Barner needs to finish his senior year at Oregon. Right now, Barner’s priority needs to be boosting his draft stock that doesn’t even have any stock at this point. He needs to step out of LaMichael James’s shadow and prove that he can be a feature back. No team is going to weigh in heavily on a player who is 5’11” with 297 career carries in a spread offense as a backup.
Staying in school is as obvious of an answer for Barner as leaving the Ducks was for James; it’s the best choice for his future. Every Ducks fan wants to see this guy succeed in the NFL, because he has the talent and should be able to prove scouts wrong given the opportunity. Barner needs to give himself this opportunity, and Ducks fans will get their cake and eat it too. Barner will not only improve his chances at making Ducks fans proud in the NFL, but he will also make this team better next season and give fans one more year of watching Kenjon Barner tearing it up. The money is on him making the correct choice and staying for his senior year.
Barner’s father said, “Son this decision is bigger than me or your mom. What we’re going to do is pray. Every step you’ve taken has been led by God. And you haven’t taken a wrong step yet.”
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