A year ago, Drew Lock sat in the stands of Lucas Oil Stadium, site of the NFL’s scouting combine, and thought about what was to come. He was a spectator in a group of NFL prospects who’d elected to return to school and attend a league symposium for highly regarded players with almost certain NFL futures.
With mixed emotions, he watched UCLA’s Josh Rosen and longtime friend Sam Darnold of USC make pass after pass in front of numerous NFL executives. He thought about holding his own against those top 2018 NFL Draft prospects. At one point, he turned to Mizzou analyst Austyn Carta-Samuels, who made the trip with him, and shared a thought he couldn’t shake.