2017 NFL Draft: Nick Chubb, Sony Michel will Stay at Georgia

Teams won’t be able to pick either Georgia running back in the 2017 NFL Draft

In a surprising announcement, both Nick Chubb and Sony Michel announced their decisions not to declare for the 2017 NFL Draft.

Both running backs will return to Georgia for their senior seasons, and presumptively declare for the NFL Draft for 2018.

Chubb was a Heisman favorite in 2015 before suffering a gruesome knee injury mid-way through the season. After making a miraculous recovery, Chubb played in all 12 games for Georgia in 2016. He finished with 988 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.

Michel received his big break after Chubb went down last season, rushing for over 1,100 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns from scrimmage. His goal line opportunities diminished this year after Chubb returned, but still amassed 753 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

Nick Chubb said he decided to come back when he saw Ga. Tech tearing up the hedges and planting its flag on the G after their win at Sanford pic.twitter.com/dcacadL9ci

— Anthony Dasher (@AnthonyDasher1) December 15, 2016

In a running back class with enormous depth, both players were smart to hold off until 2018. Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook, Christian McCaffrey, D’Onta Foreman, Wayne Gallman, James Conner, Corey Clement, and Samaje Perine dominate the headlines in 2017, with several other intriguing names such as Donnel Pumprey lurking.

Next years draft class at running back could potentially feature Chubb, Michel, and Penn State’s Saquon Barkley. A much smaller class with a higher chance a healthy Chubb sneaks back into first round conversations.