Jamarkus McFarland

The name of former Oklahoma defensive tackle Jamarkus McFarland showed up on the waiver wire today, a casualty of cut-down day as the San Diego Chargers looked to get down under 75 this afternoon on the way to the eventual 53-man roster limit in a few days. McFarland is one of hundreds of players who will be without a team after today. In that sense, his story is not particularly page-turning. But unlike nearly all the other players released from active rosters in the NFL today, McFarland was the center of a hotly-contested battle between the Sooners, Texas and a host of other schools that eventually led to a lengthy New York Times profile that detailed some of the slimier aspects of his recruitment.

Knowing what they know now, I wonder if Bob Stoops and Mack Brown still think McFarland was worth all the effort?

In 47 career games (23 starts) for Oklahoma, McFarland recorded 80 tackles (17.0 for loss), 7.5 sacks, three passes defended and an interception. Solid numbers, no doubt. But certainly a bit of a disappointment for an Army All-American who touched off one of the more memorable tussles on the recruiting trail for the Class of 2009.

Now, McFarland is just one of many young athletes who will have to now consider a future without football. It's only notable, because it's a reminder that as we get caught up in the hoopla over stars, All-America bids and recruiting rankings, we really don't have a crystal ball in front of us. There's no telling how these guys will develop, how they will respond to potential adversity and how they will adjust to moving up a level in competition.

In other words, for all the projections and prognostications, we really have no bleepin' clue what any of these kids are going to do once they move on to college. As I read a lengthy (but good) piece on five-star defensive lineman Da'Shawn Hand by the Washington Post today, I can't help but wonder whether his college career arc will be closer to Clowney, or that of McFarland. We can debate it all day, but the fact of the matter is we really have no idea.