Lay off, Pete Carroll

Mark Sanchez is going pro even though his coach doesn't like it.

The fourth-year junior quarterback from the University of Southern California decided Thursday that he wanted to live out his childhood dream, despite coach Pete Carroll's warning that going pro early might be a mistake.

"Mark is going against the grain on this decision and he knows that," Carroll said at Sanchez scheduled news conference yesterday at USC. "He knows that coming out early is a tremendous challenge for a quarterback and the statistics don't back up that it's easy to be successful in the way that he's going about it."

Sanchez may not be the top pick, and the odds might be against him, so says his coach. But he's banking on the fact that NFL scouts will fall in love with his physical tools and will overlook his lack of experience as a college quarterback. (And apparently that wasn't an issue for Matt Cassel, another former USC QB, who hadn't started since high school when he lead the Patriots to an impressive 11-5 season.) He'll also count on the program he came from to entice NFL teams to take him early. USC has had two quarterbacks drafted in the top ten in the last six years: the aformentioned Leinart and Carson Palmer, who was drafted 1st overall in 2002.

And Sam Bradford is returning to Oklahoma for his junior season.

He's also hoping that his excellent season will launch him up the charts. His 3,207 passing yards ranked him 20th in the FBS this past season, and he tossed 34 touchdown passes while only throwing 10 interceptions. Against the top competition in the country, Sanchez was superb, throwing 4 touchdowns against Ohio State, 4 against Penn State, and 3 in Eugene against Oregon. Granted, the offense he ran was a well-oiled machine, but Sanchez showed great skill managing the offense and making big plays when necessary.

He might not be quite ready for the NFL. Pete Carroll definitely doesn't think so. And while Carroll may say he has Sanchez best interests at heart, he has to consider what's best for his program too. Sanchez staying for his senior year would sure up Carroll's quarterback situation for next season as they try again to compete for a national championship.

But Sanchez could be the number one pick in April's draft. Scouts suggest he'll likely be one of the top two quarterbacks taken. Either Sanchez or Georgia's Matthew Stafford will likely be the first quarterback selected, according to ESPN's Todd McShay. The Lions might decide to take a quarterback with the first pick, making Sanchez a viable candidate for the top spot. How can he not go after that opportunity, even if he's not ready?

With the collective bargaining agreement likely to change soon in the NFL, players should take advantage of the defunct system currently in place. With the type of money top draft picks make in this day and age, athletes that have the chance to be top picks should go for it. So what if they don't pan out? The guaranteed money they'll make from their rookie contracts will financially support them comfortably for a long time. And unless they spend it poorly, the signing bonus could probably set them up for life. If Sanchez really has a shot at that kind of cash, he should take it, even if his NFL career won't be legendary.

It was the guy's childhood dream to play in the NFL. He didn't grow up dreaming of playing four years at USC. Take it easy there Pete.