Things certainly didn’t go as expected for USC this past season, and wide receiver Robert Woods says some of the troubles came because the team started forcing things when it fell in the rankings despite winning games. While the season was a disaster, that won’t stop Woods from entering the NFL Draft, where he expects to go in the first or second round.
Robert Woods joined Fox Sports Radio with Petros and Money to discuss what went wrong for USC this past year, if he was utilized correctly, why he decided to enter the NFL Draft and where he expects to go in the draft.
How did things go south for USC this past season?:
“There were a lot of expectations for the team. … Coming in as the No. 1 team, winning games and still dropping in rankings, that causes teams to be very forceful, I would say. We were forcing a lot of things on offense and defense and that caused us to be in some tough games and even lose some games we should’ve won, including the Sun Bowl.”
Do you feel like you were used the right way?:
“I think so. I came in, I’m a receiver and I played my role. I felt like I could’ve did a lot more for the team, but I just played my role. I felt like I was used how the coaches wanted me to be used.”
What was the conversation like with Lane Kiffin when you decided to go to into the draft? Did he try to get you to stay?:
“It was a tough one. You never want to go into a meeting with a head coach knowing his No. 1 priority is to get you to come back, and your mind says you want to go to the next level. … He tried to convince me and tried to persuade me to come back and finish off my senior year. Once I told him I was out and my plans and everything, he fully supported it, but he did his job as a head coach first, to try to get me to come back to the program.”
How do you feel like you’ve performed leading into the draft and where have you heard you might be drafted?:
“It’s been a good process. I felt like the pro day and the combine, it was a good chance for me to show myself individually. … I was healthy, ran pretty fast, ran good routes, and I feel like the pro day and combine helped boost my stock. Lately it’s been good things that I’ve been hearing, that there’s a good chance I can go in that first round. If not, the second round is still good enough.”
People seem to compare you to Reggie Wayne. Do you think that’s a good fit?:
“Yes, I think so. That’s a good thing. Reggie Wayne isn’t that ideal prototype No. 1. He’s not 6-foot-4, 220 and up. I think that’s great because he’s still a No. 1 receiver on his team, running great routes for many years now, and he’s still producing at his age. … He’s holding his own weight at his size, and he’s showing why — for guys like me — that we can be No. 1 receivers in this league.”
