Christian Wilkins could secure NFL draft stock with insurance policy

Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins deliberated until the final possible day. That careful consideration is understandable. The decision would agonize anyone. On one side of the scale there was a promising professional career. Wilkins could enter the National Football League draft as a junior. He could sign a lucrative rookie contract, frame a copy of it and display it next to the national championship ring and bachelor’s degree he earned at Clemson. That option appears enticing, but Wilkins had to weigh it against the incentives resting on the other side of the scale. He could return to Clemson for his senior season, improve his draft stock and chase a second national title with his brothers on the defensive line. The realization of a childhood dream. The allure of a multimillion-dollar salary. The focus of full-time football. Those attractions would push most of us toward the first option. Yet, Wilkins’ personal priorities tipped the scale away from conventional reasoning. He left the dollars dangling and elected to remain at Clemson.