Column: LSU Football Receiver Ja'Marr Chase Made Right Call to Opt Out of 2020 Season

Chase had nothing more to prove in college, awaits a long career in the NFL

The 2020 stock market has been a lot like a crazy roller coaster ride for investors in the United States and around the world.

The global pandemic, massive unemployment, and uncertainty in the long term economy have sent the stock market to record lows and highs throughout the year.

The investor's golden rule is to buy stocks when they are low so that when they grow and get BIG, the investments grow with them.

However, the question of "when" to sell stocks is always the most tricky one of all for investors. Everyone wants to sell a stock when it is an all-time high and not risk losing out as the stock gains value.

Perhaps we see this exact same strategy play out when it comes to college football. How you might ask? Let me explain.

If you are a projected top-flight college football prospect for the NFL, you have to ask yourself when is it time to end your college career and begin life as an NFL talent? The global pandemic combined with an uncertain season make a normal collegiate season questionable. So are we seeing players deciding to sell when their stock is high?

LSU receiver Ja'Marr Chase has chosen to opt out of the 2020 season. Opting out of the SEC season means that Chase feels that his college stock is at its peak in an unprecedented time. Chase is coming off a season where he was awarded the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the nation's best wide receiver. The Tigers receiver racked up 84 receptions on 1,780 yards, and almost a quarter of Chase's receptions were for a TD (20 to be exact).

Chase clearly made his mark in the 2019 campaign as the Tigers went a perfect 15-0, culminating in a national championship. For Chase and his family, he probably decided to sell his college stock because the season still has many negative variables.

There is still no vaccine or sure-fire cure for COVID-19, an uneven offseason could lead to higher injury risk and there is not much left for him to accomplish at the collegiate level. Chase could have actually hurt his stock if he intended to play in the shortened, 10-game SEC season. A possible injury, contraction of COVID-19, or cancellation of the SEC season are all sufficient reasons to not want to play.

Chase did what was best for him and his future in the NFL, but no doubt this will be a significant blow for the LSU Tigers. There are still many unanswered questions, starting with the likelihood of college football moving forward this fall without a hitch. Will Chase's decision start a trend of college players opting out to set sail for the NFL draft because their stock is high? Could you see top players from other SEC schools choosing Chase’s route? While that ultimately seems likely for some of the high end college prospects, only time will tell for sure.