If you’re going to make the argument in favor of Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey for their decision to skip out on bowl season and prepare for the 2017 NFL Draft a little early, all you have to do is look at former Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith.

Easily projected as a top-five pick before suffering a severe knee injury in last season’s Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State, Smith fell to the second round and missed his entire rookie season as a result.

It was the difference between a four-year, $24 million contract and the four-year, $6.5 million deal that he received. That’s a lot of money.

Here are some thoughts from two of the most knowledgeable NFL sources when it comes to the draft, as well as an anonymous scout – via NFL.com – in regards to Fournette and McCaffrey’s highly-discussed choice to forget about their last college game.

Bucky Brooks (former scout):

“All these guys are around the same age as Jaylon. Those all-star games, the tours, the camps, that whole high-school circuit, they all were together. They may have a relationship. I’m sure when they saw Jaylon go down in the Fiesta Bowl, knowing he was a lock to be a top-five pick and fell to the second round, they start doing the math. They’re going to say ‘Why? What’s the point?’ There is more risk than reward for them. Jaylon Smith’s injury could be a tipping point for the way some of these bowls are viewed by top players.

“If you sat out the playoff, it would come off like a pure selfish move. Selfish beyond a business decision. If you help your team get to a point where it can win a national championship, everybody should be all in on it. That’s different. Nobody cares about a bowl game on Dec. 23. Those games are for the school’s benefit, the schools line their pockets, but for the player, they don’t get anything but sweats and some swag.”

NFC West scout: 

“I don’t view it as a big deal for players of Fournette and McCaffrey’s caliber. You know Jaylon Smith has to wish he had sat out the Fiesta Bowl. I would say it’s a smart decision.”

NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah: 

“I’ve talked to a dozen scouts who went through there (LSU), did their due diligence, and there’s no doubt (Fournette) was legitimately hurt. …For guys viewed as first-round picks that have a large body of work, it’s one thing. Now if you’re a one-year starter viewed as a third- or fourth-round pick, you’d be missing out on an opportunity to help yourself. But those elite players can’t really help themselves in a setting like the Sun Bowl.”