It’s an interesting time to be an elite college football player.

There is more money at the next level now more than ever. Players are getting more money guaranteed, so if you know you’re going to be a high draft pick, why risk injury in college?

We’re seeing it more often in bowl games now. Running backs like Christian McCaffrey and Leonard Fournette were a couple of the pioneers, while QB Josh Rosen didn’t play in his bowl game a year ago.

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For elite players like Nick Bosa — who is currently hurt and hasn’t played in the previous 3 games — why risk your future if you don’t need to? We don’t know if that’s what is going through Bosa’s head or not. There is nothing coming out about Bosa not playing even though he can.

Nobody is speculating that.

But when we see Bosa commonly atop NFL Draft Big Boards like ESPN’s Mel Kiper has him, it’s hard not wonder if the monster up front for Ohio State isn’t the next to preserve his body for guaranteed money.

Here’s Kiper’s latest Big Board released Thursday:

Again, Bosa’s No. 1 and he doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. The top talent in the game would likely love to play the game he dominates.

And Ohio State would love to have him back as well.

Related: Bosa is suffering through a core-muscle injury