Bo Scarbrough has dreamed of becoming an FBI agent. It’s an area of work that truly interests him, specifically investigation. He believes he could be good at it.
As a junior at the University of Alabama, Scarbrough said all he has left in his course load is biology, a consumer science and two criminal justice classes. Then, he’s finished. He said he has already done two internships.
“That was my whole plan coming to college, and I wanted to major in criminal justice and be an FBI agent,” Scarbrough said. “And I’m going to pursue that dream.”
But there’s another dream Scarbrough, the Crimson Tide’s second-leading running back, is going to pursue first.
On Thursday, the 6-foot-2, 236-pound Northport, Ala., native announced he’s going to leave UA early and enter the 2018 NFL Draft. He joins four other Alabama underclassmen – Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ronnie Harrison, Calvin Ridley and Da’Ron Payne.
“I always encourage guys to stay in school,” said Alabama coach Nick Saban, who thinks Scarbrough could graduate in May. “I know they have to look our for their professional career in terms of how they’ve got to get ready for the draft and the combine and all that.
“I can’t say enough about the contributions these guys have made.”
The 2018 NFL Draft will be April 26 through April 28 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Over the course of his Alabama career, Scarbrough has played in 34 games, rushing for 1,512 yards and 20 touchdowns on 267 carries.
This past season alone, Scarbrough averaged 42.6 rushing yards per game – less than his 62.5 average the previous year. His 6.5 yards-per-carry average in 2016 dropped to 4.8 in 2017, despite feeling 95-to-100 percent healthy the whole time.
“I don’t think that I had a great season that I was planning on having,” Scarbrough said. “Things didn’t turn out the way we expected it to be.”
Still, Scarbrough is happy to be in the position he is now.
Scarbrough did not want to share any feedback he has received from NFL teams or his draft grade. He did say that he thinks his personality would benefit an NFL team, describing himself as outgoing and a leader both on and off the field.
When deciding, Scarbrough thought about what would happen if he stayed versus if he left. Injuries, he said, didn’t really influence his choice. He discussed everything with Saban, the pros and cons of both scenarios, and he deemed leaving was his best decision.
“I want to say thank y’all,” Scarbrough said. “This university meant so much to me, the tradition and the way that they do things here means a lot to me, and I think they did a lot for my family.
“I just want to say forever Roll Tide.”
Only this isn’t goodbye.
Scarbrough still plans to work toward that original goal of one day holding a diploma.
“No one can take a piece of paper away from me,” Scarbrough said. “So of course I’m going to get my degree.”
