GAINESVILLE, Fla. – It happens around this time every year. As the season wraps up with only one game left many upperclassmen start to take a look at what the next level could possibly hold.

For juniors, there is a life-altering decision to be made. Do I move my chips now and declare for the NFL draft or do I wait, try and improve my stock, and come out next year?

“It’s a very personal decision for every individual person and what they decide to do,” head coach Dan Mullen said. "What we want to do is educate them as best as possible.”

The average NFL career is 3.3 years and as you can imagine, first round picks have a higher likelihood of a sustained career than second round picks; second rounders have a higher success rate than third and so on and so forth.

If a player is projected as a first round draft pick, Mullen’s advice is to go. To him, a first-round grade is a no brainer. Where the hard decision-making comes into play is in the rounds following.

“If you’re gonna be a second round draft pick I think you have a tough decision to make, but you really want to look at and weigh your options, where you’re at both physically and mentally,” Mullen said.

“You’re not gonna, have the opportunity to get that life changing money that you can get in the first round until you would get a second contract. So you really have to make a decision.

“Are you somebody that’s both mentally and physically ready that I’m gonna take the chance, that I’m gonna stay healthy for four years instead of one to get that second contract and life-changing money.

“Third round or below, you really should stay in school. I imagine you go ask every executive in the NFL, every GM that actually makes the decision. They’ll probably share that information with you as well. Statistically speaking, your odds once you get to the third round significantly drop to get a second contract.”

Like any good coach, Mullen wants his players to make the most of their opportunities and squeeze as much out of their abilities as possible.

With an early signing day in place now, players have until January 14 to make a decision whether or not to come out. It is a crucial time for guys like Jachai Polite, Jabari Zuniga and Jordan Scarlett to vet their options and receive some feedback as to where they might go, and it would probably be best to take as much time as possible.

“I suggest they take as much time as possible and gather as much information,” Mullen said. “When you look at this, when you look at the decision, it’s not just you. Who else is in the draft?

“You might say ‘hey, I’m really good at my position.’ Yes you are, but there’s also five guys that have entered that position that are gonna be in this years draft which gives you the opportunity where you could drop down where next year you’ll be the number one guy at that position.

“Well, that could be a 30-million dollar difference. You go in the first round and you’re talking about generational change in money for young people. It’s the complete education level. Lets not just find out about you, where you’re projected to go, who else.

“When you’re draft grade comes back which we had several guys put in their grade and when you find that back, that’s gonna be part of your decision-making that you look and say they project me to be this type of a player, but who else – that draft grade doesn’t reflect who else is coming out in the draft.

“It says it right there in the letter they write back to the guys. It will say ‘hey, this is your projected grade, but please, it’s not a guarantee and it doesn’t reflect who else may enter this years draft that could be rated higher than you.’”

Nowadays a lot of players declaring for the draft will forgo their teams bowl game in order to preserve their draft stock and eliminate any chance of injury. Not every junior that declares skips their bowl game though.

Gators nickel Chauncey Gardner-Johnson has already come out and said he plans on entering the draft, but will participate in the Peach Bowl against the Wolverines. No other junior has declared yet, but if they do, Mullen will approach their participation in the peach bowl similarly to how he handles juniors declaring in the first place.

“As far as it pertains to the bowl game it’s a very similar deal. It’s a personal decision for each individual and we talk to them,” Mullen said. “We support our guys. Once you’re a Gator, you’re part of the Gator family.

“And your being apart of the Gator family is not a you’re part of the Gator family while you’re playing for us. You’re part of the Gator family for life - whether you’re a Heisman trophy winner or you played one snap in your career. We don’t, I don’t view anybody differently.

“These guys are competitors," added Mullen. "They’re part of this team and part of this family. So, I think there’s always a draw to want to play one more game, whether I’m a senior or whether I’m somebody that’s potentially an underclassman that’s leaving early for the draft, this would be the last opportunity to put that Gator helmet on and put on that uniform and go represent the Gators and be apart of this team.

“There’s a big draw to that, and that’s exciting. But on a personal note, if guys think for their future that’s not the best idea that’s not gonna change our opinion or our support of them.”

A lot goes into the draft process for a player, and each guy is different. What may be a great decision for one may be a terrible decision for another, and Mullen understands that.

He works with each individual to do what they think is best for them in order to make the most out of their chance because you rarely have a second or third chance at the NFL.