Elijah Molden, Washington Football News: Draft Scout Player News

10/02/20 - CB Elijah Molden, Sr/2021, Washington

Elijah Molden had two fundamental reasons to return for his senior season. Of course, Molden - a 2019 first-team All-Pac-12 performer and Walter Camp first-team preseason All-American - could have just as easily opted out, turning his focus instead to the NFL draft. He could have followed fellow Washington defensive standouts Levi Onwuzurike and Joe Tryon out the door. He could have prioritized a professional future, citing the rampant uncertainty surrounding the sport. Instead, when the Pac-12 announced a seven-game fall football season last week, Molden tweeted, "See ya'll Nov. 6." And local media members actually saw him much sooner. In a Zoom call following his team's second fall practice Tuesday, Molden explained why he chose to remain on Montlake.

"From the very beginning when it was declared that we weren't going to have a season, I think the name of the game was patience. And naturally, I'm not a very patient person," he said. "So that was something that was difficult for me. But right now I think it was a very valuable lesson, just because you don't know what the future's going to look like. I don't want to make an emotional decision, when I want to play football. "Everyone like Levi, Joe - everyone who has opted out - had their own personal reasons, and I've heard from those guys. They have very valid reasons for opting out. But for me, I think I just love the game so much that I wouldn't be able to sit out any longer knowing that I could have played. So that was my motivation for coming back. Especially with a new (head) coach in Coach (Jimmy) Lake, I believe in him entirely and I feel like it's my last year at UW, but it's his first (as head coach). I wanted to start him off on a good note." - Seattle Times

Sr/2021