He prettymuch has to play. Just by not playing, that high draft status he has will suffer. He'd still be a 1st or 2nd round pick, but he won't be a top 10 pick. Out of sight, out of mind.
This highlights my biggest beef with sports leagues, and college sports in particular. South carolina is benefitting from Clowney a million time more than any benefit Clowney is recieving from the school.
Either pay the college kids, or let them earn a living in the NFl. The whole systm is basically taking advantage of them, just because they can. And the whole time the NFL union just brushes it off simply to protect their own jobs.