North Carolina State's Bradley Chubb could be the first defensive player taken in the 2018 NFL draft, a status that could eliminate him as a problem for Arizona State in the Sun Bowl.
Chubb still has not announced if he will play Dec. 29 or sit out the bowl game to protect against injury, a practice that has become more common for NFL projected first-round picks.
The No. 24 Wolfpack (8-4) opened as 7-point favorites over ASU (7-5), but Chubb's availability obviously makes a difference. He suffered a dislocated finger Nov. 11 against Boston College that still is an issue.