Which draft for Mark Sanchez?

A phone call to Matt Leinart was on Sanchez's Tuesday night to-do list.

And between tapping the brains of Heisman Trophy winners, the USC quarterback met separately with new offensive coordinator John Morton and with Coach Pete Carroll.

It was only the start of what could be a tough stretch of days as Sanchez seriously contemplates the question Palmer and Leinart faced after their junior seasons: Should he return to USC for a final season of eligibility or turn pro?

"It's emotionally difficult," Sanchez said this week. "I'm being tugged both ways."

Draft-eligible juniors and sophomores have until Jan. 15 to make themselves available for April's NFL draft.

Sanchez emerged from a Tuesday meeting with Carroll carrying a thin binder of information that was heavy on numbers.

"Just the facts," Sanchez said.

Sanchez received the draft projection he requested from the NFL but neither he nor Carroll would divulge the specifics.

"It's good," Sanchez said, adding, "It doesn't take into account who's coming out, so that could change."

Carroll cautioned last week that Sanchez should not get caught up in the euphoria that surrounded his Rose Bowl performance against Penn State. The fourth-year junior accounted for all five USC touchdowns, completing 80% of his passes for 413 yards and four touchdowns and running for another score in a 38-24 victory.

But NFL team scouts, given anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the topic, said Sanchez enhanced his draft stock with his stellar play against the Nittany Lions.

"He was on the big stage and he performed," one scout said. "Many of the general managers and coaches saw that game, and that will be the performance they remember."

Even so, the scout said Sanchez would be better served to stay at USC for another season, estimating he would be a late first-round pick were he to leave school early.

"He needs more seasoning at the position, but the skill set is there," said the evaluator, who would rank him as the third- or fourth-best quarterback if he were to come out now. "He's not NFL-ready, but he has NFL tools."

Another scout agreed, saying the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Sanchez would benefit from another year to grow stronger and a chance to show that the Rose Bowl was not a fluke.

"That was a breakout game for him, but now I'd like to see him do that repeatedly in the season," he said.