Deadline was at 4 pm gentlemen, I'm trying to find last minute decisions now... Bama CB Kareem Jackson going pro: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft10/news/story?id=4829932 Ras-I Dowling is going back for his senior year: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/07/AR2010010703922.html Ahmad Black returning to Florida: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sp...ck-to-return-to-gators-for-senior-season.html The only big name I can't find anything on is Travis Lewis.
Jackson would be a good idea in the 2nd...He might go higher just because these Bama guys are pro style players already. Expect them to own draft day with Cody, McClain, Jackson, Johnson, Woodall should get drafted late, Peek, Deaderick, and Arenas. All but Woodall, Arenas, Peak, and probably Deaderick could go as high as round 2. Two are top 15 (maybe 10) talents, while the other two should end up in the top 5 at their position. All should be good pros. Then next year there's Jones, Hightower, Chapman?, maybe Ingram...you get the point.
Travis Lewis is returning to Oklahoma for his junior season. I don't really like the decision since there is a small reward but a big risk at stake in doing this. He's already a 1st round lock, but can a LB move up in next year's draft into the Top 10? Add in the fact that he is purely a 4-3 LB and it becomes doubtful. Many of the college game's best LBs declared for this draft, the only LBs left in college that could overtake him are Akeem Ayers of UCLA, and Zach Brown and Bruce Carter of UNC, but I could see Ayers and Brown being rated higher by next season's end. Ayers' is a stud LB talent that play inside a 3-4 or strongside in a 4-3. I think Ayers is a better version of Aaron Curry.
I don't really get why Lewis stayed either? Greg Jones and Travis Lewis both took a HUGE risk by returning to school. TAKE THE MONEY! Akeem Ayers is nasty. Also, don't forget about Nate Irving of NC State, when he broke his leg, 2010's draft lost a big time talent at linebacker...hopefully he'll come back strong. I don't know if I'd compare Ayers to Curry - he's a lot like Bama's Rolando McClain, who is the best backer in this draft.
Here's the full list, as per collegefootballtalk.com http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/02/underclassmen-declarations-tracker/ QUARTERBACKS Sam Bradford, Oklahoma Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame Jevan Snead, Ole Miss RUNNING BACKS Toney Baker, North Carolina State* Jahvid Best, Cal Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech Toby Gerhart, Stanford Stafon Johnson, Southern Cal Darius Marshall, Marshall Ryan Mathews, Fresno State Shawnbrey McNeal, SMU Joe McKnight, Southern Cal WIDE RECEIVERS Chris Bell, Norfolk State Arrelious Benn, Illinois Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas Antonio Brown, Central Michigan Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State Carlton Mitchell, South Florida Golden Tate, Notre Dame Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech Damian Williams, Southern Cal Mike Williams, Syracuse TIGHT ENDS Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma Rob Gronkowski, Arizona Aaron Hernandez, Florida OFFENSIVE LINE Bryan Bulaga, Iowa Bruce Campbell, Maryland Anthony Davis, Rutgers Maurkice Pouncey, Florida DEFENSIVE LINE Kevin Basped, Nevada Carlos Dunlap, Florida Clifton Geathers, South Carolina Thaddeus Gibson, Ohio State Everson Griffen, Southern Cal Jerome Hayes, Penn State* Abe Koroma, Western Illinois Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech Jason Pierre-Paul, USF Brian Price, UCLA Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech LINEBACKERS Navarro Bowman, Penn State Rennie Curran, Georgia Rolando McClain, Alabama DEFENSIVE BACKS Eric Berry, Tennessee Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech Dominique Franks, Oklahoma Joe Haden, Florida Kareem Jackson, Alabama Chad Jones, LSU Reshad Jones, Georgia Amari Spivey, Iowa Earl Thomas, Texas Donovan Warren, Michigan Major Wright, Florida
