SubscribeThey used to call it hardship, because that’s exactly what it was – college players who needed to go to professional sports to support their family. Today, early entry into the NFL is a career and business decision for the college players that choose to pass up their final year in college for the riches in the pro game. Of course, there are always NFL early entry winners and losers.
Recently 65 players passed on their eligibility to move on to the NFL. Only a few of them will be first-round picks. To me, that’s the only reason you go. But what do I know? I’m a sportswriter.
So who won and who lost thanks to early entries? Here’s my list:
Winners
Indianapolis Colts: Wouldn’t you know it – the Colts, who have been quarterback-rich for more than a decade, have the No. 1 pick the same year Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III decide to go hardship. Who will they pick? Well, the Colts faced this same conundrum in 1998 and did all right. They took some guy named Manning. Peyton, I think was his first name.
Washington Redskins or Cleveland Browns: Whoever the Colts don’t take at No. 1, either one of these teams would be smart to take the other.
The SEC West: Now, I’m not saying that Alabama and LSU won’t have players to replace their early-entry losses. But Alabama lost Dont’a Hightower and Dre Kirkpatrick, and LSU lost Morris Claiborne, Michael Brockers and Reuben Randle. That has to give Arkansas, et al, a little hope, right?
Justin Blackmon: Right now he’s the only wide receiver getting Top 10 love in mock drafts. If he goes to St. Louis at No. 2, Sam Bradford gets a shiny new toy for 2012.
OLs David DeCastro and Jonathan Martin: Both are considered Top 15 picks at the moment. One mock draft has DeCastro taken by the Cowboys at No. 14, which would be a great pick for a Cowboys team that needs inside line help.
RB Trent Richardson: It’s a soft draft at running back and that’s reflected in the fact that Richardson is the only back listed in the Top 30 of many overall prospect rankings. Tampa Bay is believed to have its eye on him.
ILB Luke Kuechly: The Boston College standout came out early and slid into the Top 20 of many prospect lists. In fact, NFL Draft Scout has him well ahead of the highly-touted Hightower.
TE Dwayne Allen and Orson Charles: Tight ends are a hot commodity right now and the pair is coming out at the right time. They’re considered Top-5 at their position and could both go in the first round.
Losers
Stanford: It’s bad enough the Cardinal lost Luck. But two of his top linemen opted out as well. Things are gonna be rough in Palo Alto this year.
Peyton Manning: Any other year Manning might be able to keep his job. But with the tantalizing prospect of selecting Luck, the Colts don’t seem to have left themselves much choice.
QB Darron Thomas and RB LaMichael James: Luck and Griffin are the only certain first-rounders at QB. It’s hard to find a mock draft with Thomas in the first round. One more year at Oregon might have made him a lead-pick first-round lock. Same for James, who right now is looking like a second-rounder in a soft draft for running backs.
CB Cliff Harris: Granted, his dismissal from Oregon left him few choices. But he could have transferred to a FCS school, proved he had his personal thing together and improved his draft stock. Now he’s a fourth-round prospect with plenty of question marks.
Baylor: The Bears are losing the best quarterback in program history in Griffin. Enough said.
LB Vontaze Burfict: The human highlight reel that is the former Arizona State linebacker isn’t even a first-rounder in mock drafts yet. In fact, he’s projected as a third-round pick. He hits hard, but I wonder if there are questions about fundamentals?
Jacksonville, Miami and Seattle: Here are three teams in the top 12 that are in dire need at the quarterback position but will have to pay a king’s ransom to trade up to get either Luck or Griffin. One mock draft I saw had Seattle taking texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill in the first round. Tell me Pete Carroll isn’t that desperate?
RB Edwin Baker: Baker is a fine running back who had a productive career at Michigan State. I don’t know who is advising him, but coming out early to be a seventh-round prospect is not a good use of his time.
Early Entry List
The 65 players with NCAA eligibility remaining who were granted special eligibility for the 2012 NFL Draft:
Alvester Alexander, RB, Wyoming
Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson
Edwin Baker, RB, Michigan State
Mike Ball, RB, Nevada
Jamison Berryhill, RB, texas
Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
Michael Brockers, DT, Louisiana State
Bryce Brown, RB, Kansas State
Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State
Orson Charles, TE, Georgia
Morris Claiborne, DB, Louisiana State
Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State
David DeCastro, G, Stanford
Tiree Eure, TE, Minnesota
Marcus Forston, DT, Miami
Stephon Gilmore, DB, South Carolina
Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest
Dorian Graham, WR, Syracuse
Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
Jewel Hampton, RB, Southern Illinois
Cliff Harris, DB, Oregon
Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama
Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech
Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego State
Max Holloway, DE, Boston College
Jayron Hosley, DB, Virginia Tech
Janzen Jackson, DB, McNeese State
LaMichael James, RB, Oregon
Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina
Aldarius Johnson, WR, Miami
Damaris Johnson, WR, Tulsa
Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse
Matt Kalil, T, Southern California
Dre Kirkpatrick, DB, Alabama
Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin
Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College
Ronnell Lewis, DE, Oklahoma
Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
Terrell Manning, LB, North Carolina State
Jonathan Martin, T, Stanford
Bobby Massie, T, Mississippi
Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois
Lamar Miller, RB, Miami
Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona State
Eric Page, WR, Toledo
Donte Paige-Moss, DE, North Carolina
Nick Perry, DE, Southern California
Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple
Ken Plue, G, Purdue
Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis
Rueben Randle, WR, Louisiana State
Riley Reiff, T, Iowa
Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
Josh Robinson, DB, Central Florida
Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
Darrell Scott, RB, South Florida
Tommy Streeter, WR, Miami
Darron Thomas, QB, Oregon
Johnny Thomas, DB, Oklahoma State
Phillip Thomas, DB, Syracuse
Barrett Trotter, QB, Auburn
Olivier Vernon, DE, Miami
Brandon Washington, T, Miami
David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech
Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State
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