Plethora of players declare for draft today

[Nors]

(6:15 PM): Another Jayhawk leaves school... Kansas junior LT Anthony Collins has confirmed that he has decided to join close friend and Wildcats' CB Aqib Talib and declare for the 2008 draft. The 6-5, 310-pound Collins, a late-blloer with 5.10 speed over 40 yards, was projected as a 3rd round pick by the NFL's draft advisory committee.

(6:00 PM): Second 'Horn enters draft... Thanks again to correspondent Jeremy G. for the heads up as Texas redshirt sophomore TE Jeremichael Finley has reportedly told school officials that he will be entering the 2008 draft. Finley is the second Texas underclassmen to make the decision joining junior RB Jamaal Charles in applying for this year's draft. Finley is also the first non-junior to declare for this year's draft. The 6-5, 240-pound Finley caught 45 passes for 575 yards in 2007.

(11:30 AM): pair of junior CBs declare… Thanks to reader Alex B. for the tip as family sources close to both of junior CBs Aqib Talib of Kansas and Branden Flowers of Virginia Tech have indicated that both have decided to forego their final years of eligibility and declare for the NFL. Both had consulted with the NFL’s special draft advisory committee and both were reportedly told they would likely be second round picks this coming April. Ironically, the duo also faced each other in this year’s Orange Bowl in which Talib’s 60-yard TD return of an interception was the key play in the Jayhawks upset victory.

(12:01 AM):UCF back changes mind, to enter draft... After announcing last week that he was returning to the school for for his senior season, Central Florida junior RB Kevin Smith has decided to forgo his final year and turn pro. Smith finished the season with almost 2,600 rushing yards.

 

[Biggems]

i think finley was foolish to leave this year. i think one more year at UT would have suited him perfect. It might have made him a day 1 pick in 2009. Now he may be lucky to go in the first 5 rounds.

He is one heck of a receiving TE. However, I am not sure how good his blocking is. I will say this, he owned the Sooners during the first half of this year's Red River Shootout.

 

[Natedawg44]

It sure looks like the strengths of this draft is matching up very well with our needs-CB, WR, RB. Looks to be a very weak draft if you are looking for help in the front 7 or Oline.

 

[Nors]

(7:00PM): Three more top juniors go pro… as expected, Rutgers junior RB Ray Rice will skip his senior year to enter the 2008 NFL draft. Rice’s decision comes three days after he ran for 280 yard and scored four touchdowns in a 52-30 victory over Ball State in the International Bowl. Where Rice ends up in the draft though will be one of the interesting questions this coming April. No question that Rice, who rushed for almost 5,000 career yards including over 2,000 in 2007, can scoot, but he’s not overly big at under 200 pounds. Meanwhile, Auburn DT Pat Sims has also announced that he will skip his senior season to enter the NFL draft. The 315-pound Sims was a first-team All-SEC pick this season after making 11.5 tackles for loss including 4.5 sacks. Sims would appear to be an early to mid second round prospect at this point but in something of a down year at the position could conceivably work his way into the late first round area. Another SEC star, Tennessee junior MLB Jerod Mayo, whose 140 total tackles led the SEC this season, has also decided to enter the upcoming NFL draft. Mayo graded out as a late second early third round prospect by the NFL’s special draft advisory committee.

College coach knows who old team should take… They probably won’t ask, but Boston College head coach and former Falcons assistant Jeff Jagodzinski appears to think Atlanta, which has a top 5 pick at the 2008 draft, could do worse than selecting BC QB Matt Ryan in this article in the
Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

(4:00 PM): Ex-Vol WR to enter draft; former mates to follow?? Carson-Newman junior WR James Banks will forgo his senior season and enter the 2008 draft. Banks was a originally a heralded recruit at Tennessee but was dismissed from the team for repeated disciplinary offenses after two seasons. In his sophomore season Banks led the Vols with 42 catches for 621 yards and six touchdowns. Because of his chequered past, Banks isn’t likely to be drafted, but could get a look as an undrafted free agent by a team intrigued by his natural athleticism. Meanwhile, two current Tennessee underclassmen are believed to be leaning toward entering this year’s draft. MLB Jerod Mayo, who led the team with 140 tackles this fall, for example, is expected to forego his senior season after being projected as a possible late second- or early third-round pick by the NFL’s special draft advisory committee. Junior RB Arian Foster is reportedly undecided about his immediate future but is also thought to be leaning towards going pro. Foster was rated as a possible second rounder by the committee after he ran for almost 1,200 yards last fall.

(3:00 PM): Who ya gonna believe!!! New Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez said earlier today on the Jim Rome radio show that he expects both junior WRs Adrian Arrington and Mario Manningham to enter the 2008 draft.In the latter case, though, a family spokeman for said that Manningham is still undecided about his football future and in fact is continuing his studies in Ann Arbor. Meanwhile, there is an unconfirmed report that California junior C Alex Mack has decided to stay in school. Underclassmen have until the close of business next Tuesday to apply to the NFL for early admission to the 2008 draft.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I'd give Pat Sims a look, might be gone before our pick in the 2nd though, which is as high as I would take him