At least 36 NCAA Collegiate athletes will be foregoing their senior year of college and opt for the upcoming NFL Draft. School ties are strong and loyalty to team mates can be over powering for young athletes causing some of them to resist the temptation of leaving the university a year early to play pro football.
Some, but not all. The money that is being put on the table in front of these young men is, in many cases, just too much to resist. Especially given the case in which the athlete’s family is poor and in dire need of the extra income that would come along with a NFL contract. How many times have we heard of a football player using his signing bonus to buy a house for his mother or sister?
So, who can blame them? Additionally, there is always the possibility of a career ending injury happening during that last senior year…. ending all hopes of a big dollar contract…. forever.
With the January 15deadline to declare fast approaching, here is a short list of the top undergraduate athletes who will be awaiting with baited breath the results of the NFL Draft in 2013.
Marcus Lattimore is one of the most incredibly gifted running backs in recent memory. He has astounded South Carolina fans as well as attracting national attention. Unfortunately he has had problems with injuries, specifically torn knee ligaments. Lattimore is the #6 rated RB and has declared for the NFL Draft.
Top Offensive players going to the draft are QB of Tyler Bray of Tennessee, RB Le’Von Bell of Michigan State and Wide Receivers Keenan Allen of California & Robert Woods from USC.
On the defensive side we will see ends Bjoern Werner of Florida State and Damontre Moore from Texas A&M. The top tackles are Johnathan Hankins of Ohio State and Sheldon Richardson from Missouri.
The three highest rated Linebackers in the draft are all juniors and they are all from the south. Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree from Georgia plus Kevin Minter of LSU.
The southern states are also sending the top defensive backs to the draft beginning with Free Safeties Eric Reid of LSU and Matt Elam of Florida.
Xavier Rhodes of Florida State has also declared plus Tharold Simon and bad boy Tyrann Mathieu, both from LSU. Best of Luck to all of these young athletes!
