About Me

My photo
Simply put, I am a football fanatic. I'm well-informed on the game- its players, statistics, history, rules, etc. I love the sport and I enjoy sharing my point of view.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Prospects who may have left school too soon

Every year we see underclassmen prematurely leave for the pros. The fame and money these young men may receive in the pros -- and agents convincing them it's in their best interest to turn pro -- is so alluring that it clouds their judgment, and they tend to suffer because of it.  Leaving school early can result in players being a bust (if drafted early), millions of dollars in salary differences, and the loss of a college degree. Am I being over dramatic? Sure, maybe a tad. But I'm trying to make a point! Here are the underclassmen in this year's draft who I believe would have benefited more from another year at school.

Vinnie Sunseri, SS, Alabama- Sunseri missed the second half of the season with a knee injury that required surgery. Even if he hadn't suffered the injury, I still wouldn't think he's ready for the pros. He's too weak in pass-coverage and that won't fly in the pass happy NFL. He's a backup and special teamer at best.
Projected Round: 5-6, 4-5
Aaron Lynch, DE, South Florida- Lynch transferred from Notre Dame to South Florida after his freshman season in 2011. Due to transfer rules he was forced to miss the 2012 season. He is a skilled player but failed to dominate the American conference the way many anticipated. Had he returned for his junior year, a solid season would have done his done wonders for his '15 draft stock.
Projected Round: 4-5, 4
George Atkinson III, RB, Notre Dame- As a Fighting Irish fan, I never envisioned Atkinson as NFL caliber running back. One more year in college (whether it be with the Irish or another school) would have done him good considering his lack of production. He's big (6'1", 220lbs.) and has track star speed, but doesn't make an impression on the field. He didn't do himself any favors when he was suspended for violating team rules, either.
Projected Round: 7, 7-FA
Kapri Bibbs, RB, Colorado St.- After just one season of seeing the field -- granted it was a very impressive season -- redshirt sophomore Kapri Bibbs is going pro. Bibbs ran for 1,741 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2013, but one great season against lesser competition isn't going to cut it. If he's looking to get drafted early, he needs to dominate for more than one season and do so consistently. He probably should have returned to school.
Projected Round: 6-7, 7
Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson- Bryant caught 42 passes for 828 yards and seven touchdowns -- all career highs-- in 2013. A lot of that success stemmed from the double coverage Sammy Watkins drew. If Bryant returned for his senior season and put up good numbers without Watkins he would have improved his draft stock next year.
Projected Round: 3-4, 2-3
Kelcy Quarles, DT, South Carolina- Quarles had an impressive season, earning All-SEC First Team honors. The knock on Quarles is going to be that his success was due in the large part to teammate Jadeveon Clowney requiring extra blockers, freeing up Quarles to one-on-one matchups and less attention. I think he should have returned for his senior year and shown that his production wasn't because of his other-worldly teammate.
Projected Round: 3, 2-3
Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida St.- You might be surprised to see Benjamin on this list and to be fair, I ranked him last because he's the most pro-ready of this bunch. He has all the talent and ability, but I think he should have returned for his junior season. In my opinion, one great season isn't enough to warrant the kind of hype he's receiving. Do it consistently, year in and year out. He didn't dominate as a freshman and he's still a raw route runner. I would have liked to see him return and improve his overall game. This year's draft class is stocked at wide receiver and he may have been the consensus number one wide out if he came out next year.
Projected Round: 1-2, 1

*Projected Rounds: My Projectionwww.NFLDraftScout.com Projection
**Stats courtesy of www.sports-reference.com/cfb  

No comments:

Post a Comment