I realize this should be a time when all we should be thinking about are the AFC and NFC Championship Games, but the draft is closer than you think – April 26-27 – and the NFL just announced its list of 53 underclassmen who have been granted eligibility to join the NFL.
Highlighting the list: All America running backs Darren McFadden of Arkansas and Kevin Smith of Central Florida. They’re joined by Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib and Kansas tackle Anthony Collins.
Also on the list: Rutgers running back Ray Rice.
The players declared eligible are:
Name Position College
Branden Albert G Virginia
L.J. Anderson G Central Florida
Adrian Arrington WR Michigan
Earl Bennett WR Vanderbilt
Martellus Bennett TE Texas A&M
Davone Bess WR Hawaii
Demario Bobo DB Mississippi State
Calais Campbell DE Miami
Jamaal Charles RB Texas
Ryan Clady LT Boise State
Anthony Collins LT Kansas
Johnny Dingle DE West Virginia
Franklin Dunbar OT Middle Tennessee
Jermichael Finley TE Texas
Brandon Flowers CB Virginia Tech
Jeremy Geathers DE UNLV
Vernon Gholston DE Ohio State
Ryan Grice-Mullen WR Hawaii
Letroy Guion DT Florida State
James Hardy WR Indiana
Derrick Harvey DE Florida
Geno Hayes LB Florida State
Erin Henderson LB Maryland
Jack Ikegwuonu CB Wisconsin
DeSean Jackson WR California
Josh Johnson LB Marshall
Felix Jones RB Arkansas
Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma
Justin King CB Penn State
Xavier Lee QB Florida State
Curtis Lofton LB Oklahoma
Selwyn Lymon WR Purdue
Mario Manningham WR Michigan
Jerod Mayo LB Tennessee
Darren McFadden RB Arkansas
Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois
Phillip Merling DE Clemson
DaJuan Morgan S North Carolina State
Lamar Myles LB Louisville
Sean Penix WR Arkansas
Kenny Phillips S Miami
Chilo Rachal G USC
Darius Reynaud WR West Virginia
Ray Rice RB Rutgers
Orlando Scandrick CB Boise State
Pat Sims DT Auburn
Steve Slaton RB West Virginia
Kevin Smith RB Central Florida
Reggie Smith DB Oklahoma
Jonathan Stewart RB Oregon
Aqib Talib CB Kansas
Devin Thomas WR Michigan State
Mario Urrutia WR Louisville
Comments (2)
I love the draft, the highlight of the offseason in my eyes. Question, how does the order shuffle in reaction to post season success? Superbowl winner picks last, I'm grey on everybody else.
Craig:
Here's a decent site to give you the draft order. http://www.gbnreport.com/weeklydraftorder.htm
Playoff teams' selections are determined by how they do in the postseason.
Interestingly, the Patriots have nothing to gain or lose draft-wise in the Super Bowl, since they forfeited their own first-rounder in the Sypgate episode.