Vontaze Burfict and NFL Rookies Who Will Regret Leaving College in 2012

The transition from college to the NFL isn't seamless for most players.

There are growing pains, but most eventually get it.

That being said, for some, leaving college early could end up hurting their career instead of helping it in the long run.

Here’s a look at some rookies that might regret declaring for the draft a little too early.

Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

Burfict’s draft stock collapsed more than any other rookie in 2012.

Once considered a possible first-round prospect, Burfict went undrafted and signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as a free agent.

That was probably the first sign that declaring early may have been a mistake. The potential is there, but his play last season wasn’t up to par with what most might have expected from him.

While it’s possible Burfict could be a huge steal for Cincinnati, there's a chance he may never pan out in the NFL

Maybe going undrafted was the major wake-up call he needed.

Tommy Streeter, Miami

Streeter wasn’t picked until the final day of the draft by the Baltimore Ravens.

He has the size and athleticism to be a much higher pick, and he could have helped himself tremendously by returning to Miami for one more season.

Perhaps the possible sanctions looming over the university played into his decision, but he may not get the opportunities he would have if he had matured skill-wise by staying in school.

Darron Thomas, Oregon

Thomas shined bright in a high-powered Oregon offensive system.

Unfortunately, a lot of what he did didn’t mean much to NFL scouts. Clearly, Thomas wasn’t ready for the NFL, and returning for his final season may have helped him brush off the “project” stigma that haunts some players.

While he thrived as a spread-option quarterback, he didn’t have enough in his arsenal to warrant any real attention.