10 College Football Players We Wish Didn't Declare Early for NFL
The only constant in college football is change. The end of each season is the beginning of the talent life cycle. Players declare for the NFL draft, and a few weeks later, coaches sign new recruits to national letters of intent, filling holes left by graduation and early draft entries.
That was true this year, as it is all years. A total of 107 players declared early for the draft, and this weekend, they’ll see their dreams play out when the NFL holds its annual draft in Chicago.
It’s a little bittersweet, really. For college football fans, watching players take a new step in their journey is exciting, but it also means they’ll never pull on the uniforms of their favorite team again.
Here’s a look at 10 players that we wish didn’t declare for the NFL draft. They have great potential as professional players, but they were supremely fun to watch in the college game. For one reason or another, we wish we had a little more time with them on Saturdays.
Clemson CB Mackensie Alexander
1 of 10
Clemson’s high-powered offense played a huge role in the Tigers’ 14-1 national runner-up season, but don’t be mistaken. The defense more than carried its weight as well. Brent Venables’ group finished in the top 15 nationally in scoring defense, proving that you can pair a potent fast-paced offense with a talented defense.
One of the rocks of that defense? Cornerback Mackensie Alexander. Before the season, Alexander declared to reporters that he was the best cornerback in college football and backed it up with an All-American effort, serving as a lockdown corner while consistently covering the opponent’s best receiver.
He did so again at the NFL combine, saying he was the best corner in the 2016 draft.
"I'm 22, but I'm ready to compete with anybody. There's nobody more dedicated than me, who's put more time in or is more of a competitor than me," he told reporters, including NFL.com's Chase Goodbread. "I'm here prepared. I'm telling you I'm the best corner in this draft class."
Don’t be fooled by the fact Alexander didn’t have an interception in his college career. He is a physical, intense corner who makes life difficult for any offense he goes against, and opposing quarterbacks consistently stayed away from his side of the field.
We hate that we only got two seasons from him at Clemson, as he redshirted in 2013 following a preseason groin injury. But Alexander made the right choice, as he’ll be a likely early-round draft choice.
Baylor WR Corey Coleman
2 of 10
Baylor has become one of the most fascinating programs in college football. Art Briles’ fast-paced offense is never dull and consistently productive. Last fall, the Bears led the nation in scoring offense at 48.1 points per game even while fighting past season-ending injuries to quarterbacks Seth Russell and Jarrett Stidham.
Receiver Corey Coleman was exceptional, catching 74 passes for 1,363 yards and 20 touchdowns. While Coleman’s touchdown pace slowed in the season’s second half (he had no scores in the final four regular-season games and missed the Russell Athletic Bowl with an injury), he established himself as college football’s best deep threat and one of its most exciting players.
At 5’11”, 190 pounds, Coleman mixes big-time speed with excellent deep-ball ability. Baylor’s offense will march on without him, but college football Saturdays won’t be the same without him making highlight-reel plays.
Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott
3 of 10
Urban Meyer quickly built Ohio State back into a national title contender. The Buckeyes are a remarkable 50-4 under Meyer’s watch, including a national championship in 2014. Ohio State will be talented again this fall, but it won’t quite be the same without Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield.
Elliott is one of the best players of the Meyer era in Columbus. At 6’1”, 225 pounds, he has an exceptional blend of speed and power, capable of running past opposing linebackers or running over them on the way to the end zone.
He carried the Buckeyes to the national title as a sophomore, rushing for 230 yards and two touchdowns in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama and blasting for 246 yards and four scores in the title game against Oregon. Last fall, Elliott was just as good, rushing for 1,821 yards and 21 touchdowns.
In fact, his only sub-100 yard rushing game, a 12-carry, 33-yard effort against Michigan State, was Ohio State’s only loss in a 12-1 season. Coincidence? We think not. Elliott should be the first back drafted this week, but it’d be fun to see him roam in Ohio Stadium for another season.
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Notre Dame WR Will Fuller
4 of 10
Even when Malik Zaire was lost for the season with a broken ankle, Notre Dame’s offense didn’t miss a beat in 2015 under new quarterback DeShone Kizer. The Fighting Irish won 10 games and made the Fiesta Bowl, and Kizer’s smooth transition was surely helped by the presence of Will Fuller.
The junior wide receiver caught 62 passes for 1,258 yards with 14 touchdowns. Fuller was Notre Dame’s best deep threat, a great mix of speed and elusiveness. He had seven 100-yard games and three multi-touchdown games.
It was no surprise to see Fuller declare for the NFL draft, but the winner of Notre Dame’s quarterback battle would have loved to have him back this fall. We would, too.
Cal QB Jared Goff
5 of 10
In three years, Sonny Dykes has done an excellent job rebuilding Cal’s program. The Golden Bears went from 1-11 in 2013 to 8-5 with an Armed Forces Bowl win over Air Force last fall, using the Air Raid offense efficiently and growing every step along the way.
Jared Goff had a similar progression. The Cal quarterback improved each season in Berkeley. He threw for 3,508 yards with 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a freshman, 3,973 yards with 35 touchdowns against seven picks as a sophomore and then 4,714 yards with 43 touchdowns against 13 interceptions as a junior.
He threw for 467 yards and six touchdowns and no interceptions in the Armed Forces Bowl. Unfortunately, it would be his final collegiate game. Goff declared for the draft afterward. It was a smart decision (he’ll almost certainly be one of the top two players picked), but selfishly, we want to see what he could do with another season in Dykes’ offense.
UCLA LB Myles Jack
6 of 10
Myles Jack is one of the most unique players to come across college football’s landscape in recent years. He made a huge impact as a freshman in 2013, winning the Pac-12’s Defensive and Offensive Freshman of the Year honors.
As a tailback, he rushed for 267 yards and seven touchdowns and added 76 tackles with two interceptions as a linebacker. As a sophomore, he focused more on the defensive side of the ball, making 87 tackles, eight for loss, and one interception.
A torn ACL cut his junior season short after three games, and it was natural for Jack to declare for the NFL draft. He is a fun, versatile player, and we’re sure Jim Mora Jr. would have loved to have had him around for a full third season.
Memphis QB Paxton Lynch
7 of 10
It was no surprise that Justin Fuente was hired to replace Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech. Fuente earned the job after taking over a moribund Memphis program and leading it to 19 wins over the past two seasons, including a 10-win season and Miami Beach Bowl win over BYU in 2014.
He couldn’t have done it without Paxton Lynch, who thrived in Fuente’s uptempo scheme. He threw for 3,778 yards with 28 touchdowns against four interceptions as a junior. At 6’7”, 245 pounds, Lynch has prototypical size for a pocket passer but also has good mobility.
Given Fuente’s departure, it’s hardly stunning that Lynch declared for the NFL draft, but it would have been great to see what he could do in new coach Mike Norvell’s similarly high-powered offense.
Ole Miss DT Robert Nkemdiche
8 of 10
When you look at Robert Nkemdiche’s 2015 defensive stats (29 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks), it’s fair to say that they don’t exactly jump off the page. In fact, they’re pretty average. But those numbers don’t fully speak to Nkemdiche’s impact on the Ole Miss defense.
The Rebels went 10-3 last fall and capped the season with a Sugar Bowl win, and they wouldn’t have done it without Nkemdiche. The 6’3”, 294-pound defensive tackle was a force on the interior of the Rebel defensive line, consistently requiring double-teams from opposing offenses that freed up his teammates to make plays.
He is a physical, intense presence who was also occasionally used as a running back in Ole Miss’ offense. Nkemdiche could slip out of the first round due to questions about his character; he was suspended for the Sugar Bowl after falling out of an Atlanta hotel room where marijuana was discovered. He is known as a free spirit, and it would have been fun to see that spirit roam for one more season in the SEC.
Alabama DT A'Shawn Robinson
9 of 10
Alabama needed a shootout to win its fourth national title under Nick Saban, taking a 45-40 win over Clemson, but as usual, the Crimson Tide’s path to the title was paved with defense. Alabama had a typically strong unit in 2015, finishing third in both scoring defense and total defense.
A vicious defensive line led the way and was keyed by junior defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson. Robinson was a consensus All-American after racking up 46 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He was a monster for opposing offensive linemen to contain, and at 6’4”, 312 pounds, is a full-grown man. He has power and also surprising athleticism for his size, as anyone who saw him leap to block an extra point against LSU noticed.
Declaring for the draft made sense, but we would have loved to see him toy with SEC offensive lines for another season in Tuscaloosa.
Arizona LB Scooby Wright
10 of 10
2015 was a disappointing year for Arizona and coach Rich Rodriguez. The Wildcats followed a 10-win season and Fiesta Bowl appearance with a 7-6 season that wound up in the New Mexico Bowl. They surely wanted more from junior linebacker Scooby Wright. Wright suffered a pair of leg injuries and played in only three games.
But he saved his best for last, piling up 15 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in a New Mexico Bowl win over New Mexico. That was the Wright that showed up in 2014, when the unheralded backer (Arizona was his only FBS scholarship offer) made 163 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and six forced fumbles, winning the Chuck Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
Wright plays all over the field with a physical, tenacious style that frustrates opposing skill players. His draft declaration was understandable given the injury-filled junior season, but we would have loved to have seen another full season like the one he put up as a sophomore.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
