2011 NFL Draft: 25 Underclassmen Who Should Declare
The 2011 NFL Draft will have its share of underclassmen, there's no doubt about that. The lure of money always brings a group of guys out of college early.
Staying one more year in school has its pros and cons, but it's a choice every aspiring pro athlete must make.
Staying one more year could drop their draft status and cost them millions of dollars. A freak injury could end their career.
Going to the pros early could mean some guaranteed money upfront, but going early sometimes inhibits proper development—and that can kill a career early.
Here are 25 guys sitting high enough on the draft board to make it worth taking the risk.
25. Kyle Rudolph, TE Notre Dame
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Kyle Rudolph is big for a tight end at 6' 5", 253 lbs., and he has the speed to make it big in the NFL.
With Notre Dame's program not doing well, Rudolph has nothing to gain by staying another year.
24. Ryan Broyles, WR Oklahoma
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Ryan Broyles has great hands and has shown he can get good yards after the catch. Broyles isn't a tall wide receiver (5' 11"), but he's fast and can double as a kick or punt returner.
23. Jerel Worthy, DT Michigan State
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Coming in at an impressive 6‘3", 305 lbs., Worthy has the bulk to take up a lot of room and shut down running lanes.
A draft-eligible sophomore, Worthy has been dominating the Michigan State line and looks like he'll have a huge impact once he reaches the NFL.
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22. Brandon Burton, CB Utah
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Burton has 82 tackles and two picks going into this weekend, and at 6' 1", 185 lbs., he's slightly undersized but has room to bulk up.
Good cornerbacks are hard to find and keep, so Burton has every reason to declare this year.
21. Rahim Moore, S UCLA
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Rahim Moore is a pro-ready safety who scouts say models his game after Ed Reed. That's a pretty good player to model yourself after, and every team wants an Ed Reed.
Should Moore declare, he is a first-round possibility, high second round at worst.
20. DeMarcus Love, OT Arkansas
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Love is a good potential first-round prospect with great technique and quickness. He's capable of playing both sides of the line and reacts to defensive line adjustments well.
Love gets a few knocks from the scouts for his perceived lack of athleticism, but he has the size and frame to be successful in the NFL and his off-field scouting report is excellent.
19. LaMichael James, RB Oregon
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LaMichael James isn't as big as a lot of NFL teams like their running backs to be, but he's an explosive runner who already is getting Heisman consideration.
James is getting high praise, which will make it a tough decision for James to remain in Oregon for another year. Running backs have a very short shelf life, so going into the NFL early might be the best decision for him.
18. Jonathan Baldwin, WR Pitt
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Jonathan Baldwin has great hands and he's 6' 5", 225 lbs. That's a great prospect, and Baldwin should have no problem declaring after the season.
17. Brandon Harris, CB Miami
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Brandon Harris is a good athlete with great instincts and natural speed that project well into the NFL.
Harris is a physical player who already strikes fear into opposing quarterbacks.
16. Mark Barron, S Alabama
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Mark Barron is a stud of a prospect. At just over 6' 1", 210 lbs., Barron is super-fast and physical in coverage, with good hands and solid technique.
Barron is often in the film room and translates that onto the field, according to his scouting report. That's something every head coach likes to hear.
15. Lance Mitchell, S Oregon State
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Lance Mitchell is earning a lot of honors and is one of the biggest playmakers on the Beavers defense.
Mitchell could become a legitimate first-round prospect after the combine.
14. Dont'a Hightower, ILB Alabama
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Besides having a great name, Dont'a Hightower has shown great instincts on the field, is known to be a good study in the film room and has all the physical skills you want to see out of a top-tier prospect.
13. Julio Jones, WR Alabama
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Julio Jones has been known to drop the ball, which is why he isn't ranked higher, but he's a very good athlete and still makes a lot of catches—some of them spectacular.
His size and frame are perfect for the position, and he can fight off corners in man-to-man coverage.
12. Ryan Williams, RB Virginia Tech
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Ryan Williams is quick on his feet and has good moves. His scouting report says he could add more bulk, but that's just nitpicking.
Williams sees a lot of the field and is good at making cuts. Making the move to the pros this year would make perfect sense.
11. Aaron Williams, CB Texas
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Aaron Williams is aggressive, smart and can keep up with receivers down the field. He gets glowing marks for his ability to maintain his position.
Williams is shooting up the draft boards, and it would be silly for him not to declare.
10. Ryan Mallett, QB Arkansas
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Ryan Mallet already is being "shopped" to several different teams, depending on which mock draft you read.
At 6' 6", 238 lbs., Mallett qualifies as a "beast" of a prospect at quarterback. He'll have no problem looking over the line and down the field. His accuracy is above average and he already shows natural leadership skills.
9. Mark Ingram, RB Alabama
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Mark Ingram is being touted as the top running back prospect in the draft, so there's no reason for him not to declare.
Ingram is tough, bangs through the line and has the speed and swiftness to weave through traffic.
8. Akeem Ayers, OLB UCLA
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Akeem Ayers excels at every skill point on the scouting report and already has the size and build to be successful in the NFL.
There's no need for Ayers to hang around the college ranks for another year—he's ready now.
7. Janoris Jenkins, CB Florida
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Jenkins is a confident player who has good instincts for the game. He anticipates routes and possesses good awareness in zone coverage.
Jenkins can read the quarterback and put himself in a good position to make the play. The Florida corner is a potential top-10 draft pick.
6. A.J. Green, WR Georgia
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A.J. Green is the top wide receiver prospect in the draft and a potential top-five pick, so he's quickly running out of reasons not to declare for the draft.
5. Robert Quinn, DE North Carolina
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Quinn is listed as "above average" in most of the major categories for defensive end, but simply watch the guy. He has great speed, knows how to use his hands and can get around the edge with ease.
Quinn is the real deal, and he'll be a darling during the draft process.
4. Marcell Dareus, DT Alabama
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Marcell Dareus has overcome a lot of adversity in his personal life and shows great maturity in addition to his physical skills, which are great.
Dareus shows good pass rushing skills and can adjust quickly to the play. He's almost a lock for the top five.
3. Da'Quan Bowers, DE Clemson
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Da'Quan Bowers has shown he's good defending the pass and the run. He has great size and speed, and has been an extremely effective pass rusher on the inside.
Bowers will be a very high draft pick if he declares this year.
2. Patrick Peterson, CB LSU
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Don't be surprised if teams are trying to trade up for Patrick Peterson—he's that good.
Peterson's resume is pretty good and if you don't know it by now, you don't watch college football.
In addition to his elite on-field skills, Peterson comes from good NFL stock. He is a relative of three different NFL players.
1. Andrew Luck, QB Stanford
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The only reason for Andrew Luck not to declare would be because he doesn't want to play for the Buffalo Bills.
Luck has all the physical skills and intangibles to be a successful quarterback in the NFL. It's now up to him to get the process started, and then he'll probably end up being the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
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