NFL: Quartet of Yellow Jackets to Enter the 2010 NFL Draft
It is being reported that running back Jonathan Dwyer, defensive end Derrick Morgan, and safety Morgan Burnett are expected to announce their intentions to forgo their senior year of eligibility and enter the NFL draft Monday. This comes on the heels of junior receiver Demaryius Thomas saying he would enter the draft last week.
This move was expected by Dwyer and Morgan who are both locks to go in the first two rounds of the draft. Dwyer is considered by many to be the third best back available in the draft and could go as high as the end of the first round. Teams like the Saints and Chargers who like to feature a power running game are expected to have some interest in Dwyer who is considered to be the best between the tackles prospect in next spring’s draft.
LaDanian Tomlinson has seen better days and Darren Sproles simply does not have the chops to be the every down back in San Diego, while the Saints struggled to keep Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell healthy this season.
An long shot contender for Dwyer could be the Packers who are currently sitting at 23 in the draft. It could be considered a bit of a reach but if Dwyer works out well they may grab him as the Pack is said to be dissatisfied with Ryan Grant’s lack of consistency this past season.
Morgan has assumed the spot at defensive end since Florida’s Carlos Dunlap pulled a DWI charge in the week leading up to the SEC Championship Game. He is considered by many to be a top five prospect and is expected to be the first pass rusher taken off the board in April. He has the prototypical frame that teams look for in a pass rusher and should be able to handle adding another 15 to 20 pounds of muscle if need be. Derrick uses his speed to get to the quarterback and his 12 sacks tied for the fourth most in the nation.
If the Seahawks decide to pass on taking a quarterback with the sixth pick then Morgan is a good bet to land there. The ‘Hawks are in desperate need of a pass rusher, but, with Matt Hasselbeck struggling to stay healthy enough to play 16 games at this stage of his career Seattle could very well opt to go after someone like Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen with its top pick.
If Seattle passes then Cleveland and Oakland are expected to have an interest as well.
Burnett is solid against the run and is known for creating turnovers for the Yellow Jackets. He has the prototypical size to play safety in the NFL and could potentially be used as an outside linebacker if he is willing to add an extra 15 to 20 pounds to his frame. He is considered to be a second or third round prospect at this time.
Thomas has the size and speed to be an elite receiver in the NFL, but, due to playing in Paul Johnson’s option offense at Georgia Tech he did not have the opportunity to hone his skills as much as he would have liked to. He averaged an astounding 25.1 yards per catch during his junior season and 8 of his 46 grabs went for touchdowns. Thomas saw his streak of 29 straight games with a reception come to an end at the Orange Bowl. He is very athletic with home run speed, however, he drops some passes he should catch.
His raw physical skills alone make him a second round prospect. With a lack of clue chip receiving talent in the upcoming draft If Thomas shows good hands and route running ability in his workouts for pro teams he could potentially sneak into the first round. If he stays where he is projected, which is the middle of the second round, look for teams like Carolina, Kansas City, and possibly Houston or Cincinnati to have an interest in Thomas.
Muhsin Muhammad and Dwayne Jarrett are on the outs in Carolina and they need a complimentary receiver for Steve Smith.
Dwayne Bowe and Todd Haley have not gotten along well in Kansas City past year and they could have an interest in Thomas if they decide to part ways with the enigmatic Bowe.
The Texans lack any real depth at receiver and could use a home run hitter to pair with Andre Johnson.
The Bengals lost their home run hitter in Chris Henry and without that legit deep threat their passing game tends to stall out a bit.
