For as important as the College Football Playoff National Championship Game is on the sports calendar a lot of the focus across the nation this past week was centered on the players that were ready to make the jump to the NFL as several young stars declared for the 2016 Draft. Here is a quick recap of the important news and notes from across the college football world this past week.
Arkansas’ Alex Collins Declares
One of the most overlooked prospects in the nation declared this past week as Arkansas’ junior running back Alex Collins confirmed that he would make the jump to the NFL this season and while he wasn’t talked about nearly as much as some of the other top prospects on the board it is clear that he could be among the most underrated players available. Collins averaged 5.8 yards per carry while rushing for 1,577 yards and 20 touchdowns at Arkansas this season and while he didn’t get as much hype as Heisman trophy-winning running back Derrick Henry and fellow SEC stud Leonard Fournette this year there are some that feel he has the potential to be an absolute star at the next level. The fact that NFL teams could hesitate to take a running back too high could hurt his overall stock but there is no doubt about Collins’ ability as an elite running back prospect and it’s worth monitoring his stock heading in to the NFL combine where he has the potential to shoot up big boards.
Leonard Floyd Exits From Georgia
Georgia will lose one of its star linebackers after Leonard Floyd decided that he is ready for the NFL following three seasons with the Bulldogs. Floyd finished the 2015 season with a career-high 74 tackles including 10.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks and one fumble recovery. He’s an excellent pass rusher and is expected to have some very high upside. Depending on his workouts, he could be as high as a Top 10 pick but he could also drop as low as the middle of the second round. Considering how important pass rushers are these days, expect him to go sooner rather than later. It would be hard to envision him dropping past the Atlanta Falcons at No. 17.
Floyd’s decision didn’t become official until Thursday but according to reports he yelled his decision to leave at members of the local media as he left the campus in a car on the night Mark Richt was fired as head coach. Floyd has the potential to be an elite edge rusher at the next level and it will be interesting to see how high he can climb as a 2016 NFL Draft pick.
LSU’s Jerald Hawkins Headed To NFL
The long list of underclassmen set to make the leap to the NFL got a little longer when LSU left tackle Jerald Hawkins announced that he would forgo his senior season and enter the 2016 NFL Draft. The 6’6’’, 305-pound Hawkins has massive upside and potential and it will be interesting to see how high his draft stock will climb with the next stop the NFL Combine in late February. Hawkins was one of the key members on a quality LSU offensive line that blew open holes for star running back Leonard Fournette. Hawkins has shown some road-grading potential. According to Walter Football, Hawkins projects as the No. 8 tackle on the board in the 2016 NFL Draft and he’s No. 11 according to CBS Sports. A good showing at the combine could improve those numbers.
Auburn’s Shon Coleman NFL Bound
The deadline for underclassmen to declare is January 18th and while there will be several more additions made to the list in this coming week following Monday’s national championship game, Auburn’s left tackle Shon Coleman has already been penciled in. The 6’6’’, 313-pound left tackle declared for the draft this past Wednesday and is currently projected to be a top-10 tackle off the board after earning second-team All-SEC honors this past season. A lot of teams that are drafting in the Top 10 could really use some tackle help.
