Top 10 Players Who Should Take The Money and Run, 2010

when it comes to the NFL Draft, i am all for kids leaving school early and getting paid. with this being possibly the last year that rookies are gonna be able to sign ridiculous contracts (a rookie cap is very possible) this might the last chance the get the PAIDEST (word? fuck it, it is now!).

staying in school and being loyal and all that shit sounds nice coming from some people, but most of those people are angry old dudes on messageboards who only live for their college football teams and could care less about you kids making a living some day. i say fuck school. get paid and get laid. those are the only real joys we get outta life anyways. sure you might think it would be fun to give it one more year and try and win and championship or a Heisman trophy or some other dumb shit that doesn't buy you a giant fucking yacht and a summer home but just ask Sam Bradford how that can work out for you.

in fact if you look at QBs who were projected to be 1st round draft picks that decided to go back for one more year almost every single one of them dropped in the next draft. Brady Quinn, Matt Leinart, Brian Brohm, and Colt Brennan are all guys who were projected as 1st round picks (with Leinart and Quinn possible #1 overall picks) following their junior seasons and each one of them fell from where he was expected to go. Brennan who would've been a late 1st rounder or early 2nd round ended up a 6th round choice and Brohm ended up a 2nd round pick who got cut from the Packers this season because he wasn't progressing fast enough and they had no patience for him because of his 2nd round status. had he been a 1st round pick there's no way they would've given up on him so fat. this season Bradford is living proof you shouldn't go back...ever. he would've possibly been the number 1 pick in 2009 and now will most likely be the 3rd or 4th QB taken in this draft because of his injuries. he probably cost himself anywhere between 10 and 20 million because he wanted to give it "One More Year". Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez, and Josh Freeman were smart by leaving a year early.

Anyways This is my list of the Top 10 Underclassmen who could be 1st or 2nd round picks that should say Fuck School and go get paid. i put a premium on QBs, WRs, and RBs because those are the players whose stock tends to take unexpected nosedives from year to year. note that i am not including Sam Bradford in this list because he has already stated he's going pro.

1. Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame- the golden boy of the Fighting Irish was the #1 player coming out of highschool three years ago. then he got to college and went through two years of eating shit and getting hated on and called overrated as the Irish got their asses kicked up and down the field. now in his junior season we are finally seeing what all the hype was about. it's so easy to hate this kid with his douchebag haircut, all the stupid shit he did and said when he was a recruit, and the fact he plays for Notre Dame....but honestly he looks like a future NFL QB when you watch him play. he's likely to be the #1 overall pick in the 2010 draft if he decides to leave. there is no guarantee that'll be true if he stays...especially if the Irish fire Weis and bring in a new coach with a new system. take the money and run Jimmy.

2. Jake Locker, QB, Washington- size, strength, athletic ability. he's like a west-coast Tebow with a better arm. he also plays in a pro style system that makes him much more ready for the NFL. if Clausen isn't the #1 overall pick then i have to believe Locker will be. plus it isn't like you're ever gonna win a title at Washington. get out while you still can kid.

3. Ryan Mallet, QB, Arkansas- the crop of senior QBs has some star power with Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow...but neither of those guys fits in a typical NFL offense. Ryan Mallett however is a 6 foot 7 giant with a rocket arm who is built for an NFL offense. yes, he's only a redshirt sophomore with not even two full years of starting experience but he's the most NFL-looking QB in all of college football. if he comes back next year he could have a huge year and be the top pick in 2011, but he could also come back and play like shit (ala Jevan Snead) and see his stock plummet (ala Jevan Snead). plus the selfish Auburn-loving part of me wants to get that motherfucker out of the SEC asap.

4. Javid Best, RB, California- after that bad fall he took last week i'm sure young Best probably made up his mind that he's leaving school at the end of the year. if i was him i wouldn't even bother coming back and finishing the season. i'd just worry about getting in shape and getting healed for the combine. he's an easy 1st rounder with this year's weak crop of runningbacks.

5. Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech- big, strong, and fast. just like the NFL likes em. all runningbacks worth a shit should leave as soon as they are eligible because the League chews you up and spits you out quicker than any other position. every year you waste in college is a year less you will have to earn cash.

6. Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina- outside of left tackles and QBs, the position that draft gurus fall in love with the most are can't-miss defensive tackles. Austin is this year's top junior DT...which means he'll easily be a top 15 pick if he leaves early.

7. Eric Berry, SS, Tennessee- Eric Berry woulda been a 1st round pick after his Freshman year if he could've left school. there's no way he'll come back for one more year. not with the likelihood that he'll be a top 5 pick.

8. ALL LEFT TACKLES PROJECTED TO BE 1st Round picks- if you are a big left tackle and you are a junior or a draft eligible sophomore and somebody somewhere told you that someone might take you in the 1st round...go get rich motherfucker. the NFL loves you and wants to give you all their money.

9. Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame- Tate will probably only be a 2nd round draft pick, but with Clausen more the likely leaving he'd be smart to follow his QB into the draft. wide receivers stock is the most schizophrenic anyways. any WR who is predicted as a 1st or 2nd round choice is insane to go back to school for another year.

10. Damian Williams, WR, USC- USC wideouts have been a bit of a disappointment in the NFL in recent years. this starts to create a bias against you in the minds of scouts. right now Williams is being talked about as a 1st or 2nd rounder. no use if testing that for one more season.

and one more bonus player that i will file under: i don't want him to go pro but i have a sneaking suspicion he will.

Lee Ziemba, OT, Auburn- sorry Tigers fans. don't shoot me for pointing out the obvious. right now Ziemba is a projected 2nd rounder. but there are almost always between 8 and 10 tackles who go in the top 32 picks these days. with his size he could easily fall into the late 1st rounder status. this would be a crushing blow to Auburn with their depth problems on the line...but it's a very real problem. just sayin'.