It took the Longhorns coaching staff and even Jermichael Finley's teammates by surprise when the third-year sophomore announced after the 2007 season that he was leaving school for a chance to play in the National Football League in 2008. While he is one of the more athletic players at his position, the league's advisory board told Finley he projected as a fourth-round pick.

With a daughter at home and another child on the way, Finley decided it was time to start earning paychecks.

"The NFL is every football player's dream, and when my NFL grade came back, it was encouraging, and I felt like it was in my best interest to enter the draft," Finley said. "I've worked really hard for three years at Texas to prepare for this, and I think I'm ready for the challenge."

Based on his performance at the Combine, Finley is likely to fit in the back half of the draft.

Known for his athletic skills coming out of high school, he considered enrolling at the University of Arizona. UA was the only school to offer him a dual scholarship, hoping to entice him to the university to play both football and basketball.

At Diboll High School, Finley was a four-year starter at tight end and played defensive end, wide receiver, safety, punter and kicker. He owns the school records with 316 receptions, 30 touchdown catches and 2,217 receiving yards. He also punted for a 37.9-yard average, kicked off and played an average of 101 snaps per game. He was named District Offensive Player of the Year in football and District MVP in basketball as a sophomore, averaging 24 points and 20 rebounds as a senior for the hoops squad.

Finley arrived at the University of Texas weighing 205 pounds in 2005, spending the season on the scout team. He learned the technique of playing tight end under the tutelage of former All-Big Twelve Conference selection and current New England Patriot David Thomas. Finley, who now wore Thomas' No. 16, put those lessons to use as a redshirt freshman in 2006 and established himself as one of the top Mackey Award candidates.

In 2006, he earned Freshman All-American honors, starting four of 13 games. He was the most productive freshman tight end in UT history, posting 31 catches for 372 yards (12.0-yard average) and three touchdowns, all tops on the Longhorns' freshman tight end chart.

Finley received All-Big Twelve honorable mention as a sophomore in 2007. He ranked third on the team with 45 receptions for 575 yards (12.8-yard average) and two scores. His 45 grabs are the second-best season total by a Texas tight end and his 575 yards rank third on the tight end chart. He also recovered a fumble for a score and recorded a solo tackle.

Finley started 17 of the 26 games in which he played at Texas. He ranks fourth on the school's career list for tight ends with 76 receptions and sixth with 947 yards (12.5-yard average), with five touchdown catches and another score on a fumble recovery.

Positives: Has a lanky frame with tapered muscles and can probably add another 20 pounds of bulk without the added weight affecting his overall quickness … Long strider who builds his acceleration, getting into his patterns with no wasted motion … Has the functional lateral movement to work across the middle and shows good plant-and-drive agility in transition … Can separate underneath better than in the open field, showing good flexibility to adjust to the ball in flight … Plays with good emotion and, while a bit too talkative at times, he takes well to hard coaching … Has been mostly durable throughout his career … Turns on the ball quickly when the quarterback is pressured and uses his size well to shield defenders … Showed marked improvement reading defenses as a junior, doing a nice job of finding and settling into the zone's soft area … Has large, natural hands, with good timing and arm extension to compete for the ball at its high point … Shows no flinch going up for the ball in a crowd … Very fluid getting his head and body adjusted to make off-target catches and has good balance to keep his feet in bounds when working near the sideline … Has good quickness in his release, using his hands forcefully to beat the press … Can avoid contact and separate after the catch but doesn't have the speed to beat defenders in the open … Needs to be more crisp in his long routes (soft angles), but does a nice job of uncovering and sitting down underneath … Better cut blocker than when working in-line, as he is better making hits on the move (can get pushed back when trying to anchor) … Still needs route refinement, but has improved adjusting his patterns to get open … Shows the ball skills to position, extend and pluck the ball outside his frame … Above-average leaper who has no problem high-pointing the ball … Can break some arm tackles, but is best when he executes head fakes to escape after the catch … Has very good balance to track the ball in flight.

Negatives: Marginal blocker who lacks the strength to anchor and gets too narrow in his base, allowing edge rushers to slip off his attempts to sustain (has some hip stiffness) … Also ineffective blocking in-line, as he lacks the lower-body strength to prevent bull rushers from pushing him back into the pocket (must do a better job of sliding his feet and using his hands, as his technique work and lack of power gets him in trouble) … Has minimal amount of starting experience and needs to mature, both physically and mentally before he can contribute at the next level … Has adequate timed speed, but does not show the second gear to separate after the catch … Has a decent short-area burst, but will need to add more bulk and strength, as he does not always generate good yardage after the catch (will try to break arm tackles rather than elude, as he is still trying to develop the savvy moves needed to get open consistently) … Will sometimes lean into or out of his breaks … Will "double catch" or trap the ball in a crowd, resulting in drops.

Compares To: RANDY McMICHAEL-St. Louis … Some compare him to Browns' tight end Kellen Winslow, but Finley lacks the burst and explosion off the snap that Winslow displays when eating up the defender's cushion. Finley will bring instant value in a double-tight end package, as he can line up in the slot, wide or in motion. He lacks the bulk and strength to be a punishing blocker, but has the frame to eventually develop. He might have the best hands of any tight end in this draft.

2006: Missed most of the second half of the Central Florida game (9/15) with a shoulder bruise.

Campus: 4.76 in the 40-yard dash … 350-pound bench press … 29-inch vertical jump.

Combine: 4.82 in the 40-yard dash … Bench pressed 225 pounds 20 times … 27 ½-inch vertical jump … 9'8" broad jump.

Attended Diboll (Tex.) High School, playing football for head coach Finis Vanover … Four-year starter at tight end and also played defensive end, wide receiver, safety, punter and kicker … Owns the school career records with 316 receptions, 30 touchdown catches and 2,217 receiving yards … Also punted for a 37.9-yard average, kicked off and played an average of 101 snaps per game … Named District Offensive Player of the Year in football and District MVP in basketball as a sophomore, averaging 24 points and 20 rebounds as a senior for the hoops squad.

Education major … Two-time member of UT's Athletic Director's Honor Roll … Born 3/26/87 in Lufkin, Texas … Resides in Diboll, Texas.