Alot of great underclassmen were drafted over the weekend -- Darren McFadden, Ryan Clady, Vernon Gholston -- just to name a few, but some of these guy who bolted college a year early, probably are wishing they stayed another season.
Some of the guys of note who left early, who could have used another year in school:
Adrian Arrington, Michigan, WR: With Chad Henne, Michael Hart, Mario Manningham and Lloyd Carr all leaving Michigan, it was no surprise to see Arrington leave too, but I'm sure he was hoping to go a little higher than the No. 237th pick overall (7th round). The Saints actually made a trade to grab Arrington in the final round. At 6-foot-3 he could be another big target for Drew Brees.
Xavier Lee, Florida State, QB/TE: My how the mighty have fallen. Lee was rated as one of the top-rated quarterbacks in 2004 and now he is an undrafted free agent. Lee never had a major impact at Florida State. He told the Miami Herald, "I know my athletic ability will get me to the next level. I made some mistakes -- missing classes -- but I know in my heart I didn't get a good chance" at Florida State. So far nobody has come calling.
Erin Henderson, Maryland, LB: According to the Baltimore Sun, NFL analyst Mike Mayock suggested his size and history of knee injuries cost him a chance to be drafted. Henderson thought for sure he would be drafted on the second day, but was passed over by every team. He did agree to a free-agent contract with the Vikings to join his brother E.J. Henderson.
Johnny Dingle, West Virginia, DE: The 6-2 defensive end from the Mountaineers was expected to be a second-day pick, but unfortunately for him his name was not called. Another player from a team with a coaching change. He was coming off his best season in 2007 with nine sacks, but nobody came calling. He did sign a free agent contact with the Chiefs on Monday.
Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullen, Hawaii, WR: With Colt Brennan and Jason Rivers exhausting their eligiblity, these two also decided to leave school a year early, but neither was drafted. Grice-Mullen missed part of his pro day workout with cramping, but still ran a 4.3 40-yard dash. His size might of scared teams off, considering he was just 5-10, 187 pounds. Grice-Mullen signed with the Texans, while Bess, who is also 5-10, signed with the Dolphins.
