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Auburn Football: Tigers Among College Football’s Winners in NFL Draft Early Entrants

By Nicholas Ian Allen

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The list of college football players leaving early for the NFL Draft became officials week. On Monday, the Sporting News released a list of 12 college football programs that are most affected by their players’ decisions to either stay in school or enter the NFL Draft early, and if that team is a “winner” or a “loser” as a result.

Despite two Auburn football players foregoing their final season of eligibility, the Tigers are most certainly in the winners category.

Nov 1, 2014; Oxford, MS, USA; Ole Miss Rebels running back I’Tavius Mathers (5) is tackled by Auburn Tigers linebacker Cassanova McKinzy (8) during the game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Auburn defeated Ole Miss 35-31. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Following the regular season, there were two players most believed were considering jumping to the NFL: junior wide receivers Sammie Coates and D’haquille Williams. In the weeks leading up to the Outback Bowl, we learned that junior linebackers Kris Frost and Cassanova McKinzy as well as sophomore offensive lineman Avery Young had also asked for draft evaluations.

We learned before the bowl game that Coates had graduated and that helped his decision to jump, which he made official in December. Not long after, we also learned that Williams was suspended for the Outback Bowl, but would be back at Auburn for his senior year.

In early January, word officially came through that McKinzy, Frost and Young all decided they would stay on campus for the 2015 season, but surprisingly, junior offensive lineman Patrick Miller announced he was going pro.

Once the dust settled, the Tigers lost one of their best offensive playmakers – Coates led the Tigers in every major receiving category in 2013 and his 741 receiving yards led Auburn in 2014 as well – and an offensive lineman that began the season as a starter, but may have had a difficult time cracking the lineup in 2015.

Coates’ departure was expected, but so was Williams’ who led the Tigers with 45 catches and five touchdown grabs. Having him back in 2015 is a big boost for the Auburn football team, as is the return of McKinzy and Frost – who ranked second and third on the team in tackles – and Young, who started every game on the offensive line.

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Overall, not bad at all.

As for the rest of the teams mentioned, the winners include Michigan State, who lost Trae Waynes but kept Shilique Calhoun and Connor Cook, Mississippi State – who lost Benardrick McKinney and Josh Robinson, but Dak Prescott will be back in Starkville, and Oklahoma, who will welcome back Eric Striker and Charles Tapper.

After leading the country in early entrants each of the last two seasons, the LSU Tigers lost three players again this year, but it’s considered a win. Stanford lost just two, and were the final winners listed.

Florida State headlined the losers after Ronald Darby, Mario Edwards, Jr., Eddie Goldman, P.J. Williams and James Winston all declared for the draft. Oregon lost Heisman winner Marcus Mariota and Arik Armstead, and Alabama lost the talented trio of Landon Collins, Amari Cooper and T.J. Yeldon.

USC, Florida and Louisville each lost four players to round out the losers.

Next: Recruiting: What Did We Learn From Big Boom Weekend?

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