OU-HSV
1/6/2007, 11:46 AM
I didn't see this anywhere:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2721750
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee receiver Robert Meachem has decided to enter the NFL draft, according to newspaper reports.
Tennessee athletic officials would not confirm the reports Friday, and Meachem has been unavailable for comment. The Knoxville News Sentinel and The Tennessean newspapers didn't identify the source of the reports they published Friday.
Meachem said following the Vols' 20-10 loss to Penn State Monday at the Outback Bowl that he was undecided about leaving early for the draft but he reportedly has told several people that he plans to train in Arizona for the upcoming testing sessions and NFL combine.
It's unclear whether he's signed or entered into an agreement with an agent. If he doesn't enter an agreement with an agent, he has until Jan. 19 to pull his name out of the draft.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound All-American junior told reporters at the end of the regular season that he would not leave early for the NFL unless he is projected as a first-round pick.
Early projections have Meachem within the first round and possibly as a top 15 pick in the April draft because of his size and playmaking ability. Other junior receivers who may enter the draft could affect that projection.
"If they say second round, I'll definitely be back because nobody wants to go second round, trust me," Meachem said in December. "When you're beating up your body and doing things like that, nobody wants to be second round."
Meachem had 1,298 receiving yards on 71 catches -- including 11 for touchdowns -- this season, breaking the school's record for a single season.
He had a season-low 33 receiving yards on four catches in the Outback Bowl.
Meachem was the sixth Vol to garner more than 2,000 career receiving yards, and his 105.4 yards-per-game average during the regular season ranked first in the Southeastern Conference and third nationally.
Meachem redshirted during his freshman year in 2003 after graduating from Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Okla.
The Tennessee offense, reinvigorated after the hire of coordinator David Cutcliffe and the standout performances this season from Meachem and junior quarterback Erik Ainge, will lose two other top receivers in seniors Jayson Swain and Brett Smith.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
I wonder if he wouldn't be better off to come back for his Senior year? He could end up being the first WR taken overall and even a top 5 pick if he came back for another year and had another big season.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2721750
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee receiver Robert Meachem has decided to enter the NFL draft, according to newspaper reports.
Tennessee athletic officials would not confirm the reports Friday, and Meachem has been unavailable for comment. The Knoxville News Sentinel and The Tennessean newspapers didn't identify the source of the reports they published Friday.
Meachem said following the Vols' 20-10 loss to Penn State Monday at the Outback Bowl that he was undecided about leaving early for the draft but he reportedly has told several people that he plans to train in Arizona for the upcoming testing sessions and NFL combine.
It's unclear whether he's signed or entered into an agreement with an agent. If he doesn't enter an agreement with an agent, he has until Jan. 19 to pull his name out of the draft.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound All-American junior told reporters at the end of the regular season that he would not leave early for the NFL unless he is projected as a first-round pick.
Early projections have Meachem within the first round and possibly as a top 15 pick in the April draft because of his size and playmaking ability. Other junior receivers who may enter the draft could affect that projection.
"If they say second round, I'll definitely be back because nobody wants to go second round, trust me," Meachem said in December. "When you're beating up your body and doing things like that, nobody wants to be second round."
Meachem had 1,298 receiving yards on 71 catches -- including 11 for touchdowns -- this season, breaking the school's record for a single season.
He had a season-low 33 receiving yards on four catches in the Outback Bowl.
Meachem was the sixth Vol to garner more than 2,000 career receiving yards, and his 105.4 yards-per-game average during the regular season ranked first in the Southeastern Conference and third nationally.
Meachem redshirted during his freshman year in 2003 after graduating from Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Okla.
The Tennessee offense, reinvigorated after the hire of coordinator David Cutcliffe and the standout performances this season from Meachem and junior quarterback Erik Ainge, will lose two other top receivers in seniors Jayson Swain and Brett Smith.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
I wonder if he wouldn't be better off to come back for his Senior year? He could end up being the first WR taken overall and even a top 5 pick if he came back for another year and had another big season.