ARGH! Link: http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-21/1136962655109650.xml This would suck BIG TIME! I hope Landry will pull the Lienart move and stay when everyone (or a lot of people, at least) thinks he should go. I like him a lot. I think it would hurt pretty bad to see him go. We already have a suspect CB crew, and to lose him, well, that would put a whole lot of pressure on that defensive backfield.
What is Laron's personal situation? The injury risk is always out there. How are his skills; ready for the NFL? Would he improve his draft position next year and make a lot of extra money by staying and improving his skills, or not? If he is as ready as he will ever by physically and skill wise, he should go. He does not need to stay at LSU to produce the best record to make any fans feel better next year. If I was a star athlete from a regular family background and I was as ready as I'd ever be, I'd go to the NFL after a Jr. season.
Perhaps true, but Bowe has a lot of NFL upside and the scouts know it. A stellar year at LSU might move him to rounds 1 or two and he might consider staying. Of course he may feel another ordinary year at LSU may leave him at rounds 5-7 and there would be no point in staying and risking injury.
Even if Laron doesn't improve any next season, his draft stock will likely rise simply because of the other guys at his position that are coming out this year. The guy from Texas & South Carolina will go before him, and maybe one other guy. That leaves Laron in the 2nd round at best this year, where next year he'd stand a good chance of being the top safety.
I wonder if someone had laid this out for him to allow him to make an informed decision? ________ TOYOTA A-BAT SPECIFICATIONS
I think he's aware of it. There are other big factors at play here though. Laron really wants to get his degree, but injury is a very big risk that athletes face by coming back another year. And on top of that, he's got a lot of people around him enticing him by telling him how much money he could make right away in the NFL.
Bowe is simply considering it (according to this). It's been debated here where he would land, but it would be before the 5th round, at latest. He didn't have as bad of a season as we Tiger fans see it. He was a solid WR with pretty good #'s, but even better potential with his body style. Carter is not the same type of receiver as Bowe. It would be Lafell or Doucet, if anyone, that would threaten Bowe's playing time next season. I think Bowe & Davis will still be our go-to guys next season.
No clue if this is true information, just something I heard this morning. I heard the NFL advisory board gave first/second round grade to Landry and second/third round grade to Bowe. Who knows if it is true or not, but it is certainly realistic. IMO Landry is as good as gone. He has nothing to gain by coming back. Bowe on the other hand would be foolish to go this year. His size and speed and a decent season will make him a first rounder next year. The problem is that a bunch of agents are floating information to these kids that the new CBA will include a rookie salary cap next year that would limit first contracts and therefore they could actually leave early now get drafted later, and still make the same or more money as they would if they get drafted higher next year. If the CBA thing turns to be true and becomes public info before the 15th, we may see a bunch more underclassman declare that should probably be staying another year.
I totally agree and there is nothing wrong with a player wanting to stay for the fans OR another run at the national title. Injury is a factor, but when you look at the decision Marcus Spears made, it turned out okay and he went, what, #20 overall? I think the media and money influences the decision more than the injury factor. I saw that LaRon was projected to go in the first round, but now that other "more solid" or more recognized safeties are coming out, he could drop. I hope he's seen this. And about Dwayne Bowe. He's been a decent reciever, at best. I don't know how many times, watching him, that I saw him drop easy passes or passes that he just should have caught and he does hear footsteps a lot. To leave early would be foolish because, although he has upside, no NFL team will draft a player that drops easy passes in college and not a speed demon. At least a speed guy who can't catch can return punts or something. I hope he improves by next season, because I held my breath every time JR threw his direction.
