Michigan's Donovan Warren goes pro, and other Monday developments
There's hardly a consensus among pro scouts on where Michigan cornerback Donovan Warren might be selected in the upcoming NFL Draft.
The NFL's underclassmen advisory board projected him as a first-to-third rounder, while an AFC scout said Warren, who on Sunday told AnnArbor.com he would leave early, would likely be a middle-round pick.
Michigan cornerback Donovan Warren is headed to the NFL after announcing his intentions to leave school early Sunday.
Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com
Most years, such a disparity in reports might make staying in school the prudent decision. But this isn't a normal year. Warren had nothing to lose by declaring early.
Next year's possible NFL labor upheaval leaves a lot of question marks for today's underclassmen. The possibilities of either a rookie wage cap or lockout next year - or both - mean that 2011 rookies could see diminished wages.
That's reason enough to leave.
But he also had nothing tugging in the other direction, no tangible reason to stay. Warren's been the Wolverines' most dependable member of the secondary since the moment he started his first game as a freshman.
With nothing but the prospect of another arduous season ahead in 2010 for the Michigan defense in particular and the team overall, Warren's choice was a no-brainer.
We'll kick off today's Meandering with a few Warren and draft-related links:
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
- Dave Birkett, AnnArbor.com: Donovan Warren's leaving Michigan for the NFL.
- Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press: Warren's decision leaves secondary in tatters.
- Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press: Rich Rodriguez wishes Warren would have waited.
- Tim Griffin, ESPN: Big 12 stacks early NFL Draft declaration list.
Comments
Man in the Mirror
Tue, Dec 22, 2009 : 6:02 p.m.
Another Carr recruit NFL bound. Not bad for bare cupboards. Colorado fans salivating to see Clemons on the field! In Rich Rod keep trusting...GO BLUE!
Sean T.
Mon, Dec 21, 2009 : 11:18 p.m.
I wouldn't scream too much over Cullen and Turner until they have actually played a down please! I'll give Warren credit because he had to learn a whole new system, packages and terminology. RR has never had a SuperStar DB nor has his teams consistently stopped anyone in the passing game.
Yogi
Mon, Dec 21, 2009 : 2:25 p.m.
This kid is good! I wish he would have stayed to help bolster the defensive backfield. Good luck with the draft and beyond.
tzgoblue
Mon, Dec 21, 2009 : 1:40 p.m.
I have watched Warren since the day he started at UM. His best season was his first. Since then he has been average at best. Last year he was terrible. This year he got beat regularly by the other teams top receivers. He gave up as many big plays on third and long as anybody else in the D backfield. This will be another Errington story. He left early and hasn't shown up on in an NFL game yet to my knowledge. I would be surprised if Warren is drafted before the 4th or 5th round. I would not be surprised if the best he does next year is make sombodies practice roster. I'll take my chances with the youngsters we have coming back and the freshmen coming in. We will be fine
tcmaizefan
Mon, Dec 21, 2009 : 1:01 p.m.
Warren was beaten just as much as the other DB's this year. I wish him luck and still wish he was coming back, but I am very much looking forward to Cullen, and Turner in the defensive backfield this fall.
garrisondyer
Mon, Dec 21, 2009 : 1 p.m.
Maybe I've just never seen the games when he was "on", but I haven't even seen one glimpse of why Warren thinks he'll ever play in the NFL. My lasting memory of him will be twofold: fumbling pretty much every punt he tried to return in 2008, and the way he made me cringe every time an opponent's QB threw his way.
InRichRodWeTrust
Mon, Dec 21, 2009 : 12:04 p.m.
The way I look at as, if Warren would have shown no inlination in leaving and didn't leave we would have not got Cullen Christian. Michigan football video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdHTLJeFyg4