Oklahoma, Ohio State headline draft deadline winners and losers (Rebels)
The NFL’s early entry deadline passed on Thursday, and now everyone can move on with their lives. The college stars staying in school can buy books, pick up syllabi and frequent quarter beer night at whichever sticky-floored campus bar they prefer. The departing stars can buy Escalades and prepare for the combine. Meanwhile, several coaches must either fill gaping holes in their depth chart or bask in the glory of an unexpected bounty. Today, we’ll look at which teams emerged winners and losers after the early entry sweepstakes.
Winners
1. Oklahoma
Not only is Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford back, but so are tight end Jermaine Gresham, offensive tackle Trent Williams and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. If you thought you could pencil in Texas as the Big 12 South champ, think again. The Sooners will have to replace most of their offensive line — tackle Phil Loadholt, guard Duke Robinson, center Jon Cooper and right guard Brandon Walker were seniors — but Williams, who knocked out an Oklahoma State defender with a block in November, should provide some stability for a young group. Gresham proved in the BCS title game that he is one of the nation’s most dangerous offensive weapons, and if the Sooners can develop some receivers for Bradford to throw to, the offense should still hum.
Oklahoma’s defense began preparing for 2009 the moment middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds went down against Texas. The Sooners lose safeties Nic Harris and Lendy Holmes, but at least they don’t lose McCoy, an athletic tackle who will disrupt all those high-powered Big 12 offenses next season.
2. Florida
si.com
1/16/09
