Many people felt that the double whammy of a looming depression and the expiration of the CBA would cause dozens of extra underclassmen to declare early for the 2009 draft, making it the strongest draft class ever. That didn't happen. I am aware of only 39 underclassmen who have declared, and some of them may "undeclare" by Sunday (1/18). Some estimates ran as high as 70-100 players coming out, but they never even remotely materialized.

Normally, all things being equal, this writer would almost always advise young athletes to complete their educations, but these times are anything but normal. A year from now we may see bread lines, and 50% unemployment. We may see the dollar worth 1/20th of a British pound and empty grocery store shelves. Not saying it WILL happen, but it COULD happen. It has happened here before.

In an environment like that (for those of you who haven't studied the last Great Depression during the 1930s) pro football will still exist, but the players may be playing for a fraction of what they are getting now. I would have thought that more underclassmen would have been tempted to take the guaranteed money now, rather than gamble that the next CBA is as generous as this one, or that the economy would not tank even further. Who was advising these guys?... Ben Bernanke? The bailout gurus?

This draft is now a slightly better-than-average draft still, but nothing like it potentially looked like it might be a couple of weeks ago. With headliners like Selvie,Bradford, Tebow, Gresham, Kindle, Herzlich, etc., all returning, this is far from the draft of a lifetime.

Let's hope for the sake of these athletes and the country at large that the fiat currency system holds up for at least another year...

List of declaring underclassmen: (let me know if there is anyone missing)

Asher Allen Georgia CB Jr.
Kenny Britt Rutgers WR Jr.
Eben Britton Arizona OT Jr.
Donald Brown Connecticut RB Jr.
Everette Brown Florida State DE Jr.
James Casey Rice TE So.
Jeremy Childs Boise St. WR Jr.
Glen Coffee Alabama RB Jr.
Austin Collie BYU WR Jr.
Emanuel Cook South Carolina S Jr.
Jared Cook South Carolina TE Jr.
Michael Crabtree Texas Tech WR So.
Andrew Davie Arkansas TE Jr.
Vontae Davis Illinois CB Jr.
Josh Freeman Kansas State QB Jr.
Shonn Greene Iowa RB Jr.
Brian Hartline Ohio State WR Jr.
Darrius Heyward-Bey Maryland WR Jr.
P.J. Hill Wisconsin RB Jr.
Greg Isdaner West Virginia OL Jr.
Ricky Jean-Francois LSU DT Jr.
Paul Kruger Utah DE Jr.
Jeremy Maclin Missouri WR So.
Sen'Derrick Marks Auburn DL Jr.
Aaron Maybin Penn State DE So.
LeSean McCoy Pitt RB So.
Gerald McRath Southern Miss LB Jr.
D.J. Moore Vanderbilt CB Jr.
Knowshon Moreno Georgia RB So.
Captain Munnerlyn South Carolina CB Jr.
Hakeem Nicks North Carolina WR Jr.
Kevin Ogletree Virginia WR Jr.
Jerraud Powers Auburn DB Jr.
Mark Sanchez USC QB Jr.
Andre Smith Alabama OT Jr.
Sean Smith Utah DB Jr.
Matthew Stafford Georgia QB Jr.
Donald Washington Ohio State DB Jr.
Chris "Beanie" Wells Ohio State RB Jr.
Brandon LaFell LSU WR Jr.

Post-declaration Top 100:

Added Michael Crabtree as Top #1
Added Eugene Monroe as Top #2
Added Michael Johnson as Top #3
Added Andre Smith as Top #4
Added Michael Oher as Top #5
Added Aaron Curry as Top #6
Added Malcolm Jenkins as Top #7
Added Chris Wells as Top #8
Added Rey Maualuga as Top #9
Added Shonn Greene as Top #10
Added B.J. Raji as Top #11
Added Knowshon Moreno as Top #12
Added Peria Jerry as Top #13
Added Brian Orakpo as Top #14
Added Jeremy Maclin as Top #15
Added Brian Cushing as Top #16
Added LeSean McCoy as Top #17
Added Herman Johnson as Top #18
Added Matt Stafford as Top #19
Added Vontae Davis as Top #20
Added Mark Sanchez as Top #21
Added Brandon Pettigrew as Top #22
Added James Laurinaitis as Top #23
Added D.J. Moore as Top #24
Added Tyson Jackson as Top #25
Added Aaron Maybin as Top #26
Added SenDerrick Marks as Top #27
Added Darrius Heyward-Bey as Top #28
Added Victor Harris as Top #29
Added Percy Harvin as Top #30
Added Everette Brown as Top #31
Added Duke Robinson as Top #32
Added Brandon LaFell as Top #33
Added Clint Sintim as Top #34
Added William Moore as Top #35
Added Gerald McRath as Top #36
Added Jason Smith as Top #37
Added Alphonso Smith as Top #38
Added Chase Coffman as Top #39
Added DeAngelo Smith as Top #40
Added Alex Mack as Top #41
Added Josh Freeman as Top #42
Added Clay Matthews as Top #43
Added Jamon Meredith as Top #44
Added Asher Allen as Top #45
Added Rashad Johnson as Top #46
Added Dorell Scott as Top #47
Added Fili Moala as Top #48
Added Nate Davis as Top #49
Added Hakeem Nicks as Top #50
Added Rashad Jennings as Top #51
Added Derrick Williams as Top #52
Added Kevin Ellison as Top #53
Added Jairus Byrd as Top #54
Added Jacoby Ford as Top #55
Added Donald Washington as Top #56
Added Marcus Freeman as Top #57
Added Brandon Williams as Top #58
Added Jasper Brinkley as Top #59
Added Sammie Stroughter as Top #60
Added Jonathan Casillas as Top #61
Added Jonathan Luigs as Top #62
Added James Casey as Top #63
Added Max Unger as Top #64
Added Eben Britton as Top #65
Added Troy Kropog as Top #66
Added Darry Beckwith as Top #67
Added DeMarcus Granger as Top #68
Added Barry Church as Top #69
Added Darius Butler as Top #70
Added Ramses Barden as Top #71
Added Pat White as Top #72
Added Austin Collie as Top #73
Added Joe Burnett as Top #74
Added Fenuki Tupou as Top #75
Added Captain Munnerlyn as Top #76
Added Donald Brown as Top #77
Added Raphael Nguti as Top #78
Added Glen Coffee as Top #79
Added Mike Mickens as Top #80
Added Antoine Caldwell as Top #81
Added Terrill Byrd as Top #82
Added Zach Potter as Top #83
Added Louie Sakoda as Top #84
Added Phil Loadholt as Top #85
Added Kenny McKinley as Top #86
Added Connor Barwin as Top #87
Added Marlon Favorite as Top #88
Added Jared Cook as Top #89
Added Evander Hood as Top #90
Added Derek Pegues as Top #91
Added Drew Willy as Top #92
Added Ricky Jean-Francois as Top #93
Added Bear Pascoe as Top #94
Added Mike Rivera as Top #95
Added Greg Isdaner as Top #96
Added Michael Hamlin as Top #97
Added Louis Murphy as Top #98
Added Trimane Goddard as Top #99
Added Jeremy Navarre as Top #100

Steve,
Jairus Byrd was in twice. His first name was misspelled and I deleted that one. I did not see anything official that he declared.

DeMarcus Granger will be back at OU next year

By the way, your post was a good read. It seems to me that professional sports would be one of the hardest hit areas with the "stumbling, fumbling" economy.

A thing that I've heard a lot when the players decided to stay was that they loved playing college football. They enjoy being big men on campus and having another "family." The NFL is a buisness and for some of these kids they might not think they are ready and want to continue to have fun. Why else do you think that some of these players who could have been top 10 are coming back to school?

I think the realize that the NFL is not going away and that if they wait another year they can still make good money.

Google "Jairus Byrd" and "NFL Draft," Brett. Looks like he is coming out from multiple sources, though I don't know why he isn't in some of the lists I'm seeing.

Thanks Nolen...

I'm going to go remove Granger now...not sure how I missed him.

Anybody see any other guys on that list that didn't declare?

--------------

Johanns,

I'm sure that's part of it, but I wonder if the NFL and/or the NFLPA had something to do with it. You know, sort of like the stockbrokers all telling their clients, "hey, don't sell, the market will turn around any day now..."

Maybe I missed him but Harvin isn't on this list.(he's on the other top 100 list though)

LATEST REVISION:

Added Michael Crabtree as Top #1
Added Eugene Monroe as Top #2
Added Michael Johnson as Top #3
Added Andre Smith as Top #4
Added Michael Oher as Top #5
Added Aaron Curry as Top #6
Added Malcolm Jenkins as Top #7
Added Chris Wells as Top #8
Added Rey Maualuga as Top #9
Added Shonn Greene as Top #10
Added B.J. Raji as Top #11
Added Knowshon Moreno as Top #12
Added Peria Jerry as Top #13
Added Brian Orakpo as Top #14
Added Jeremy Maclin as Top #15
Added Brian Cushing as Top #16
Added LeSean McCoy as Top #17
Added Herman Johnson as Top #18
Added Matt Stafford as Top #19
Added Vontae Davis as Top #20
Added Mark Sanchez as Top #21
Added Brandon Pettigrew as Top #22
Added James Laurinaitis as Top #23
Added D.J. Moore as Top #24
Added Tyson Jackson as Top #25
Added Aaron Maybin as Top #26
Added SenDerrick Marks as Top #27
Added Darrius Heyward-Bey as Top #28
Added Victor Harris as Top #29
Added Percy Harvin as Top #30
Added Everette Brown as Top #31
Added Duke Robinson as Top #32
Added Brandon LaFell as Top #33
Added Clint Sintim as Top #34
Added William Moore as Top #35
Added Gerald McRath as Top #36
Added Jason Smith as Top #37
Added Alphonso Smith as Top #38
Added Chase Coffman as Top #39
Added DeAngelo Smith as Top #40
Added Alex Mack as Top #41
Added Josh Freeman as Top #42
Added Clay Matthews as Top #43
Added Jamon Meredith as Top #44
Added Asher Allen as Top #45
Added Rashad Johnson as Top #46
Added Dorell Scott as Top #47
Added Fili Moala as Top #48
Added Nate Davis as Top #49
Added Hakeem Nicks as Top #50
Added Rashad Jennings as Top #51
Added Derrick Williams as Top #52
Added Kevin Ellison as Top #53
Added Jairus Byrd as Top #54
Added Jacoby Ford as Top #55
Added Donald Washington as Top #56
Added Marcus Freeman as Top #57
Added Brandon Williams as Top #58
Added Jasper Brinkley as Top #59
Added Sammie Stroughter as Top #60
Added Jonathan Casillas as Top #61
Added Jonathan Luigs as Top #62
Added James Casey as Top #63
Added Max Unger as Top #64
Added Eben Britton as Top #65
Added Troy Kropog as Top #66
Added Darry Beckwith as Top #67
Added Pat White as Top #68
Added Barry Church as Top #69
Added Darius Butler as Top #70
Added Ramses Barden as Top #71
Added Joe Burnett as Top #72
Added Austin Collie as Top #73
Added Raphael Nguti as Top #74
Added Fenuki Tupou as Top #75
Added Captain Munnerlyn as Top #76
Added Donald Brown as Top #77
Added Antoine Caldwell as Top #78
Added Glen Coffee as Top #79
Added Mike Mickens as Top #80
Added Terrill Byrd as Top #81
Added Derek Pegues as Top #82
Added Zach Potter as Top #83
Added Myron Pryor as Top #84
Added Phil Loadholt as Top #85
Added Kenny McKinley as Top #86
Added Connor Barwin as Top #87
Added Marlon Favorite as Top #88
Added Jared Cook as Top #89
Added Evander Hood as Top #90
Added Michael Hamlin as Top #91
Added Drew Willy as Top #92
Added Ricky Jean-Francois as Top #93
Added Bear Pascoe as Top #94
Added Mike Rivera as Top #95
Added Greg Isdaner as Top #96
Added Chip Vaughn as Top #97
Added Louis Murphy as Top #98
Added Trimane Goddard as Top #99
Added Jeremy Navarre as Top #100

Yea,

Thanks Knowitall. Having a tough time finding a truly complete list so far this morning. Until we get something from the NFL website, everything will probably be somewhat incomplete.

Hey guys, hope everyone is well.

With that said, got just a few ideas for ya..

Shonn Green is a little high. He's old and 1-D.

I think Monroe is still the 3rd best tackle in this draft.

You gotta have Orakpo higher, he's gonna be a top 5 pick.

Am I the only one who likes Glen Coffee?

Rashad Johnson is going to make people regret passing on him.

Maybin will also probably be a top 15 pick.

I think Michael Johnson is Kiwi part 2, he belongs at the end of the first.

Keep up the good work.

I think Duke Robinson has ate himself into the 3rd or 4th round myself..Loadholt has tremendous flexibility problems so he is probably about right

OK, Adam. Good to hear from ya. This should be in the Top 100 thread, but np...I'll look at some revisions.

Monroe's feet keep him a true LOT candidate, whereas Oher is still a mix candidate (pass pro/run blocking) and Andre Smith, as some have pointed out, may wind up at ROT or even inside. Since LOT is still the money spot, and Monroe is the sure-fire best pure LOT he gets a slight nod over the other two. But it's really splitting hairs no matter where we rank those three...

Orakpo is too tightly wound, and he scares me. I can see him being a constant DNP because of muscle pulls, etc. He also is not an elite closer to the QB....YET...

Love Coffee...just added him to the Top 100 the second I heard he had declared yesterday.

Rashad is smaller than the other stud safeties in this draft, and there are so many of them, that he can't go much higher than where we have him. He benefited from Alabama's success some too, and is not the killer some of the others are.

Maybin has some serious head issues. I personally wouldn't take him at all in round one...

You may be right about Michael Johnson, but I think Kiwanuka has shown he deserved to go higher, and Johnson isn't quite as lean as Kiwanuka. I am not 100% sold on him either, but I am hearing the NFL scouts mostly are.

Oh...Adam...Moreno and Greene swapped spots...

Guys: There is a thread for Top 100 suggestions. This ain't it.

TIA...

Nolen,

Robinson dropped from #32 to #50.

Thanks.

Back to the original post,

Where do you see things going as far as the effects on professional sports and this economy?

To me, this has to signal a downward turn in the mega contracts. With different layoffs in the offices(I think the Redskins just laid off several), it would appear that maybe this season isn't the best time to come out. I don't know enough about the financial side to give a sound thought on it, but maybe the guys are being told that guaranteed money is going to be down, and that giving the economy a year to rebound will up those numbers in 2010.

One reason I do think professional sports will take a hit is that the consumer doesn't have to spend a dime to enjoy the NFL, NBA, or MLB product. They don't have to attend a game, they can enjoy it from home.

Once again, I have minimal knowledge of most things financial, but it doesn't look good down the road.

No, it doesn't look good at all. That's why I would have recommended to every highly-ranked underclassmane that they come out NOW, and sign that bonus. It was just announced since my O.P. in this thread on Bloomberg News that experts expect "a tidal wave" of corporate bankruptcies to strike later this year....

"A tidal wave" like that might send the DOW crashing to 3000 or below, and it might mean your average NFL starter will be playing in the fall of 2010 for the equivalent of $50,000 per year in today's earning-power terms...though it might still be at a face value of a million or two...

CFT has just suggested that, although he has declared, he is considering undeclaring (is that a word? -- it is now!). We may not know until Monday morning quite what is going to happen with him.

PS. Just found this list which I think catches ALL the declared underclassmen...

Asher Allen
CB
Georgia
JR

Chris Baker
DT
Hampton
JR

Kenny Britt
WR
Rutgers
JR

Eben Britton
OT
Arizona
JR

Donald Brown
RB
Connecticut
JR

Everette Brown
DE
Florida St.
JR

Jarius Byrd
CB
Oregon
JR

James Casey
TE
Rice
SO

Jeremy Childs
WR
Boise St.
JR

Glen Coffee
RB
Alabama
JR

Austin Collie
WR
BYU
JR

Emanuel Cook
S
South Carolina
JR

Jared Cook
TE
South Carolina
JR

Michael Crabtree
WR
Texas Tech
SO

Andrew Davie
TE
Arkansas
JR

Nate Davis
QB
Ball St.
JR

Vontae Davis
CB
Illinois
JR

Maurice Evans
DE
Penn St.
JR

Josh Freeman
QB
Kansas St.
JR

Shonn Greene
RB
Iowa
JR

Brian Hartline
WR
Ohio St.
JR

Percy Harvin
WR
Florida
JR

Darrius Heyward-Bey
WR
Maryland
JR

P.J. Hill
RB
Wisconsin
JR

Greg Isdaner
OG
West Virginia
JR

Ricky Jean-Francois
DT
L.S.U.
JR

Paul Kruger
DE
Utah
SO

Brandon LaFell
WR
L.S.U.
JR

Jeremy Maclin
WR
Missouri
SO

Sen'Derrick Marks
DT
Auburn
JR

Aaron Maybin
DE
Penn St.
SO

LeSean McCoy
RB
Pittsburgh
SO

Gerald McRath
ILB
Southern Miss
JR

D.J. Moore
CB
Vanderbilt
JR

Knowshon Moreno
RB
Georgia
SO

Captain Munnerlyn
CB
South Carolina
JR

Hakeem Nicks
WR
North Carolina
JR

Kevin Ogletree
WR
Virginia
JR

Jerraud Powers
CB
Auburn
JR

Mark Sanchez
QB
USC
JR

Andre Smith
OT
Alabama
JR

Sean Smith
CB
Utah
JR

Matthew Stafford
QB
Georgia
JR

Donald Washington
CB
Ohio St.
JR

Chris Wells
RB
Ohio St.
JR

Brandon Williams
DE
Texas Tech
JR

James Williams
CB
Southern Connecticut
JR