Alabama star wide receiver Amari Cooper, running back T.J. Yeldon and safety Landon Collins are reportedly foregoing their senior seasons and entering the upcoming 2015 NFL Draft.
Alabama WR Amari Cooper & RB T.J. Yeldon will enter NFL Draft @ClowESPN reports
— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) January 8, 2015
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Photo Credit: rolltide.com
Cooper was one of three 2014 Heisman finalists to make the trip to New York and capped off his collegiate career as the school’s all-time receiving leader by a wide margin in receptions (228), yards (3,463) and touchdowns (31).
The Biletnikoff award winner also led the nation with 124 receptions and finished a razor-close second behind Colorado State’s Rashard Higgins with 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2014. Cooper is widely regarded as arguably the best wide out in college football and has also drawn comparisons to recent Top 10 picks such as Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, A.J. Green and Justin Blackmon (but without the character concerns).
Yeldon had a bit of a disappointing 2014 junior campaign. In fact, he wasn’t even the team’s rushing leader, though you could almost call it a tie between Yeldon and sophomore Derrick Henry.
Henry led the Tide with 990 yards and 11 TDs on 172 carries (5.8 YPC), while Yeldon rushed for 979 yards and 11 scores on 194 carries (5.0 YPC). Yeldon actually had more total yards due to his production (15 receptions for 180 yards and a score compared to Henry’s five catches for 133 yards and two TDs) in the passing game.
His impressive balance and ability accelerate through creases give him real promise at the next level.
He capped off his college career as the Tide’s fifth-leading rusher with 3,322 yards and 37 touchdowns on 576 carries (5.8 YPC), ahead of Mark Ingram (sixth), Trent Richardson (seventh) and Eddie Lacy (12th). We don’t expect him to go as high as his predecessors, but don’t expect to hear his name called on the second day of the draft.
#Bama safety Landon Collins will forego his final season of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft, per league sources. pic.twitter.com/W6WpMwPeCE
— Rand Getlin (@Rand_Getlin) January 8, 2015
Collins also looks to join Cooper as a first round pick and the first player off the board at his position on April 30. The versatile 6-foot, 215-pound safety has performed extremely well at both single high safety and in the box.
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