A.J. Green could be No. 1 overall pick in NFL draft
A.J. Green could be Georgia's second No. 1 overall NFL draft pick in the last three years, joining Matthew Stanford.
With Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck announcing that he’s returning to school for another season, there’s only one question: Does A.J. Green send him a thank you note?
If Green says he’s coming back to Georgia, it would be even more stunning than Luck’s decision. I follow this general rule: When a college player sells his Independence Bowl jersey for $1,000, he’s ready to make money.
By Luck staying in school, Green could be the first overall pick. That would give Georgia two first overall selections in the last three years (Matthew Stafford went No. 1 to Detroit in 2008.) It would be a nice honor for the school but there also could be a sense of, “Why didn’t we do more with them?”
Green is considered a lock top-five selection. ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranked Green as the fourth best prospect on his current “Big Board” (requires Insider subscription), behind Luck, Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers and Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley.
With no other quarterback worthy of being drafted first overall, there’s no obvious No. 1 pick. But several mock drafts already have Green slotted in the No. 1 spot and going to the Carolina Panthers. Excerpts from a couple of them:
– The Orlando Sentinel: “Carolina has got to be upset that Andrew Luck, who was a lock here, is returning to Stanford. They could go with a defensive lineman here, but they are hurting bad at wide receiver and may take Green as an athletic, flashy pick to try and help Jimmy Clausen and pacify a restless fan base.”
– NFL Fanhouse: “So Andrew Luck won’t be the QB in Carolina next season. It’s a bad development for the Panthers, obviously, but what can you do? In this case, Carolina will either ride Jimmy Clausen or add a veteran QB (Vince Young? Donovan McNabb?) — either way, the Panthers need to give that quarterback some weapons. Green is an absolute stud.
Based on recent first overall picks and inflation, Luck left potentially $55 million of guaranteed salary on the table (pending changes in the next CBA that could cap rookie salaries). Two years ago, Stafford signed a contract worth up to $78 million, with $41.7 million guaranteed.
Maybe he and Green can build a library on campus or something.
– By Jeff Schultz
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698 comments Add your comment
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
11:49 am
Buckeye
What’s the Big Ten’s bowl record this year? Isn’t it something like 1-4?
RambleOn84
January 7th, 2011
11:51 am
Eric Crouch was selected at the end of the 3rd round.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
11:51 am
“I also get tired of the SEC superiority complex.”
What conference has won the most titles in the last ten years? Nuff said.
“But to believe they are stronger, faster, hit harder, have the best defenses, the best offenses, the best players, etc is a joke.”
See above comment.
“Rough year for the Big Ten in bowls.”
And last year and the year before that……
“But it’s not like the SEC has looked incredible with some of their losses.”
No SEC team has been blown out in a bowl game in recent history.
Buckeye
January 7th, 2011
11:52 am
2010,
Congrats on a great year. Entertaining for sure. Good luck against the Ducks, If you like we’ll send game film from our Rose Bowl victory last January.
At least we heard Vern Lundquist say “Cam Newton” a few more times this season than “Tim Tebow”.
It must still suck to be 11 and 0 and not even invited to the dance.
Dr. Phil
January 7th, 2011
11:52 am
Besides being a felon and dope dealer, Moss was a pretty good football player. I don’t know if he was worth the baggage. Green is definately not the brightest bulb in the tool shed.
Outside Observer
January 7th, 2011
11:53 am
I don’t even care for Ohio State, I’m just saying it’s ridiculous to think they are an embarrassment. They have a great tradition, a great fanbase, and a lot of great players. SEC fans are fans of the conference and root for each other, which is crazy. I don’t like seeing rivals win. As an Auburn fan, did you get a lot of satisfaction watching Bama win the National Title last year? Crazy talk to me
Fish Bisch
January 7th, 2011
11:53 am
Sorry, I meant Tim Couch, the QB bust who was taken #1 in 1999
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
11:53 am
“It must still suck to be 11 and 0 and not even invited to the dance.”
Who are you referring to in that statement?
Buckeye
January 7th, 2011
11:53 am
2010,
Ha! No SEC has been blown out?? How about UGA falling to UCF in the freakin’ Liberty Bowl? That’s as big a blowout as can be. Losing to Conf USA. Come on, Man.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
11:54 am
“Sorry, I meant Tim Couch, the QB bust who was taken #1 in 1999″
Did he play for the Browns? Ouch.
Bills Fan
January 7th, 2011
11:54 am
Please, PLEASE take Green at #1. That will ensure one of the top 2 DL players will be available for my Bills at #3.
Enemas for Arbor Day
January 7th, 2011
11:55 am
2010 SEC Champs. Dude, your time is up here. When you keep insisting that everyone outside of Nebraska, and even those in Nebraska claimed Crouch was going to be big time, you keep losing credibility. Move on. You have more to think and or discuss about before Monday. Enjoy it.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
11:56 am
“No SEC has been blown out?? How about UGA falling to UCF in the freakin’ Liberty Bowl?”
Since when is losing by 4 a blow out? A blow out is what Auburn did to USC in the SEC Champ game.
56-17 is a blowout.
“That’s as big a blowout as can be. ”
You must not watch a lot of football. UGA shouldn’t have even been in a bowl game. 6-6 records are not winning records.
“Losing to Conf USA. Come on, Man.”
UCF was 10-3. Not a bad record if you ask me and no, I’m not making excuses for UGA.
Buckeye
January 7th, 2011
11:56 am
2010,
I’m referring to your prior undefeated season and not getting the NC invite. Tubberville, by the way, is a blowhard. Met him on the range at the Shark Tooth is Destin a few years back. Wearing all the underarmor gear. Complete jerk and harldy an embassador for Auburn or the SEC.
Fish Bisch
January 7th, 2011
11:56 am
This same draft crap shoot applies to the coaching carousel. What gives with all the drooling over Harbaugh? Sure, he has turned a program around, but do they not remember the history of college coaches success rates in the NFL?
Joe Tess Fish House
January 7th, 2011
11:57 am
Man Aurbun is goin 2 get creamed on Monday!
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
11:57 am
“Dude, your time is up here. ”
Are you the AJC blog police, ma’am?
“Crouch was going to be big time, you keep losing credibility. ”
You must be illiterate. I never claimed that Crouch would be big time. I stated that ESPN analysts did.
Fish Bisch
January 7th, 2011
11:58 am
and I was thinking couch not crouch lol
Outside Observer
January 7th, 2011
11:58 am
“But to believe they are stronger, faster, hit harder, have the best defenses, the best offenses, the best players, etc is a joke.”
See above comment.
I saw the next coming of Christ as you SEC fans tend to believe, Marcus Lattimore, get blown up by an FSU cornerback. A smaller, 5′8, 180lb corner. But I couldn’t stop hearing the crap about how McCoy couldn’t handle taking a hit from an SEC defender when he was knocked out of the game last year. The SEC is very good, but they are not unbeatable. That’s why they play the game. Also, did you really cheer for Bama in the title game last year? Did you enjoy seeing your rival hold that trophy? That is crazy….
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
11:58 am
Buckeye
Couldn’t care less what you think of Tubberville. He no longer coaches at Auburn. Anyway, yeah we got shafted in 2004 and oh, by the way, we were 13-0 not 11-0.
I’ll wave to you from Glendale.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
12:01 pm
“I saw the next coming of Christ as you SEC fans tend to believe, Marcus Lattimore, get blown up by an FSU cornerback.”
No one believes that, ma’am. Auburn totally stopped Lattimore.
“The SEC is very good, but they are not unbeatable. ”
Bama was 14-0 last year. Auburn is 13-0 right now. Also, no one said the SEC was unbeatable. But, as of right now, the SEC has won the last four national titles with three different teams.
No conference can say that they have done that.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
12:01 pm
“Man Aurbun is goin 2 get creamed on Monday!”
Gotta love the south Georgia trailer trash! Did the welfare department give you a laptop?
12 CRIMINAL ARRESTS 7--er--6 wins 6--NO--7 LOSSES
January 7th, 2011
12:01 pm
goooooo!!! Sick of hearing about this over-rated, over-hyped beanpole! He’ll be a bust in the NFL. Write it down.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
12:02 pm
“Also, did you really cheer for Bama in the title game last year?”
As a matter of fact I did. I have relatives that went to Bama.
Footballrules
January 7th, 2011
12:02 pm
Turn pro, or return for the Senior year? Bet Kyle Parker wishes he had that choice to make one more time.
Buckeye
January 7th, 2011
12:02 pm
2010,
I stand corrected on the record.
Been there. Won some, lost some.
Enjoy the TV timeouts!
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
12:03 pm
“Complete jerk and harldy an embassador for Auburn or the SEC.”
What’s an embassador?
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
12:04 pm
Buckeye
You gotta know that I’m just messin with you! This is what makes college football great and at least we aren’t name calling…..yet! LOL
Buckeye
January 7th, 2011
12:04 pm
Please….
Outside Observer
January 7th, 2011
12:04 pm
No team can claim the starpower in the NFL that Miami can. But I don’t claim them as a brother of mine. You still didn’t answer my question. Did you enjoy seeing your rival win the National Championship? What about LSU a couple of times before them?… On a side note, did you really say experts believed Crouch from Nebraska would be good? Please, tell me you mistakenly said that when you really mean’t Couch from Kentucky. Who was a huge bust in the NFL…
THE CATHOLIC HAMMER
January 7th, 2011
12:04 pm
2009 Sugar Bowl:
Utah 31 – Alabama 17
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
12:04 pm
Buckeye
By the way, I was cheering for Arkansas but I did love the look on Petrino after his team lost. I can not stand that guy!
Go Falcons!
schmeckdawg
January 7th, 2011
12:04 pm
Extree Extree read all about it. AJ Green to return to UGA.
nofightinthesedawgs
January 7th, 2011
12:05 pm
Will he be able to resist being a part of Richt’s “Dream Team”? Sounds like he’s gonna be passing up an opportunity to be a part of history.
Braves #5
January 7th, 2011
12:06 pm
Stay A.J. Green ! We need #8 Next year !
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
12:06 pm
“Utah 31 – Alabama 17″
That has what to do with anything?
2010 Rose Bowl
Alabama 37 – Texas 21
Outside Observer
January 7th, 2011
12:06 pm
Sorry, your answer came up while I was typing. Maybe acceptable, but I’m sure you see my point. I can’t cheer for a rival. It’s just not in my blood. I can’t do it. I want to beat them. I want to crush them. Their win doesn’t feel like a victory for me.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
12:07 pm
“You still didn’t answer my question. Did you enjoy seeing your rival win the National Championship?”
Not my fault if you can’t read. As a matter of fact, I did answer your question.
AJoke Green
January 7th, 2011
12:07 pm
Iz gotta go…..lucky to git $50 for a jersey now….bet you wonder who paid for my Escalade?
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
12:08 pm
“I can’t cheer for a rival. It’s just not in my blood.’
You must be under the false impression that I care.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
12:09 pm
“On a side note, did you really say experts believed Crouch from Nebraska would be good?”
Yes, I did.
Carlton
January 7th, 2011
12:09 pm
I’ve been saying since the beginning of the season AJ would stay-and I’m still standing by it. Look at the facts: (a) coming out of high school, he committed to the Bulldogs when he was sophomore (sounds like he truly wanted to be a great one), (b) he says his Mom wants him to get a college degree despite all the talent (and you know that boy listens to his Momma), (c) there’s a potential NFL lockout coming up next season-can’t make money if you can’t play, and (d) after his suspension he said he wanted to “Make it up to the fans”. AJ would be smart to stay one more year and let this whole thing with the NFL/NFLPA blow over. He can only improve his stock with Murray coming back (hell, Murray’s said he would hit AJ with 20 TD’s potentially if he came back next year-that’s a bold statement that shows determination/motivation on a leader’s part.
That said, with Luck being out now, I would think Carolina would be wise to take a D tackle to compliment Charles Johnson (a UGA player btw) on the line. They don’t need Bowers because they have Johnson. Nick Fairly is and will be a beast blowing up O-Lines at the next level once he grows just a little more-kinda like Johnson himself. That or a high-profile corner and maybe Will Hill or Ahmad Black in the later rounds.
Lastly, McShay and Kiper (guido) are both talking head toolbags (I mean, they do work for ESPN). Don’t listen to them!!
Patrick Romano WAR DAMN EAGLE
January 7th, 2011
12:10 pm
Jeff,
First of All AJ Green (to my knowledge tried to sell his jersey last summer timeframe, so don’t know why you stated Independence Bowl Jersey) unless he was dumb enough to do it more recently while he has still NCAA eligible to play at UGA.
Secondly, it’s pathetic for UGA to hang their hat on the notion that they would have 2 # 1 draft picks in 3 years with Stafford & AJ Green.
This would be akin to Auburn continuing to ride on the coat tails of #24 Carnell (Cadillac Williams) & #23 Ronnie Brown being the #1 & 2 NFL draft picks in 2005 NFL draft after Auburn went undefeated in 2004 and beat VT in the Sugar Bowl and were locked out of the Nat’l Championship game…
Anyway, UGA has had a nice run along with Auburn University and the entire SEC for having the most players in the NFL draft overall for a long time… I’d love to see that stats compared to other conferences as I am sure SEC blows them away for the# of players that play on Sunday…
Just thought I’d give ya’ll that nugget, WAR DAMN EAGLE here we come Ducks, TIGER MEAT, TIGER MEAT…Here we go Auburn
foodfight
January 7th, 2011
12:10 pm
Tavarious Jackson = Tito Jackson. Caleb King = Chicken ala King
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
12:11 pm
“Lastly, McShay and Kiper (guido) are both talking head toolbags (I mean, they do work for ESPN). Don’t listen to them!!”
110% agreed!
“Nick Fairly is and will be a beast blowing up O-Lines at the next level once he grows just a little more-kinda like Johnson himself.”
Yep, but I do wish a team like the Steelers could get him. He’d become a Steeler great!
Outside Observer
January 7th, 2011
12:11 pm
Well, I can’t argue with a guy who believed experts thought Crouch would be a good player. He was an option quarterback, who was taken by the Rams(?) as a WR. That doesn’t work. Ever. Just ask the Jags about Matt Jones. The Panthers with Armanti Edwards. Couch from Kentucky was supposed to be the cornerstone for the Browns franchise. He failed miserably. Oh well, it was fun talking to you.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
12:12 pm
Patrick Romano
Ronnie Brown has done quite well at Miami. Caddilac hasn’t been that bad but I am glad that Gruden is long gone. He almost killed Caddy.
Nashdawg
January 7th, 2011
12:12 pm
GSU Calvin was awesome but A J is better. I would not blame him if he went to the draft. Geez alot of money just sitting there. My question is why has he not entered the draft?
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 7th, 2011
12:13 pm
“Well, I can’t argue with a guy who believed experts thought Crouch would be a good player. ‘
Why are you upset with me about what ESPN analysts said? It’s not like I said he’d be good. Geez dude.
gandaw
January 7th, 2011
12:14 pm
And the winner of the “Come on Man” post of the year has already been determined. . . the winner is Montana. Dude, you actually thought they were serious???