The NFL's college advisory committee prompted mixed responses from three Tennessee juniors considering leaving school early.
Linebacker Jerod Mayo was projected to be a late second- or early third-round pick and is expected to forgo his senior season and enter April's NFL draft, a source said.
Tailback Arian Foster was told he likely would be a second-round pick and is still contemplating his decision. Foster is thought to be leaning towards going pro, the source said.
Offensive lineman Anthony Parker was told he'd be a fourth-round pick and is expected to return for his senior season.
Official announcements for the trio are expected this week.
Mayo has yet to meet with UT coach Phillip Fulmer.
Mayo was UT's leading tackler by a wide margin last season with 140 stops. Fellow linebacker Rico McCoy was second with 106.
Foster was UT's leading rusher with 1,193 yards last season, starting all 14 games. With 2,394 rushing yards, Foster is in reach to set the school record held by Travis Henry (1997-2000) with 3,078.
Parker has proven a rock at guard for the Vols, starting 26 games in two seasons for UT on the right and left side. Parker said before the Outback Bowl that he would consider his injury history when making his NFL decision. Parker has dealt with lingering knee issues throughout his career.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 88
Kwitcherbellyachin writes:
Good luck, Jerod. Time for Dorian Davis, Ellix Wilson, etc. to step up and fill those shoes.
jawjavol writes:
yawn!
chrisw2967 writes:
another one leaving the sinking ship...good luck Mayo
iowavol writes:
Doesn't surprise me. This kid gave his heart, earned a place in Tennessee lore and is leaving with his degree. He made us proud as a Volunteer and I will enjoy watching him at the next level. I just hope we have a capable replacement with at least half the character.
Hamburglar165 writes:
Good luck, Jerod.
vol4jesus writes:
chrisw2967 ship is not sinking doomspeaker! You see only what you want to see it appears. Yes challenges are ahead and these are great opportunities to move forward and improve. Positive outlook much more satisfying to the person that glass-half empty approach. Thanks Jerod foe being a student/athlete!
GerryOP writes:
Jerod, thanks for being a Volunteer! Go forth and do well.
vol4good#206163 writes:
Mayo is da Man!! You have made us all proud, now go and get paid to play. Good luck
rabidvol1998 writes:
Thanks for the memories Jerod. We're proud of you on and off the field. Good luck and congratulations.
DenverVol writes:
hate to see him go, but if i were in his shoes i'd do the same. best wishes Jerod Mayo. GO VOLS!
chefjorge writes:
Chrisw. You're an effing bozo. Period.Unlike you Jerod's no dummy. I'd leave too. Good players leave if they've the talent to go high in the draft and he does. I'm quite certain what's driving his decision is not his knowledge that there's something wrong with the defense. With him on it, and Morley coming back it would've been one of the top in the SEC. There's no guaranteeing it won't be anyway with Morley and Berry back there.
I continue not to get why folks like you don't get that there are other things working against the home town eleven than themselves. They're called other really good teams. This is a very good program and I choose to believe that it can win again at the highest of levels with Fulmer. I'm looking forward to the GA and UF games. You on the other hand go through your pathetic life assuming that we will lose. Doesn't that suck? I mean, I'm asking you straight up. I ain't got time to be miserable all of the time. What's it like? You seem to be an expert on the subject. Maybe you could get someone to massage your swollen taint for you.
To the rest of you: let's get pumped up for what portends to be a great season.
Cheers, G
Pullingguard writes:
Lets just hope he is taken in the first round, if not, early 2nd... Evidently he has assurances of going pretty high or he would not have declared. Good luck Jerod and may your career in the NFL be one of success.
jcherrie#219531 writes:
Right decision. The same one 95% of us would have made.
auttat writes:
Not a surprise at all, but just a little disheartening since I heard Mayo say about 5 x's at the SEC Media days that he was coming back next year. I fully understand a lot changes from the beginning of the season to the end, but it would have been nice to have him back.
Good Luck Jerod!
TommyJack writes:
ChefJorge: I'm not sure I've ever seen the words "swollen taint" and "portend" in the same publication. lol :)
TnVolFaninSmyrna writes:
Best of luck to ya, Jerod. You gave your heart and soul for this team and you deserve everything good that happens to you. I hope to see you playing on Sundays for many years to come.
sannie82#624293 writes:
I know chris donald and I hate to say this but this kid needs to get his act together before he sees the field. We cant count on him yet, but I will tell you one thing he will get his act together because of one thing, his mother whom is a teacher. she did not know about his grades at first, but now she does and she will keep this kid straight
murrayvol writes:
People go to college to prepare for careers in everything from animal husbandry to zoology. Mr. Mayo is pretty well prepared to play the game of football. And for at least a few years he will make a lot more money than most of his fellow alumni.
May he be surrounded by people who care about him and who offer good advice, financial and otherwise.
Best wishes for a long (but not too long) and successful NFL tour Jerod.
ThaiVolFan writes:
I understand his decision, but I was really looking forward to having Mayo back with Morley , berry and gang. It would have been like the late 90's all over again. Hopefully we can still be strong at the LB position and strengthen our D line. Next year will be fun to watch. We will be playing Florida next year as 2 top ten ranked teams. We win that one in Neyland and we will be set for an exciting ride! Here's to the New Year.
Go Vols!
murrayvol writes:
TommyJack: I'm pretty damn sure I haven't and likely never will again.
bluetickhound writes:
Thought Chris Donald was moving to DE? Am I wrong on this? Jerod, I'm gonna miss you like stink. Didn't get the national recognition that he deserved for carrying our defense through the 2nd half of the season, but I'll tell you what, I'd rather have this guy over James Laurenitis from OSU any day.
02champs#209256 writes:
lol on jawjavol's yawn...........sorry she's not old enough to stay up late and catch the news...
RealistVolFan writes:
He really had no reason to stay. He probably came to the conclusion that he knew that he wasn't going to win any significant award or win any major game. I don't blame him.
Hunter writes:
Hate to see him go, but I would have dvised the same thing unless he would come back for pure love of the college game (a la Matt Leinart). Best of luck.
Is there ANY good news on the gridiron, or do we have to depend on the hardwood for our good times this winter/spring? God, I feel like Kentucky fan..........
budrhon writes:
Can't blame him, best of luck and some how I believe we'll be seeing you on Sundays.
andy112382#209793 writes:
Good luck Mayo, we'll miss you. Still looking to have a very solid defense next season, especially if the dline steps it up a notch or two. Ellix Wilson and McCoy make for a great start in the LB corp, third spot will be battled for I am sure with Dorian, Walker, etc. Can't wait to see the combo of Berry and Morley!!!
mbible1utk#324980 writes:
Why in the world would he leave to be a 2nd or 3rd round pick (and the NFL tends to be a little generous with that) when he could do what Jason Allen did- come back under the condition that he plays outside linebacker, improve his stock by excelling at that position, then enter the NFL draft as a first rounder. It may not sound like much, but it's a big difference in pay. I wouldn't really care if Arian Foster left. I think we have adequate replacements for one, and Foster is bad for fumbling and being ran down from behind. I'm surprised to see he's projected as a second round guy, because he looks more like a second day guy to me.
volsfan90 writes:
Well, thats just great. Whats happening to us? With our "Vanderbilt like" recruiting this season and now the good players we have left on the team are going pro. I love the University of Tennessee and will stand behind them no matter the record but this is getting ridiculous. Fire Phil...every single time I think he is finally going to get canned we win a big game and we give him a 8 year contract extension. All I can say is thank God we have a good basketball team now.
cdldoc#211897 writes:
If UT fired a coach who had a 10 win season with a bowl win, nobody would want the job and those that wanted Phil fired would be idiots. Some of you folks on this site are just not clear thinkers.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
tngeoff, well said
I hate to disagree guys but I think it is the wrong decision. You can always play the what if you get hurt card which is completely legitimate... but I think if he stays he is a first rounder next year with a lot more money to be had.
I don't see Foster in the 2nd round, sorry. I love the kid and hope he comes back but I don't think this is the right decision for him.
andy112382#209793 writes:
Yea, neither of them need to be leaving if the projections are anywhere near accurate.
scvols writes:
I agree nick, you are talking about millions between being a 2nd rounder to a 1st rounder. Mayo will be a 1st rounder next year and could get 2 to 7 million more as a signing bonus. Foster could move up to 2nd round, he might go in the 3rd round this year if he is lucky.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
mbible1utk, I pretty much agree with you on this. There are probably six linebackers ranked ahead of Mayo this year, and there is a pretty significant difference in money between 1st round and 3rd round. If Mayo's family is in need, I can see him going, and of course one always risks career-ending injury by playing another year, but he needs everything to break right for this to work out for him in the long run. I have always been a bit of a Foster fan, but that 2d-round rating is a surprise for me. We won't miss Foster quite as much as we will Mayo, IMHO.
VOLstuckINky writes:
Koolaider's ... wish em luck in the NFL.
The rest of read this and know that the players see the disaster that is CPF's UT program. Players now leave UT for a 3rd round grade .... wow .. even I didn't realize it was this bad.
why36knot#656113 writes:
He is much to smart to leave now for a late 2nd or 3rd round pick. I will believe it only when he leaves.
eb502us#225637 writes:
Foster is making a mistake IMO. He needs to stick around and get his degree because if he's as slow at the combine as he appeared in games, then his draft stock will drop like a rock. I just don't see him being anywhere near a 2nd round pick.
tngivem6 writes:
Ah man, if Foster turns pro early, who will UT get to fumble the ball just when we get momentum. Hard to beleive he was just 700+ yards away from becoming all-time leading rusher, passing Travis "Baby-Making Machine" Henry...lol
tngivem6 writes:
i believe Mayo could turn pro.but if its about the money..think about how much more he would get if he stayed and played a complete year..this year, he really didn't turn it on until the half way mark..but he kept it on too..
of course , when players come back for their Sr year, they tend to play "not getting hurt" ball...Al Wilson will always be my Fav LB, but Mayo is a solid #2
GreerVol22 writes:
I'm in nick's camp on this one too. If you guys decide to leave...best of luck, but if you stay your chance of pocketing more signing bonus and contract is much greater. Think about it, sure it worked out in the end for Whitten, but he could have entered for nearly what he is making now had he stayed.
And by the way, we better recruit a "heckuva" RB in this class because Hardesty gets hurt too easy and really bad things happen every other time Creer carries the ball.
JHite7 writes:
Go ahead Arian...the NFL needs more backs that run a 4.8 and tip toe to the line. Also from what I hear some teams want running backs that run east and west....if that is true...Arian is your man. Hate to see Mayo go though, what UT needs is more people with character and work ethic like he has.
Hope this 44th rank recruiting class lives up to it's billing. If not there's no way we can have the success we had this year and be 100 points away from beating both Alabama and Florida. Stay the course
ellisonfamily writes:
I am a little surprised that Mayo's stock is not projected higher. Late first round or early 2nd is what I thought. Given his projection is late 2nd or early 3rd, I'm a little surprised he's not coming back one more year. Now...Foster...? I never expected him to go that early. He just does not have the quickness on cuts. But...then again...I'm not Mel Kiper. Of course, I could never have his hair. Either way, I think we are set at defense. Rico M will be a monster next year, and we always have good linebackers.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
I think an honest look at Foster puts him late third to 4th round at best.
Remember Antonio Pittman? Probably not. "Great" OSU tailback from last year who decided to go pro. He was so great in fact that he was cut by New Orleans in training camp... Oops!
Luckily for him, he got picked up by St. Louis but still has a HUGE uphill fight to make it in the league. Even when St. Louis star back Stephen Jackson was injured most of the year, our OSU hero posted these massive stats for the year;
Rushes Yards TD Yards per Carry
--38 139 0 3.7
How'd he do senior year compared to Arian Foster...
________Rushes Yards TD YPC
Foster 245 1193 12 4.9
Pittman 242 1233 14 5.1
Unfortunately, get ready for the same exact thing. Please prove me wrong Arian!
Does anyone outside of TN really know Arian? I'm in Malaysia so maybe they do, but I know Pittman got some good press last year with OSU being very successful.
Sorry about the long, hard to read post. I worked hard on it but I can't get the spacing right.
Sheepscape writes:
I wish them luck, but I think it could be a mistake.
Consider Meacham as an example, and he was a first rounder-hasn't sniffed significant PT. He'll need to return the investment the Saints have made and soon. Witten was projected to be picked up far quicker than he was...the fact that he was steal for the Cowboys as a third rounder does not mean he wasn't led to believe he would be drafted sooner.
It's a crapshoot.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
sheepscape,
Meachem: Sniff significant PT??? Actually, try DID NOT GET INTO A GAME!! That should be repeated 10 times to amaze us all! Meachem was great and I think he will AT LEAST contribute next year but for the love of Earl... could you imagine what this year may have looked like with Meach back in the lineup? It should've stretched the field and opened up all kinds of goodies in the running game and everything!
dgb63#654261 writes:
I wish him well.. He gave his all for Tennessee!! I sure don't blame him. I think another year might do him well but then again another year could get him hurt and cost him everything. He has done about all he can do for Tennessee.. I think if we had a great shot at a champ next year he might think about it.. Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!
marc_ash#231781 writes:
NOt a good idea for Foster. Mayo may get some PT, but unless you are all world stay in school. These young men want the dollar and are quick to make the leap. Take the example of top players who stayed their senior season: Manning, Dorsey (LSU), Jason Allen just to name a few.
Develop and work hard. Good point nicksjuzunk, the all world meachem never saw the field last season. Imagine what could have possibly happened if he had stayed in Knoxville. What a waste. Guess he got to spend his money though, so I suppose that was a plus.
hueypilot writes:
I thought the big deal now financially speaking was guaranteed money and that doesn't go to anyone past the first round. With guaranteed money the likelihood of getting cut is almost zero. Seems like another year at outside linebacker with Berry and Morley behind you allowing you to gamble a little more would get Mayo to superstar level which equals first round and a big pay day at signing. Now he's just one of many. I know this isn't an exact science but sounds to me like he's tired of school and ready to drive an Escalade.
tennisvol writes:
Fulmer, everyone seems to be jumping off the boat.
RockyTop1 writes:
Hope it does not turn out like Shuler! Best wishes but I hope he stays....and becomes a FIRST rounder next year!
tnbanker_govols writes:
I can't blame Mayo for leaving. The kid's already obtained his degree...he's got a chance to change his financial future for his entire family. Good luck Jerod!!! As for Foster, he's about a 4th or 5th round draft pick. Too many backs entering in the draft this year and he is NOT one of the elite. But hey, there's always a chance the Titans could use him. They have a habit of taking underachieving players in early rounds.
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