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Hat tip goes to PSU86 in the diaries for pointing out that Justin King has chosen to forgo his senior year and declare himself eligible for the 2008 NFL Draft.
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"The decision was ultimately Justin's to make," Smith said. "We sat down as a family and discussed his options and we just felt the timing was right and it was time for him to move on to the next step in his life.
"He notified [PSU defensive coordinator] Tom Bradley of his decision Tuesday," Smith continued. "He is out in Arizona at API right now, working out and preparing for the draft."
API is the Athletes' Performance Institute, a training facility in Tempe, Ariz.
The article goes on to say King is most likely projected to go in the second or third round. His stock may rise at the NFL combine when he breaks out that sub 4.4 speed. But I'm sure the scouts will notice his poor tackling technique on film.
BSD wishes him well and doesn't really blame him for going pro. If I felt I could be a third round draft pick next year I would ditch this blog and go pro in a heartbeat. He has already earned his degree as a result of enrolling early his freshman year. So really there isn't much reason for him to stick around other than to compete for a more satisfying record. So BSD wishes him well and looks forward to cheering for him on Sundays.
But at the same time we turn our attention back to Penn State football and the impact this will have on the 2008 season. And right now it appears we are extremely thin at cornerback. Just filling in with the 2007 depth chart it looks like Wallace and Sargeant will be the starters. Knowledge Timmons and Willie Harriot are in the doghouse and didn't make the trip to the Alamo Bowl. So right now the status of those two players are up in the air. Who does that leave? Devin Fentress? Drew Astorino? Now might be a good time to rethink the Tony Davis to safety experiment and move him back to corner. That would make Mark Rubin the most likely starter at safety. But the thing I really fear is the defensive minded Paterno thinking about moving Stephfon Green from runningback back to defense.
Looking out at the horizon we may have trouble brewing in 2009. After the 2008 season we will lose Sargeant, and recruiting this year is shaping up to be the second in a row in which we didn't take a big name corner. So for the next recruiting class it will be imperative that we take at least one, and preferably two quality cornerbacks.