Georgia tailback Todd Gurley already is rehabbing from his recent ACL surgery, and Bulldogs coach Mark Richt seems to think the rehab is for the next phase of Gurley's career.
On his weekly Monday night radio show, Richt said, via the Athens Banner-Herald, he expected Gurley would "still be a very high draft pick in this draft."
The "this draft" comment obviously is key. Gurley is a junior who has one season of eligibility remaining.
NFL Media analyst Charles Davis wrote last month that he thinks it is in Gurley's best interest to enter the draft. "He would be taking an awful risk by taking a damaged knee back to college instead of the NFL," Davis wrote.
Miami running back Willis McGahee suffered a torn ACL in the Fiesta Bowl following the 2002 season, but still was a first-round pick in the '03 draft, by the Buffalo Bills. McGahee -- who left school after his redshirt sophomore season -- didn't play in the 2003 season, but rushed for 1,000 yards in both '04 and '05, as well as '07 and '11.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
