Brian Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 ESPN.com North Carolina receiver Hakeem Nicks has decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft. Nicks' decision, announced by the university Monday, comes as little surprise; he wowed NFL scouts with a record-setting season that was highlighted by his behind-the-back, highlight-reel catch in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. [+] EnlargeHakeem Nicks AP Photo/Gerry BroomeJunior Hakeem Nicks set a Tar Heels bowl record with 217 receiving yards in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. In his final performance, Nicks caught eight passes for a UNC bowl-record 217 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-30 loss to West Virginia. "He was a gamer," coach Butch Davis said on a teleconference with reporters. "The bigger the stakes, the better he played. We were very fortunate to have had him for the three years and certainly wish him the very best of luck. It's something we hope happens for a lot of our kids in the future." According to Nicks, he is projected to be an early second-round pick by the NFL draft advisory board, and Davis said the general consensus from everyone he spoke to was that Nicks would be chosen on the first day. Nicks said he is on track to graduate, but will take the semester off to train for the NFL's scouting combine in February. "I clearly think that most everybody feels pretty confident he's probably going to have a great chance to be a first-day draft selection," said Davis, who spent 10 years in the NFL with Dallas and Cleveland, and reached out to GMs and assistants on Nicks' behalf. Nicks, who moved into the spotlight in place of injured record-setter Brandon Tate, set UNC single-season records in 2008 for receiving yards (1,222) and touchdowns (12). He finished his career having set 14 school records. Nicks said he spoke with Davis about his decision after the bowl game, and that he valued Davis' NFL experience and contacts. ACC blog ESPN.com's Heather Dinich writes about all things ACC in her conference blog. • Blog network Nicks said he didn't decide until after the bowl game. "I was still in the process of praying about it and thinking about it and still had to talk with coach Davis," Nicks said. "I was just focused on playing in the bowl game and being with my teammates." Nicks set school records for career receptions (181), career receiving yards (2,580) and career touchdowns (21). He is the only player in UNC history with more than 1,000 yards receiving in a season. Nicks surpassed the 100-yard receiving mark five times in 2008 and 10 times in his career, both UNC records. He led the ACC and ranks 12th in the country with 94.0 yards per game. The only three-year player in ACC history with more career receiving yards than Nicks is former Georgia Tech All-American and 2007 NFL first-round pick Calvin Johnson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DABEARSDABOMB Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 Nicks is a big physical receiver with really good hands and I think he'd be a welcome addition to the Bears. He impressed the hell out of me and really developed as the season went on for North Carolina. I'd think a trade down would be in order to get him but I wouldn't be opposed to that given the Bears needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Hochuli 3:16 Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 He might even be there in the 2nd with guys like Maclin, Crabtree, Britt, and Bey all being "better" prospects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iguana Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 I'd love to get him in the 2nd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fudgeripple2000 Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 The question comes down to rolling the dice in free agency: Boldin, TJ, CJ and accept the loss of draft picks or other players. Or draft a reciever early. With each of the aforementioned prospects there are major "buts". Percy Harvin: Lack of size and durability. With the lack of size will he be able to get off the line against a physical corner. Or will we have to constantly put him in motion to get him in space. This limits him on offense. I heard Mel Kiper compare him to Reggie Bush who is great but.... Maclin has bigger size but Kiper, McShay and the like all agree that due to the style of offense he has played there will be some difficulty in transitioning to the pro game. Nicks is big, with good hands but he had games where he was hardly thrown to. Again style of offense. Bottom line, this is a deep receiver draft. I am not saying the next Larry Fitzgerald can be had in later rounds but unless we have a o-line that can protect and a quarterback that can do more than dink and dunk with accuracy. THen we are best served in taking o-line. Duke would be great. Not to mention that the bears haven't been good at evaluating 1st round wide recievers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 The question comes down to rolling the dice in free agency: Boldin, TJ, CJ and accept the loss of draft picks or other players. Or draft a reciever early. With each of the aforementioned prospects there are major "buts". Percy Harvin: Lack of size and durability. With the lack of size will he be able to get off the line against a physical corner. Or will we have to constantly put him in motion to get him in space. This limits him on offense. I heard Mel Kiper compare him to Reggie Bush who is great but.... Maclin has bigger size but Kiper, McShay and the like all agree that due to the style of offense he has played there will be some difficulty in transitioning to the pro game. Nicks is big, with good hands but he had games where he was hardly thrown to. Again style of offense. Bottom line, this is a deep receiver draft. I am not saying the next Larry Fitzgerald can be had in later rounds but unless we have a o-line that can protect and a quarterback that can do more than dink and dunk with accuracy. THen we are best served in taking o-line. Duke would be great. Not to mention that the bears haven't been good at evaluating 1st round wide recievers. Bingo. WRs are deep in this draft. WRs on this team will not do well until the OL and QB are stable. Stay put in the draft, pick up a stud OT or OG, pick up the stud WR in the second that inevitably falls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Hochuli 3:16 Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 Bingo. WRs are deep in this draft. WRs on this team will not do well until the OL and QB are stable. Stay put in the draft, pick up a stud OT or OG, pick up the stud WR in the second that inevitably falls. With guys like Crabtree, Britt, Nicks, Heyward Bey, Harvin, and Maclin in this draft, one of them is bound to fall to us in the 2nd. I'd like to think so, anyways. Well, except Harvin. He's like a smaller Hester. No thanks. But like my sig shows, I just think we'll have to trade down or draft one with our original spot. All 6 of those guys (except Crabtree as he's not really that fast) are going to have great combines which will cause their stocks to rise. Guys like Brandon Gibson (Washington State), Brian Robiskie (Ohio State), Juaquin Iglesias (Oklahoma), Louis Murphy (Florida), Ramses Barden (Cal Poly), Mohamed Massaquoi (Georgia), and Derrick Williams (Penn State) all wouldn't be bad 3rd round picks. I think a 3rd round steal could be Massaquoi. He's a quiet guy but he's very fast (like Berrian) and knows how to get open (unlike Berrian). As a freshman he dropped tons of passes but now he has good hands and loves going across the middle (unlike Berrian). His build is like Berrian but IMO he could be a better pro then Bernard is/will be. Brandon LeFell (LSU), Demetrius Byrd (LSU), Marko Mitchell (Nevada), Michael Jones (Arizona State), Jaison Williams (Oregon), Jamarko Simmons (Western Michigan), Mardy Gilyard (Cincinnati), and Brennan Marion (Tulsa) all are nice 5th-6th round options too depending on if JA wants to add even more depth to the position after (hopefully) a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd round selection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fudgeripple2000 Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 I live in the intermountain west so I see games in the Mountain West so let me add some lesser knowns. Freddie Brown (Utah): 6'4 had just under a thousand yards and torched Alabama for 125 yards in the Sugar Bowl. Another is Austin Collie (BYU) 6'2 led the nation in recieving and had, if I remember right 11 straight 100 yard passing games. Both are expected to be around in the later rounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Hochuli 3:16 Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 Barden had atleast 131 yards and 1 TD in every game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearSox Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 Barden had atleast 131 yards and 1 TD in every game. Don't forget he played in the FCS... but he's still a beast. If he runs anything faster then a 4.6, he's gonna be a 2nd rounder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 Which is all the more reason why it's not that bright to pick up a WR with the Bears first pick, regardless of whether or not they draft down. Either way, there's a very good chance that a very good WR will be there with the Bears' second selection, and probably the third as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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