Another Syracuse athlete that doesn't think

It's incredible how many college football players think they can make it to a great position in the professional ranks after their junior seasons'. Of course, some of them are physically, mentally and emotionally mature and do not have anything to play for in their respective sport. For example, running back Steve Slaton is about to be NFL bound because of his aptitude in running it and the way he matriculated the ball down the field. His 211 carries led the Mountaineers along with his 1,051 yards on the ground were immense for a spread offense. He also caught twenty-six of Pat White's passes and turned it into 350 yards. In total Slaton amassed 18 touchdowns. He appeared ready for the NFL.

There are other cases where one could make the claim that the athletes belong in the pro ranks; the Arkansas tandem (in the backfield) of Daren McFadden and Felix Jones who each gained at least 1,000 yards this yer for an 8-5 club. The Heisman candidate went for 1830 yards running on 325 attempts with 16 TD's while Jones accumulated 1162 yards on the ground.

Then there are fringe players who hav yet to play out their senior year of eligiblity including Syracuse wide receiver Taj Smith. ESPN analysts predict the ball-retriever or the Orange wil go in the seventh round of the draft. If your expected to be that low in the draft, why don't you improve your game to the point that you can make yourself more marketable.

Something must be going on underneath the surface that the athletic department does not want to reveal to the public...oher than the ineptitude of his once proud franchise. Is it possible that Smith was on academic probation and was not going to be able to play the sport he loves next year because of his grades?

None of us know what the truth is behind friendly lines except what media sources are told and the information various outlets provide. Even if Taj Smith is drafted, unless the player selected is on the defensive or offensive lines, it's extraordinarily difficult for someone to make an NFL team from there. If he isn't drafted, Smith will be forced to go to a tryout for a team and even there he may not be able to crack the professional ranks.

So why go pro if your projected that low in the draft. What's the worst that can happen if you play another year? Injury! It's not as if players cannot use the medical red-shirt to play one ore season. A bad team! It's a way for Smith to make himself stand out more than a seventh round pick. If Andrew Robinson is tossing the ball to Taj now, imagine a guy like Ben Rothelisberger doing the same! The diference in abilities are obviously night and day.

Taj, you made a mistake. You weren't even leading our own team in receptions and yards. The honor went to sopomore Mike Williams who caught 60 passes for 837 yards and ten touchdowns. Smith went for 82 yards on 44 receptions and five TD's