Bye-bye, Manningham: WGH grad enters draft

Arkansas RB Darren
McFadden is also headed
to the NFL.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Warren Harding graduate Mario Manningham will skip his senior season at Michigan to enter the NFL draft.

“It was a hard decision, but after discussing it with my family it was the right one for me to make right now,” Manningham said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press while driving home to Ohio. “I’ve heard I will be drafted in the first round because of the lack of depth at wide receiver.”

Manningham said he will work out in Cleveland while preparing for the April draft.

Manningham is a potential first-round pick after catching 72 passes for 1,174 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. He also rushed 19 times for 119 yards and a score, earning second-team All-America honors.

The 6-foot, 178-pound native of Warren had 65 receptions for 1,136 yards and 15 touchdowns during his first two seasons with the Wolverines.

Former Michigan quarterback Ryan Mallett is still deciding where to resume his college football career.

“We haven’t made a decision yet, but everybody and their dog is saying my son has done this or that,” Jim Mallett said. “I can tell you, we visited Arkansas and we’ve talked to Texas A&M and Tennessee.

“But we’re not sure what is going on at Tennessee because they hired an offensive coordinator that has run the spread. I can also tell you we considered UCLA, but just decided that’s too far away.”

After sitting out next season, Mallett will have three years of eligibility.

McFadden turning pro

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Darren McFadden isn’t sticking around for another run at the Heisman Trophy.

The Arkansas All-American says he’ll skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft.

“When I was growing up, I dreamed of playing for the Razorbacks,” McFadden said. “Now, the time has come for me to pursue another dream of mine — playing in the NFL.”

McFadden was the Heisman runner-up in 2006 and 2007, so his decision to turn pro wasn’t surprising. He ran for 1,830 yards last season, second on the Southeastern Conference’s single-season list. He is also second on the career list with 4,590 yards rushing.

Felix Jones, the Razorbacks’ other talented tailback, said he’ll also enter the draft a year early.

McFadden rushed for over 1,000 yards all three seasons at Arkansas. Jones did it the last two. They were part of a backfield that also included senior fullback Peyton Hillis, another NFL prospect.

King to enter draft

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State cornerback Justin King will skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft.

One of the country’s most sought-after high school prospects, King arrived at Penn State in 2005 as part of a heralded recruiting class that included receiver Derrick Williams. Their play as freshmen helped coach Joe Paterno revive a sagging program with a Big Ten title and a win in the Orange Bowl.

After playing offense and defense his freshman year, King played exclusively at cornerback the next two seasons. He regularly matched up against the opponents’ top receiver, and his speed often had opposing quarterbacks looking to throw away from his side of the field.

But receivers found more success this year against him, and tackling at times was a concern. King also was bothered much of the year by a sore shoulder.

King finished 2007 with 49 tackles and two interceptions.