Last Friday was the final date that underclassmen could declare for the 2010 NFL Draft. In total 51 players declared early and while some teams were hit hard by the early entries others were more lucky with several players deciding to return for another year. Today I will break which teams were hit hardest and which teams have the best returnees that turned down the NFL.

In Wednesday’s Blog I will give my analysis of whether or not it was a good move/bad move for each player.

Teams Hit Hardest:

Florida lost 5 players to the draft which was more than any team in the country. On offense the Gators lost C Maukice Pouncey and TE Aaron Hernandez 912 yds (15.0 ypc). Defensively 3 players are gone including CB Joe Haden (68 tkl, 14 pd), DE Carlos Dunlap (38 tkl, 9 sk, 6 pbu) and S Major Wright (32 tkl, 5 pd)

Georgia Tech-The Yellow Jackets lost a total of four players (2 off, 2 def) to the NFL including DE Derrick Morgan (55 tkl, 12.5 sk, 6 tfl), S Morgan Burnett (85 tkl, 4 pbu, 4 int), RB Jonathan Dwyer 1395 rush (5.9 ypc) and WR Demaryius Thomas 1154 yds (25.1 ypc!)

USC not only lost their coach Pete Carroll but also their top receiver in Damian Williams 1010 yds (14.4 ypc), leading rusher RB Joe McKnight 1014 yds, (6.2 ypc), DE Everson Griffen (45 tkl, 8.0 sk, 1.5 tfl) and RB Stafon Johnson who opted not to purse a medical redshirt.

Georgia lost their top tacklers in LB Rennie Curran (130 tkl, 5 tfl) and S Reshad Jones (73 tkl, 11 pd) from a struggling Bulldog defense that gave up 28 ppg and 363 ypg to FCS teams in ‘09.

While expected Notre Dame did lose QB Jimmy Clausen who threw for 3722 yds (68%) with a 28-4 ratio and Biletnikoff award winner WR Golden Tate 1496 rec yds (16.1 ypc).

Mississippi lost QB Jevan Snead who made an interesting move and decided to make the jump to the NFL after a disappointing junior season where Snead threw 20 interceptions.

Other teams that lost multiple players included Alabama (2), Iowa (2) and South Florida (2).

Complete List of Underclassmen Leaving Early:

Toney Baker, RB NC State
Arrelious Benn, WR Illinois
Eric Berry, S Tennessee
Jahvid Best, RB California
Navarro Bowman, LB Penn State
Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma
Dezmon Briscoe, WR Kansas
Antonio Brown, WR Central Michigan
Bryan Bulaga, OT Iowa
Morgan Burnett, S Georgia Tech
Dez Bryant, WR Oklahoma State
Bruce Campbell, OT Maryland
Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame
Rennie Curran, LB Georgia
Anthony Davis, OT Rutgers
Carlos Dunlap, DE Florida
Jonathan Dwyer, RB Georgia Tech
Dominique Franks, CB Oklahoma
Toby Gerhart, RB Stanford
Clifton Geathers, DE South Carolina
Thaddeus Gibson, OLB Ohio State
Everson Griffen, DE USC
Rob Gronkowski, TE Arizona
Joe Haden, CB Florida
Aaron Hernandez, TE Florida
Kareem Jackson, CB Alabama
Chad Jones, S LSU
Reshad Jones, S Georgia
Abe Koroma, DT Western Illinois
Darius Marshall, RB Marshall
Joe McKnight, RB USC
Ryan Mathews, RB Fresno State
Gerald McCoy, DT Oklahoma
Rolando McClain, LB Alabama
Shawnbrey McNeal, RB SMU
Carlton Mitchell, WR South Florida
Derrick Morgan, DE Georgia Tech
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE South Florida
Maukice Pouncey, C Florida
Brian Price, DT UCLA
Jevan Snead, QB Ole Miss
Blaze Soares, LB Hawaii
Amari Spievey, CB Iowa
Golden Tate, WR Notre Dame
Demaryius Thomas, WR Georgia Tech
Earl Thomas, S Texas
Donovan Warren, CB Michigan
Damian Williams, WR USC
Mike Williams, WR Syracuse
Jason Worilds, DE Virginia Tech
Major Wright, S Florida

Teams with Best Returnees that Turned down NFL:

Arkansas received good news when QB Ryan Mallett decided to come back for another year. Mallett threw for 3624 yds (56%) and a 30-7 ratio in ’09 and hopes to lead the Razorbacks to an even better season in 2010. TE DJ Williams (411 yds, 12.8) also passed up the NFL.

North Carolina’s defense will look very similar to the unit last year that gave up just 270 ypg and 17 ppg. The Tar Heels will bring back six junior starters in total including first team All ACC picks LB Quan Sturdivant, CB Kendric Burney and S Deunta Williams. North Carolina also welcomes back LB Bruce Carter and DT Marvin Austin.

Washington QB Jake Locker who was projected by many to go in the first round decided to return for his senior season. Locker finally healthy had his best season in ’09 with 2800 pass yds (58%) and a 21-11 ratio as Washington was one of the most improved teams in the country going from 0 wins in ’08 to 5 in ’09.

Michigan St received surprising news when the Big Ten defensive player of the year LB Greg Jones decided to return for his senior season. As a junior, Jones led the Big Ten and ranked third in the FBS with 154 tackles. It was the seventh-best single-season total in MSU history. Jones was also an AP 1st-tm all-American.

While Oklahoma lost 3 key players who were expected to make the early jump in QB Sam Bradford, CB Dominique Franks, and DT Gerald McCoy the Sooners do welcome back WR Ryan Broyles, RB DeMarco Murray, and DT Adrian Taylor.

Ohio St lost DE Thaddeus Gibson to the draft but DE/DT Cameron Heyward who could have been a 1st-rd pick, CB Chimdi Chekwa and LB Ross Homan have all decided to return for their senior seasons.

South Carolina FS Chris Culliver, DE Cliff Matthews and TE Weslye Sanders passed up the Draft and will return for the Gamecocks in 2010.

Miami, Fl welcomes back 1st-tm All-ACC DT Allen Bailey along with OT/OG Orlando Franklin and WR Leonard Hankerson.

Houston QB Case Keenum who led the nation in pass yds with 5671 (70%) and a 44-15 ratio decided to return for his senior season.

List of Significant Juniors who announced their return.

Prince Amukamara, CB Nebraska
Marvin Austin , DT North Carolina
Allen Bailey, DT Miami Fl
Ahmad Black, SS Florida
Allen Bradford, RB Southern Cal
Ryan Broyles, WR Oklahoma
Kendric Burney, CB North Carolina
Bruce Carter, OLB North Carolina
Chimdi Chekwa, CB Ohio State
Adrian Clayborn, DE Iowa
Chris Culliver, FS, South Carolina
Noel Devine, RB West Virginia
Ras-I Dowling, CB Virginia Tech
Orlando Franklin, OT/OG Miami, Fla,
Leonard Hankerson, WR Miami, Fla
Stanley Havili, FB USC
Cameron Heyward , DE/DT Ohio State
Ross Homan, OLB Ohio State
Jarvis Jenkins, DT Clemson
Greg Jones , ILB Michigan State
Case Keenum, QB Houston
Greg Little, WR North Carolina
Derrick Locke, RB Kentucky
Jake Locker, QB Washington
Ryan Mallett , QB Arkansas
Cliff Matthews, DE South Carolina
DeAndre McDaniel, FS Clemson
Von Miller, OLB Texas A&M
DeMarco Murray, RB Oklahoma
Mike Pouncey, OG Florida
Greg Romeus , DE Pittsburgh
Evan Royster , RB Penn State
Jock Sanders, WR West Virginia
Weslye Saunders, TE South Carolina
Quan Sturdivant, ILB North Carolina
Adrian Taylor, DT Oklahoma
Harvey Unga, RB BYU
Deunta Williams, FS North Carolina
D.J. Williams, TE/HB Arkansas