LSU hit hard by NFL draft: Ten juniors, have decided to leave the Tigers to play pro football

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SEC FOOTBALL UNDERCLASSMENLEAVING FOR NFLArkansas RB Knile DavisArkansas OL Alvin BaileyAuburn DE Corey LemonierFlorida S Matt ElamFlorida DT Sharrif FloydFlorida LB Jelani JenkinsFlorida TE Jordan ReedGeorgia NG Kwame GeathersGeorgia LB Jarvis JonesGeorgia LB Alec OgletreeLSU OT Chris FaulkLSU RB Michael FordLSU DT Bennie LoganLSU CB Tyrann Mathieu*LSU DE Barkevious MingoLSU LB Kevin MinterLSU DE Sam MontgomeryLSU S Eric ReidLSU CB Tharold SimonLSU RB Spencer WareLSU P Brad WingMissouri DT Sheldon RichardsonSouth Carolina RB Marcus LattimoreTennessee QB Tyler BrayTennessee WR Justin HunterTennessee WR Cordarrelle PattersonTennessee DE Darrington SentimoreTexas A&M OT Luke JoeckelTexas A&M DE Damontre Mooredid not play this past seasonNOTABLES STAYINGAlabama QB AJ McCarronAlabama LB C.J. MosleyFlorida DE Dominique EasleyGeorgia QB Aaron MurrayTennessee OT Ja'Wuan JamesVanderbilt WR Jordan MatthewsYET TO ANNOUNCEAlabama OT D.J. FlukerAlabama RB Eddie LacyAlabama CB Dee MillinerTexas A&M OT Jake Matthews

The LSU Tigers began this past college football season ranked No. 1 in the USA Today coaches' poll.

They won't start the 2013 season on top.

Ten LSU juniors have elected to forego their final season in Baton Rouge and enter the NFL draft, including the talented defensive end tandem of Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery. Throw in cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, the 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist who was kicked off the team this past August, and the number swells to 11.

"We are fortunate at LSU to be able to recruit the style of high-school player that can develop very quickly into an NFL-caliber athlete," LSU coach Les Miles said. "We invest in them, coach them and prepare them for the next step of their career. Generally speaking, every one of these guys is in position to return to school to get their degree, and one [linebacker Kevin Minter] has already graduated.

"We recruit very talented players with the understanding that there is a choice they may have to make following their junior year. It's an individual decision and one that has to do with them and their family."

LSU finished the 2011 regular season with a 12-0 record before roaring past Georgia 42-10 in the SEC title game. The Tigers had defeated Alabama 9-6 in overtime at Tuscaloosa, but they were throttled by the Crimson Tide 21-0 in last January's BCS title rematch in New Orleans.

They went 10-2 this past season before losing to Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd announced Wednesday that he was returning, a decision Miles has received in recent days only from safety Craig Loston.

"I met with each player and provided them with as much information as I have so that they can make a quality decision in regards to their future," Miles said. "We wish these guys great fortune as they pursue this next step."

Alabama had not announced any player departures as of Wednesday evening, but it is expected that right tackle D.J. Fluker and cornerback Dee Milliner will declare. Tailback Eddie Lacy, who rushed for 321 combined yards in the SEC championship and the BCS championship, is also likely to leave.

The deadline for underclassmen to declare is Tuesday.

LSU isn't the only SEC school bidding multiple farewells, as Florida and Tennessee are losing four players each. Safety Matt Elam, defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, linebacker Jelani Jenkins and tight end Jordan Reed are the Gators who have declared, while the Volunteers are losing quarterback Tyler Bray, receivers Justin Hunter and Cordarrelle Patterson, and defensive end Darrington Sentimore.

Georgia has lost linebackers Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree and nose guard Kwame Geathers, who went public with his decision Wednesday. Texas A&M has lost tackle Luke Joeckel and defensive end Damontre Moore, with tackle Jake Matthews yet to decide.

Longtime ESPN analyst Mel Kiper has Jones, Moore and Joeckel as the top three overall prospects in April's draft, and he has Ogletree seventh, Mingo eighth and Milliner 10th. Kiper has 10 SEC underclassmen among his top 24 prospects and 12 SEC players total, which includes Alabama senior guard Chance Warmack (No. 5 prospect) and Georgia senior nose guard John Jenkins (No. 20).

Alabama hires Brown

Greg Brown, who spent the past two seasons as Colorado's defensive coordinator, was hired Wednesday as Alabama's secondary coach.

Brown served as Arizona's co-defensive coordinator in 2010 before leaving for Colorado and has a background that includes 15 years as an NFL assistant. He replaces Jeremy Pruitt, who was hired last month as Florida State's defensive coordinator but coached the Tide on Monday night.

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