AUBURN DRAFT TALK

I don't understand why Stanley McClover left early. Actually, I do. He left early for the same reason that most guys do ... they want da gold and they hate da math. Nicknamed, the Freak, McClover showed us why during last year's Iron Bowl where he pretty much molested Brodie Croyle. After a year and a half of nagging injuries, McClover broke out in the last four games of the 2005 season, setting himself up for a great senior season.

It would have been a great season if he had actually stayed. Not that we must have him, considering that this means Gunn and Groves will play fulltime (and they may both be better than McClover). The fact is that McClover got greedy or lazy and jumped ship as so many others have. He went in the sevent round to the Carolina Panthers. If he had just stayed, maybe he would have gone in the first or second round next year. Whatever.

Auburn's three really really good receivers landed a deal somewhere: Aromashadu to the Dolphins (7th round); Obomanu to the Seahawks (7th round); and Mix getting a chance with the Giants (free agency). Fullback Jake Slaughter will be trying his luck with the Kansas City Chiefs and Travis Williams and nose guard Tommy Jackson with the Atlanta Falcons. Blah blah blah.

Auburn's highest draftee was tackle Marcus McNeill (2nd round, San Diego Chargers). So all in all, not a very exciting year at all for the draft, but nobody really expected it to be either. And when you get down to it, no one is really going to care until they actually get some playing time.