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15 Players Who Made A Mistake By Declaring For the 2015 NFL Draft

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By @DraftScout_NFL

15 Players Who Made A Mistake By Declaring For the 2015 NFL Draft

Brett Hundley
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Every year, a young college football player makes the decision to enter the NFL Draft when it probably wasn't in their best interest. 2015 is no exception, as several prospects who are nowhere near being ready for the NFL game have decided to enter the draft. With that said, here are 15 players who made the ill-advised decision to enter the 2015 draft.

15. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma

Dorial Green-Beckham Oklahoma
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15. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma

Dorial Green-Beckham Oklahoma
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

In terms of pure talent, Dorial Green-Beckham is an elite wide receiver deserving of a first-round selection. However, a multitude of off-field problems have plagued him, and that is really going to hurt his draft stock. Green-Beckham should have stayed in the college game another year, not only to further develop his skills, but to repair his reputation off the field.

14. Deontay Greenberry, WR, Houston

Deontay Greenberry
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14. Deontay Greenberry, WR, Houston

Deontay Greenberry
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Though he was productive at times during his time at Houston, Deontay Greenberry isn’t ready for the NFL. His production often came as a result of the vast amount of targets he garnered, and he actually regressed statistically this season after putting up 1,202 receiving yards as a sophomore. He might make a roster because of his vertical ability, but Greenberry would have been better off staying in school.

13. Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon

Arik Armstead Oregon
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13. Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon

Arik Armstead Oregon
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There’s no doubting that Arik Armstead has tremendous talent, and he does have an outside shot at being drafted in the first round; but the fact is he’s not ready for the NFL. Armstead is very raw and would have benefited from another year of development at the college level; instead, he will likely find himself barely playing as a rookie.

12. Bradley Pinion, P, Clemson

2013 NFL Draft
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12. Bradley Pinion, P, Clemson

2013 NFL Draft
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For the second year in a row, a punter has declared for the NFL Draft early, and like Brad Wing in 2014, Bradley Pinion is likely to go undrafted in 2015. Punters aren't regarded highly enough to enter the draft early, and that’s a lesson Pinion will learn the hard way.

11. D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida

D.J. Humphries
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11. D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida

D.J. Humphries - Copy
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D.J. Humphries has elite size for the offensive tackle position, but that size doesn’t make up for the fact that his technique is truly awful. Coming off a rough season at Florida, Humphries should have stayed in school in an effort to improve his technique and boost his draft stock.

10. Nelson Agholor, WR, USC

Nelson Agholor USC
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10. Nelson Agholor, WR, USC

Nelson Agholor USC
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Yes, Nelson Agholor is likely going to be a second-round pick, but returning to USC would have been the best choice for him. It’s a deep receiver class, and with his quarterback Cody Kessler returning to USC, Agholor could have boosted his draft stock with another solid season.

9. Kwon Alexander, OLB, LSU

Kwon Alexander
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9. Kwon Alexander, OLB, LSU

Kwon Alexander
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When a prospect isn’t even guaranteed to be selected in the NFL Draft, it’s never a wise move for them to declare; but when that prospect is also just 20 years old and playing at an elite program, it makes even less sense. Kwon Alexander could have boosted his draft stock in a huge way with a good season for LSU in 2015; instead, he might not even be on a team.

8. Patrick Miller, OT, Auburn

Patrick Miller
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8. Patrick Miller, OT, Auburn

Patrick Miller
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The simple truth about Patrick Miller is that he won’t be drafted, barring a miracle. Miller wasn’t a great offensive tackle at Auburn, so there’s no reason to believe he will be any better off in the NFL. Simply put, this was a terrible decision for Miller.

7. Danielle Hunter, DE/OLB, LSU

Danielle Hunter
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7. Danielle Hunter, DE/OLB, LSU

Danielle Hunter
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Sure, Danielle Hunter is a great talent and is likely going to be a high second-round pick, but I think he really would have benefited from another year at LSU. Hunter could have cemented himself as a high first-round prospect with a strong 2015 season, but he will instead likely fall into Round 2.

6. Christian Covington, DT, Rice

Christian Covington Rice
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6. Christian Covington, DT, Rice

Christian Covington Rice
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off of knee surgery that might limit his ability to work out for teams, declaring for the draft wasn’t the right move for Christian Covington. Another solid 2015 season would have pushed him into the first round, but by declaring, he could fall as far as the fourth round because of the injury concerns that surround him.

5. Lorenzo Doss, CB, Tulane

Lorenzo Doss Tulane
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5. Lorenzo Doss, CB, Tulane

Lorenzo Doss Tulane
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

At just 20 years old and not considered to be an early-round prospect, Lorenzo Doss made the wrong decision in declaring for the 2015 draft. Doss could push his stock up with some strong pre-draft workouts, but another season of development at Tulane would have boosted his stock more than any workout will.

4. Eli Harold, DE, Virginia

Eli Harold Virginia
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4. Eli Harold, DE, Virginia

Eli Harold Virginia
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Although Eli Harold has first-round potential, the 2015 draft class is loaded with pass-rushing talent so Harold gets lost in the shuffle. Staying at school would have been the best move for Harold when you consider he could have played his way into a top-10 selection with a good year.

3. Devin Funchess, WR/TE, Michigan

Devin Funchess - Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
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3. Devin Funchess, WR/TE, Michigan

Devin Funchess - Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

While it’s not hard to understand why Devin Funchess declared for the draft when you consider the circus that was Michigan this past season. But the fact is, he would have really benefited from the presence of new head coach Jim Harbaugh. Funchess is a possible first-rounder, but a down season in 2014 hurt his draft stock significantly, making this a poor decision.

2. Stefon Diggs, WR, Maryland

Stefon Diggs Maryland
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2. Stefon Diggs, WR, Maryland

Stefon Diggs Maryland
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Since high school, Stefon Diggs has been well-hyped, but he never had the breakout season everyone expected. Diggs reminds me a lot of Tavon Austin is terms of raw playmaking ability, but he never showed that talent while at Maryland. By declaring early, Diggs probably pushed himself into the fifth or sixth round.

1. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA

Brett Hundley UCLA Bruins
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1. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA

Brett Hundley UCLA Bruins
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Personally, I think Brett Hundley is a very good talent with great NFL tools. However, even I will admit he was wrong to enter the draft early. Hundley had a slow start to 2014 that he never really overcame, and there are some serious questions surrounding his pocket-presence. Hundley would have benefited greatly from a return to UCLA, and he could have played well enough to be the top quarterback in 2016 instead of a likely second-round pick.

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