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Early departures help some, hurt others

By Ivan Maisel
ESPN.com

Wednesday, January 22, 2003

Coaches used to react to underclassmen leaving for the NFL draft with the angst they typically reserve for protecting a two-point lead with two minutes to play in the other guy's stadium. Underclassmen had until mid-February, after signing date, to declare their availability. With one 19-year-old's decision to chase a pipe dream, a solid position on the depth chart became a void that only a coach with a tarot deck could have planned to fill. The NFL listened to the coaches' complaints and moved ...

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