Cal Football in the NFL Draft

Cal QB Aaron Rodgers could very well be the first overall pick in the draft. He could have had an outstanding year if all his receivers had stayed healthy. Geoff McArthur had an off year, Chase Lyman was tragically injured after a fantastic start, Burl Toler was injured, and Jonathan Makonnen never got off the injury wagon either. In fact, Lyman played in only 3.5 games and still finished as the team's second leading receiver yardage-wise. Rodgers was throwing only to McArthur and his backs as outlets all season long.

Add some playmakers around him and he'd be able to do some amazing things. Rodgers has far more potential to succeed in the NFL than Boller ever will. If Rodgers does go to the Niners as the top pick, it would be a dream come true for Rodgers since he loved San Francisco growing up and idolized Montana and Young. The downside is being part of a team where the owner doesn't want to spend money to build a winning program. Rodgers would be better off in a QB-friendly environment. SF isn't one of those places.

JJ Arrington has been turning heads with his solid performances at the combine. Arrington can be an excellent back at the pro level because he'll pound it inside and take the yards he can get. He has speed for a burst but can be as good a back as Curtis Martin or Stephen Davis.

If Chase Lyman is able to get a workout with a team, his size and speed will impress. His biggest albatross is his unfortunate injury history. If a team takes a chance on him, they'll get a phenomenal talent with huge upside if he can stay healthy.

Ryan Riddle and Lorenzo Alexander played great for Cal's stout defense but are mid-round prospects at best.

Joe Maningo is undersized and probably a tad slow for the pros. If he does get drafted, he'll have to earn his way with special teams. He'll also have to hope for a break when guys ahead of him on the depth chart go down.

Wendell Hunter is undersized as well but he could project to safety. He has the speed.