NFL DRAFT 2009

Georgia junior CB Asher Allen announced Tuesday afternoon that he will forego his final year of college eligibility and turn pro. Allen’s decision follows last week’s announcements by junior QB Matthew Stafford and sophomore RB Knowshon Moreno that they’ll leave school early for the NFL, although Allen isn‘t expected to go as earlier in this year‘s draft as his two more heralded teammates....

Penn State sophomore All-American DE Aaron Maybin has confirmed he will skip his final two seasons at Penn State and declare for the 2009 draft. The 6-4, 245-pound Maybin led the Big Ten with 12 sacks this past season and is projected as a late first or early secnd round pick this year although he could go higher to a 3-4 looking for a potentially dynamic rush OLB....

Boise State junior WR Jeremy Childs will enter the 2009 draft. The 5-11, 195 Childs was a first-team all-Conference selection for the second consecutive season after catching 72 passes for just over 800 yards....

Texas Tech sophomore WR Michael Crabtree has formally announced that he will be entering the 2009 draft where he is expected to be the first wideout off the board and a potential top 5 selection. In somewhat of a surprise, though, Southern California junior safty Taylor Mays has decided to return to school for his senior season. The 6-2, 225-pound Mays, who reportedly still runs under 4.4 for the 40, had the potential to be a top 10 pick this coming April if he had opted to turn pro this month....

Scott Pioli, who has spent nine years helping create the football power in New England, will be the Chiefs’ new general manager. A news conference will be held at 6 PM ET later this afternoon at which Pioli wil be formally introduced as the struggling Chiefs‘ new GM. Pioli will reportedly have the final say over all football operations and will report directly to Chiefs’ chairman Clark Hunt. Pioli has been with New England since 2000 as vice president for player personnel and along with head coach Bill Belichek has been credited with building the team that won three Super Bowls in four years between 2002 and 2005 and came within one win of a perfect season in 2007. Pioli, though, will have his work cut out for him in Kansas City which won just 6 games over the past couple of years including a 2-14 record this season. Meanwhile, no decision has been made yet on whether Herm Edwards will remain Chiefs coach, although it appears unlikely Pioli will retain him.