Five Frogs will have the opportunity to impress National Football League scouts and make the leap to the pros in 2011 (pending an NFL lockout).
Quarterback Andy Dalton (6-3, 220 lbs) may be the most recognized name on the Frogs’ combine list, as he led the nation in career wins by an active quarterback before his amateur career was ended as a Horned Frog. Dalton was named the 2011 Rose Bowl Offensive MVP, making that his third bowl MVP title during his TCU career. Dalton was also a two-time Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a finalist for both the Manning Award and the Johnny Unitas Award.
In the 2011 Senior Bowl, Dalton passed three completions for 22 yards and was sacked twice in the game. While the numbers weren’t gaudy, ESPN’s Todd McShay still listed Dalton’s “draft stock” as on the rise.
Offensive tackle Marcus Cannon, rated by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. as fifth-best offensive tackle available, may be the best NFL draft prospect coming out of TCU in 2011. Cannon (6-6, 350 lbs) is a three-time All-MWC player and was a third-team All-American in 2010. In 2009 Cannon, an Odessa native, was also named a Top 10 Work Out Warrior by ESPN.
Defensive end Wayne Daniels (6-2, 250 lbs) was given the tall task of filling the shoes of former All-American Horned Frog and 2010 Colts first-round draft pick Jerry Hughes this season. Daniels was rewarded with a combine invite after an All-American season. Daniels led the Frogs with 14 tackles for loss and 6 ý sacks.
Daniels was introduced to the nation on ESPN with two sacks in the Frogs’ season opening victory against Oregon State at Cowboys Stadium. Daniels made sure to finish the season on a high note with two tackles for loss against Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. The Kilgore native was also a unanimous first-team All-MWC selection.
Wide receivers Jeremy Kerley (5-10, 192 lbs) and Jimmy Young (6-1, 208 lbs) shore up the list of Frogs invited to the combine.
Kerley was a first-team All-American as well as a two-time MWC Special Teams Player of the Year. Kerley was one of two players ranked in the top 20 in punt returns and kickoff returns this season, while also leading TCU with 56 receptions and 10 touchdown catches.
Kerley, a Hutto High School product, was also invited to play in the Senior Bowl. He recorded a touchdown catch and had 50 all-purpose yards, despite have a net -2 yards on punt returns.
Young, the lone out-of-state Frogs’ player invited (Monroe, La.), finished second on the Frogs’ career list with 2,316 receiving yards. Young also landed fifth on the TCU career list with 147 receptions and tied for fifth with 13 touchdown receptions.
Young, a three-time All-MWC player, capped off his career at TCU with a season-high five receptions for 57 yards in the Rose Bowl.
In the 2010 NFL draft Daryl Washington (2nd round- Cardinals) and Marshall Newhouse (5th round- Packers) joined Hughes as TCU players drafted. Former Frogs Clint Gresham (Seahawks) and Nic Richmond (Chargers) also signed as free agents in 2010 and are still members of their respective teams.
