Mean Green

For the first time in a while, I received a question in e-mail. A blog reader was wondering what the draft prospects would be for junior wide receiver Casey Fitzgerald and if he might enter the draft early.

Fitzgerald is having a huge season with 104 catches for 1,264 yards and 12 touchdowns. The former Red Oak standout ranks third in the country in catches (9.45 per game) and fourth in receiving yards (114.91).

Fitzgerald is a great player, but like a lot of UNT players of the past, he will run into a few obstacles in his pursuit of an NFL roster spot. Fitzgerald is listed at 5-11, 186. At that size he will have to put an impressive 40-yard dash time to have a chance to be drafted.

I looked through a few NFL draft projections and there are a few prospects in this year's draft who are of a similar size, including Harry Douglas of Louisville (5-10, 178) and Dorien Bryant of Purdue (5-9, 175).

Fitzgerald will also have to overcome the stigma of playing in a league like the Sun Belt. Sorry, but it's true. Plenty of players have made it out of the league, including Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware of Troy and linebacker Cody Spencer of North Texas, but one NFL Draft expert told me when I was writing stories about Johnny Quinn's prospects last season that one of the first questions NFL types ask of players like Spencer, Ware and Fitzgerald is why are they not playing at Texas or Texas A&M. The perception is prospects in lower profile leagues lack something, whether it be size or speed.

Fitzgerald might be able to overcome that stigma and make it, but Quinn still hasn't. And remember Quinn was bigger and might be just as fast.

I hope Casey gets his chance, but it is way too early to be thinking about UNT's star receiver and the draft. Give him a year to put on some weight and he might have a chance.