Pac-12 underclassmen primer for 2015 NFL Draft: Who stays and who declares?

Nelson Agholor Jr. WR USC

Stay or go? Go Where he will go Early-mid-second round

Agholor is wildly explosive and a deadly deep threat that can fill up the stat sheet like no other receiver in the Pac-12.  I see him taking off after the season and he could sneak into the first round, but I think his slight lack of consistent and slighter frame drops him into the beginning of the second round.

Javorius Allen Jr. RB USC

Stay or go? Go Where he will go Third round

The Pac-12's best running back is looking long and hard at the NFL and for good reason as the 6'1 220-pound back runs like an NFL back and has that rare size that translates to the next level. I would bet that he leaves, but I would say that the lack of value to running backs these days and his lack of top speed drops him down to the third round.

Arik Armstead Jr. DT Oregon

Stay or go? Go Where he would go Late first-early-second round

The 6'8 290-pound Armstead has long made college and NFL scouts drool, but he just has not quite been able to turn into the player that many have imagined he could be and has battled injuries in his college career. Despite this, he has flashed the potential to be an elite player at times and that potential will get him taken off the draft board pretty quickly whenever he decides to declare. I wouldn't be surprised to see Armstead come back, but I would bet he declares, especially if Oregon wins the national championship.

Devontae Booker Jr. RB Utah

Stay or go? Stay Where he would go Sixth-seventh round

You will see this a lot in this post... Booker is a running back that had a huge 2014 that is not necessarily an elite NFL prospect since he does not have amazing speed or NFL size, but as a running back, he needs to consider getting paid as soon as possible. Ultimately though, I think he heads back for his senior year.

DeForest Buckner Jr. DE Oregon

Stay or go? Stay Where he would go Fifth-sixth round

The Ducks do a better job of anyone in the country of taking big, long athletes and turning them into great defensive linemen and Buckner is exactly one of those guys. He has outshined the more highly-touted Armstead to become the Ducks' best defensive linemen and when you are a 6'7 290 guy who plays as well as Buckner does, you will always get the NFL's attention. However, he has already hinted at returning for his senior year, which would give him a whole senior to build buzz and climb up draft boards now that he is just starting to get people's attention.

Alex Carter Jr. CB Stanford

Stay or go? Go Where he will go Early to mid-second round

A big physical corner, Carter is just on the edge of elite players at the position eligible for the 2015 draft, but he has yet to declare. Seeing a weak crop of corners this year, I think Carter declares, knowing that he can easily play himself into the first round if he performs well at the combine. However, Stanford players generally declare early the least of any program in the country, so I wouldn't be shocked to see him come back either.

D.J. Foster Jr. RB Arizona State

Stay or go? Stay Where he would go Third-fourth round

Foster is the Pac-12's best receiving back as a guy who had nearly 60 catches for 646 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for more than 1,000. That unique skill coupled with his raw speed makes him a very intriguing prospect at the next level, but his lack of NFL size and every-down back ability holds him back a little bit. I see him sticking around for his senior season while maybe adding some bulk and showing that he can carry a heavy load in hope of bolstering his NFL stock.

Brett Hundley Jr. QB UCLA

Stay or go? Go Where he will go Early-second round

Hundley's NFL potential has been apparent since he started playing for the Bruins a few years ago, but it has taken a bit of a hit with a good, but maybe underwhelming season this year and it has probably dropped him out of the first round for now. I would not be surprised if he works his way back not only into the first round, but the Top 10 with at least five teams really needing quarterbacks and only two prospects (Mariota and Winston) ahead of Hundley in the pecking order.

Cayleb Jones So. WR Arizona

Stay or go? Stay Where he would go Fourth-fifth round

A Texas transfer, Jones emerged as Arizona's leading receiver in 2014 with nearly 1,000 yards receiving and nine touchdowns on 60 plus catches. He is a big target (6'3 215) that also has big play abilities that should make him a very desirable option at the next level, but I think he will return for another year in which he could easily end up being the Pac-12's leading receiver and turn himself into a first/second round pick.

Cody Kessler Jr. QB USC

Stay or go? Stay Where he would go Fourth-fifth round

Kessler doesn't seem to be dripping with NFL potential, but he recently put in a request to get his NFL evaluation so I guess he is at least gauging his potential. He put up big numbers in 2014, but does not have great NFL size at 6'1 and he does not have the mobility that everyone is in love with. I think he is just seeing where he stands and ends up returning with the shot at making a huge run in 2015 and bolstering his stock.

Daniel Lasco Jr. RB Cal

Stay or go? Stay Where he would go Sixth-seventh round

Lasco somehow quietly ran for 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2014 and as a 6'0 210 prospect, you have to think that he might be thinking about making the jump to the next level sooner rather than later. While I think he will think about it, I ultimately think he comes back to further up his production and build some more NFL buzz.

Marcus Mariota Jr. QB Oregon

Stay or go? Go Where he will go 1-4

Crazy to think that Mariota could come back to Oregon for another season if he wanted to. I think that would be the most shocking return in the history of college football if he did, but I doubt that happens. It will be a shock if he isn't scooped up in the first few picks of the draft.

Kyle Murphy Jr. T Stanford

Stay or go? Stay Where he would go Fourth-fifth round

A 6'7 300-pound second-team All-Pac-12 selection, Murphy has all of the intangibles of a good NFL tackle, but maybe has yet to maximize his college abilities. His intangibles would get him drafted if he decided to declare, but I think he stay in Palo Alto with the chance of turning into an All-American in 2015, especially considering the Stanford players rarely declaring early thing.

Jordan Payton Jr. WR UCLA

Stay or go? Stay Where he would go Fourth-fifth round

Payton blew up in 2014, turning into one of the Pac-12's best receivers as a powerful 6'1 215 target that is great at making plays downfield. He isn't a burner, but has strong hands and is an excellent red zone threat. I think he sticks around Westwood for another year, but I would not be shocked if he strikes while the iron is hot and heads off after the Alamo Bowl either.

Andrus Peat Jr. T Stanford

Stay or go? Go Where he will go Top 6-20

Peat is becoming hard to figure out. Sometimes I see him projected as a Top 5 pick, but then I hear that NFL teams are not that big on him and he could slip as far as the second round. Regardless, I think his NFL stock is too great to let sit for another year and he declares and probably gets picks somewhere in the teens.

Paul Perkins So. RB UCLA

Stay or go? Stay Where he would go Sixth-seventh round

I haven't heard much about Perkins in the NFL as he is a bit small, but once a draft eligible running back has a huge season, I can't help but think that he is considering going pro.

Jeremiah Poutasi Jr. T Utah

Stay or go? Stay Where he would go Fifth-sixth round

Poutasi is a mountain at 6'6 330 that has huge upside and is starting to come into his own as a second-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2014. He will likely head back for another year of polishing, but there is a remote possibility that he could head to the next level right now.

Isaac Seumalo Jr. C Oregon State

Stay or go? Stay Where he would go Fourth-fifth round

I normally wouldn't consider Seumalo, who missed all of 2014 with an injury to declare, but I have not heard confirmation on whether or not his father, Joe, defensive line coach for the Beavers will be staying in Corvallis. If Joe heads to Nebraska, I could see Seumalo, who has the most NFL potential of ay college center just heading off to the league, but it sounds like Joe might be staying put. Either way, I think he will come back and try to get a full healthy year in to impress NFL scouts.

Nelson Spruce Jr. WR Colorado

Stay or go? Stay Where he would go Sixth-seventh round

Spruce is an ultra productive (106 catches for 1,100 plus yards and 12 TDs in 2014) that is a bit of a "little bit of everything" receiver in that he is not too big or too small (6'1 195) and isn't a speedster, but isn't a slower possession receiver either. Scouts assuredly have noticed his production, but they probably also notice that he produced most of it against the weaker competition that he faced. With that, and the fact that he has no physical intangibles that will jump out, in mind, I think he comes back for his senior season. Which, he has already hinted at doing.

Jaelen Strong Jr. WR Arizona State

Stay or go? Go Where he will go Mid-first-early-second round

Strong is big (6'4 215) and fast with strong hands and a lot of proven production in college. So it is no surprise that he is considered one of the elite receivers that could declare for the 2015 draft. I think Strong will do just that.

Shaq Thompson Jr. LB Washington

Stay or go? Go Where he will go Top 10-20

Thompson may not have a dead set position at the next level, but he is a Top 10 pure talent prospect for the draft and I fully expect him to declare. The fact that it is unclear if he is a linebacker, safety, nickel or even running back at the next level will probably keep him out of the Top 10, but I don't expect him to stick around much longer after that.

Max Tuerk Jr. C USC

Stay or go? Stay Where he would go Third round

Tuerk is an interesting prospect because he is a first-team All-Pac-12 center, but at 6'6, probably actually projects as a tackle at the next level. His size, versatility and athleticism make him a potential first round pick, but I think he will probably have to come back for his senior season and become an All-American to do that.

Leonard Williams Jr. DE USC

Stay or go? Go Where he will go Top 3

Williams assuredly is heading to the NFL and will likely be the top pick if a team that does not need a quarterback gets it.