NEW YORK (WRCB/AP) - Former Tennessee football players Janzen Jackson and Bryce Brown are among a record 65 underclassmen college players who have declared for the NFL draft in April.
Jackson, a 6-foot, 190-pound safety, was a five-star recruit when he signed with the Vols in 2009. He was an all-SEC selection in each of his two seasons in Knoxville, but was dismissed from the team prior to the 2011 season because of recurring off the field problems.
Jackson played this past season at McNeese State, where he recorded 23 tackles, two interceptions and one forced fumble in seven games.
Brown was also one of the nation's top recruits in 2009, signing with UT as the top all-purpose running back in the eyes of most recruiting services. He rushed for 460 yards as a freshman in his first and only in Knoxville before transferring to Kansas State.
Once in Manhattan, Brown sat out a transfer year then left the team just three games into the 2011 season. His career stats at KSU stand at just three carries for 16 yards.
Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III, runner-up Andrew Luck and three players from Alabama's national championship team headline the list of underclassmen, which was released Thursday by the NFL.
Crimson Tide running back Trent Richardson, linebacker Dont'a Hightower and defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick all announced their decisions last week, though Kirkpatrick was arrested earlier this week on a drug charge.
Despite a rookie wage scale established in the new collective bargaining agreement, the number of players choosing to leave school early tops the previous record of 56 set last year.
Others who are draft eligible include Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, LSU defensive back Morris Claiborne and Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Janzen Jackson played two seasons at Tennessee before being dismissed for off-the-field problems.
Bryce Brown played just one season at Tennessee before transferring to Kansas State, where he quit th team after just three games.
