Four All-Americans, including running backs Darren McFadden and Kevin Smith, were among 53 players granted special eligibility Saturday for the 2008 NFL draft. McFadden, of Arkansas, and Smith, of Central Florida, were joined by Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib and tackle Anthony Collins. The deadline for receiving applications was Jan. 15. Other notable players leaving school after their junior years were McFadden's running back partner at Arkansas, Felix Jones, along with Ray Rice of Rutgers; Jonathan Stewart of Oregon and Jamaal Charles of Texas; wide receivers DeSean Jackson of California, James Hardy of Indiana, Davone Bess of Hawaii, Adrian Arrington of Michigan and Earl Bennett of Vanderbilt; tackle Ryan Clady of Boise State; guard Branden Albert of Virginia; defensive ends Vernon Gholston of Ohio State and Calais Campbell of Miami, Fla.; linebacker Curtis Lofton of Oklahoma; and defensive backs Brandon Flowers of Virginia Tech and Kenny Phillips of Miami, Fla. The draft will be held April 26-27. http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-draft-earlyentries&prov=ap&type=lgns
