Georgia running back Todd GurleyTodd Gurley tearing his ACL last Saturday night could cost Georgia's junior tailback more than $10 million in his first professional contract, according to one National Football League scouting director.
"He was a top-five player in the draft, no question about it," said the scout, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "Before the injury he was definitely in the top five, and now it's a tough question because there is so long between now and the draft in April. He's got to come out of the surgery and go through the rehab process, and we'll get to see him at the combine.
"The combine will be so important to him just from the physical standpoint and the doctors getting the MRIs and seeing where he is progress-wise. If he comes back fine, he's still going to be a first-round pick, but he'll be a top-20 or a top-25 guy."
Gurley was injured in the fourth quarter of a 34-7 win over Auburn, having amassed 29 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown. It was his first performance since an Oct. 4 rout of Vanderbilt due to the 6-foot-1, 232-pounder from Tarboro, N.C., serving a four-game NCAA suspension for receiving more than $3,000 for signed memorabilia.
In the NFL draft held this past May, the Oakland Raiders had the fifth overall selection and took linebacker Khalil Mack out of the University of Buffalo. Mack agreed to a four-year contract for $18.67 million that was fully guaranteed.
The New Orleans Saints had the 20th selection and picked Oregon State receiver Brandin Cooks, giving him a four-year deal at $8.38 million, of which $7.6 million is guaranteed.
ESPN's Darren Rovell recently reported that Georgia increased an insurance policy for Gurley to $10 million, with $5 million for total disability if he got injured and never played again and $5 million in loss of value insurance. Rovell reported that the loss of value would apply if Gurley injured himself and fell in the draft.
The NFL scouting director believes Gurley, who has yet to officially announce that he is forgoing his senior season, should be near or at full strength when the league's 2015 preseason starts. Former Georgia and LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger tore his ACL last year in late November, but he is now starting for the Tennessee Titans and threw two touchdown passes in Monday night's 27-24 loss to visiting Pittsburgh.
"The whole thing is the cutting part, and a quarterback doesn't have to worry so much about the cutting aspect of working out his knee," the scout said. "I think Gurley should be ready. All the teams are going to want to look at him in February, and then there will be about 15 teams that will bring him into their facility and look him over as late as they can right up to April and see where he is again.
"He should be pretty good by the draft, which is about six months out. In six months you can do a lot of work, and in nine months you can start playing. Luckily he tore it now and not in December or January."
The scout does not expect Gurley to run at the combine, adding that NFL teams will not be lacking for sensational footage of a player who wound up rushing for 3,285 yards in 30 college games and had a pair of 100-yard kickoff returns. Gurley averaged 6.44 yards per carry throughout his Bulldogs career.
"The injury will cloud some things," the scout said, "but he is a special talent."
Odds and ends
The Bulldogs worked out for two hours Wednesday, with senior defensive back Damian Swann missing the practice with flu-like systems. ... Bulldogs coach Mark Richt when asked on the SEC teleconference about the "game control" component being used by the College Football Playoff committee: "I don't even know what you're talking about as far as the term that you used. I have not watched one of those shows."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.