Missouri DE Kony Ealy Declares For 2014 NFL Draft

Jan 3, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Kony Ealy (47) during the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the 2014 Cotton Bowl at AT

One notable absence from our latest first round mock draft projection is Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy, and one reason why is because at the time of posting, he had not yet declared for the draft.

Well, now we can start throwing him into the first round fray, because the junior DE has declared his intentions to enter the 2014 NFL Draft after a very good junior season.

Ealy has displayed fantastic athletic ability, racking up 42 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and eight sacks to go along with three forced fumbles and an interception for a touchdown.

The junior’s game is obviously not without flaw, but after a strong performance in Missouri’s bowl game, some people are talking like Ealy is a top 15 lock. At 6’5″ 275 pounds, he has fantastic length and a good frame for almost any defensive scheme, though he seems a perfect fit for a four man front.

Ealy was named a first-team All-SEC defensive end, which isn’t an easy thing to do considering the amount of talent in that conference, especially on the defensive side of the ball and the defensive line in particular.

The general belief is that his best football is yet ahead of him, that he’s only scratched the surface of his potential. I’ll be interested to see where he winds up but right now, it seems like his stock is somewhere in the 15-25 range of the first round.