Evans senior shows he has a knack for journalism

Each year I get a few requests from high school seniors interested in job shadowing. I have enjoyed being able to meet the students I have been able to assist, and this year was no different.

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The latest student I worked with was Evans senior offensive lineman, Ryan Amrhein.

Most of the students who have shadowed me over the years were more interested in the radio portion of my job, but Ryan has a serious interest in sports journalism. I was blown away by his maturity and passion to learn. I have no doubt that he will go far in whatever career path he chooses.

For his project, I gave Ryan a topic and asked him to write a column for me. Before I read the first word I knew he would do a great job, and he did just that. I decided to let you read his handywork. Below is Ryan's look at the Top 5 prospects for next month's NFL Draft.

First, though, there is one weekend performance I have to mention. Rich Poythress, a Greenbrier grad, continues to light it up for Georgia Bulldogs baseball.

In UGA's three-game sweep of Quinnipiac, Poythress was an amazing 8-13 with two homers, seven runs scored, seven RBI and five walks. He reached base 13 times in 18 trips to the plate.

Georgia is now 12-0, and Poythress certainly has done his part. He is hitting .438 with four doubles, five homers, an .833 slugging percentage and an on base percentage of .542. Also, his 24 RBI this season are tops in the entire Southeastern Conference.

Now, on to Ryan's column:

It's that time of the year when there is no football on to watch. What can a football fanatic do in times like these? It sounds like a great time to talk NFL draft. Now that the combine is over, here are my top five NFL-ready players in this year's draft.

1. Aaron Curry: LB Wake Forest, 6'1", 254 lbs.

I'm not usually one to be amazed at workout results, but Aaron Curry did too well to ignore. He ran the fastest 40 for a linebacker, 4.56, put up 25 reps on the bench and had the best vertical and broad jump of any linebacker at the combine. But to me, the most important drill for linebackers is the 60-yard shuttle, where he ran 11.35 -- top amongst all linebackers, which shows how quickly he is able to redirect to follow a play. Plus, 320 tackles, nine sacks and six interceptions in four years isn't too shabby.

2. Brian Orakpo: DE/LB Texas, 6'3", 263 lbs.

Brian Orakpo is a beast. Last year alone he racked up 11 sacks and has 22 for his career. He had 101 tackles in four years at Texas. But what separates him from the rest is his versatility. Depending on where he gets drafted he could play defensive end or linebacker. What allows him to be so versatile is his speed -- a 4.7 in the 40 -- and his strength, 31 reps on the bench press.

3. Michael Crabtree: WR Texas Tech, 6'1", 215 lbs.

Even though he suffered an ankle injury during the combine and has to have surgery, Michael Crabtree comes in at No. 3 for me. He would have been No. 1 if not for the injury. In only two seasons Crabtree was able to rack up 231 receptions for 3,127 yards and 41 touchdowns. Those numbers don't lie. He also won the Biletnikoff award, which goes to the best wide receiver in college football, both seasons.

4. Matthew Stafford: QB Georgia, 6'2", 225 lbs.

Before all you Georgia fans get upset at Matthew Stafford's being listed at No. 4, let me explain. This is a list of the top NFL-ready players in the draft, and it is harder for a quarterback to be NFL ready than any other position. For him to even be on this list shows how impressive he is. He's got a monster arm while still being accurate, which is evident by his 7,731 yards passing and his 51 touchdowns compared to only 33 interceptions.

5. Malcolm Jenkins: CB Ohio State, 6'0", 204 lbs.

A lot of people thought Malcolm Jenkins killed his draft status by running only a 4.55 in the 40. This will probably hurt his draft status, but I don't think it will stop him from being a phenomenal cornerback in the NFL. This is because of his experience and the game-changing plays he made during his career, picking off quarterbacks 11 times. His skills are too great to allow him to fall out of that top cornerback spot. Should one 40 time drop such a great player, when before the combine he was a lock as a top five pick?