By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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By Charlie K.
SouthernPigskin.com National Columnist

SouthernPigskin.com National Columnist Charlie K. tells recruits to take notice. You can get to the NFL via the Southern Conference. Follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/SouthernPigskin. Become a fan of us on Facebook at the SouthernPigskin.com Facebook Page

The stars of the Southern Conference were lining up yesterday morning as NFL executives were planted deep in their meeting rooms in preparation of rounds two and three of the NFL Draft. In Charlotte, oh what it would have been like to be a fly on the wall. I guess the same could be said for any of the teams war room, but in the case of the Carolina Panthers, they had a plan. That plan was get Armanti Edwards.

The former Appalachian State quarterback has made his mark on college football. A four time All-American, Edwards is this years version of the Miami Dolphins second round pick from last year Pat White of West Virginia. Edwards is an exceptional athlete with skills to play several positions. Basically the same size as the West Virginia legend White, most felt Edwards would be more likely to get drafted in rounds five through seven. The Panthers however loved Edwards upside and ability to move to wide receiver and make plays with his feet verses his arm. Hence, the plan.

In a somewhat surprising move, The Panthers traded next year’s second-round pick to New England to move into the late third round, so they could choose Edwards 89th overall. In other words, Panthers general manager Marty Hurney has big plans for Edwards for the future of the Panthers. The hope is Edwards can develop into a receiver and returner on special teams. All positions that will let him use his athletic skill set, and his make you miss ability.

We all know Edwards numbers. He was a stat machine during his time in Boone, North Carolina. One of the few players at any level that could take a game over and win, Edwards has both broken hearts and attacked hearts of fans from all over the country at pretty much every level of football. Frankly put, kid is a player. A money ball waiting to happen. At times in his career he literally willed his Mountaineers to wins.

The Southern Conference was well represented in rounds two and three. Citadel receiver Andre Roberts was expected by most draft experts to get picked up in the late second or third round. And as the Arizona Cardinals third round selection quickly approached, the Cardinal coaching staff set their sights on Roberts. A playmaker with game changing ability.

Seeking both a punt returner to relieve Steve Breaston and a slot receiver to aid in the departure of Anquan Boldin, the Cards pulled the trigger and took Roberts.

Roberts jumped on the radar of the NFL and the Cardinals with his work at the Senior Bowl and the scouting combine. He had 77 catches for 792 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior and averaged 15.5 yards a punt return. As a junior, he had 95 catches for 1,334 and 14 touchdowns, and averaged 19.2 yards a punt return with three touchdowns. Perhaps moreso, when Roberts met with team officials at the combine and Senior Bowl, his focus and personality took over. In other words, his skill set was in place, but his character won them over.

The Southern Conference features great football every single weekend in the fall. That’s no secret. And it’s also not a secret that the league can produce quality NFL prospects. As witness by the 24th and 25th picks in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft. With perhaps another player or two getting drafted today in rounds four through seven and likely several players from the SoCon getting picked up via free agency, let that be a heads up to recruits all over the country. You can make it to the NFL via the Southern Conference. Don’t listen to the negative recruiting that some bigger schools will pitch you in hopes of you walking on to their programs on signing day in hopes of earning a scholarship. As Edwards, who could have played at Clemson as a receiver and Roberts who was lightly recruited can attest. You can get to the pay league from the Southern Conference. And, it’s proven now. It’s a fact.

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Stories written by SouthernPigskin.com columnists are done independently.  Views do not always coincide with those of the remainder of the staff or the ownership of SouthernPigskin.com.