On April 22-24th, the NFL will welcome in its next group of talented rookies from the college ranks. From a card collector’s perspective, this is an exciting time to begin building new player collections. With such a diverse assortment of collectors in the hobby today, you will see many different motives for collecting these newcomers. These will range from dedicated college collectors, following their favorite players since the day they signed their letter of intent, to NFL team-based collectors who will center their collecting efforts on the players that their team selects. In addition to these two major groups, you will find speculators hunting for sleepers in the later rounds, and even the occasional family member looking to purchase some cards for a personal keepsake item. In all cases, the NFL Draft is a key event that drives their continued interest in the hobby.

Let’s take a look at some of the players in the upcoming NFL Draft. Unlike some other drafts, the 2010 NFL Draft will likely have pricier household names outside of the 1st round. With names like Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy, this draft includes some highly touted college stars that might not project out with the big impact they had at the college level. However, with their immense college popularity, they will have value to collectors. Combining this early college star power with the very talented core of offensive players expected to go early in April’s draft, the 2010 draft looks like a pretty good value for collectors.

Projected Offensive Top Tier Draft Picks:
Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

College Heroes with Strong Fan Followings and Potential Pro Upside:
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
Colt McCoy, QB, Texas

Other Offensive Skill Players to Keep an Eye on:
Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State
Jahvid Best, RB, Cal
Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech
Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois
Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame
Tony Pike, QB, Cincinnati

Projected Top Defensive Hobby Followings:
Ndamakong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
Taylor Mays, S, USC

Should be a fun year. To collectors and box breakers, good luck!

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