▁to ▁the ▁first ▁team ▁All - SE C . ▁ ▁E aly ▁announced ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁for go ▁his ▁senior ▁season ▁and ▁enter ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁NFL ▁D raft . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁As ▁a ▁s oph om ore ▁the ▁year ▁before , ▁E aly ▁was ▁given ▁a ▁third ▁round ▁grade ▁by ▁the ▁NFL ▁D raft ▁Ad vis ory ▁Board , ▁which ▁is ▁typically ▁conserv ative ▁when ▁project ing ▁the ▁draft ▁positions ▁of ▁under class men . ▁Following ▁his ▁break out ▁junior ▁campaign , ▁E aly ▁was ▁a ▁project ed ▁first ▁round ▁pick ▁by ▁numerous ▁out lets , ▁including ▁the ▁Pan thers ▁General ▁Manager ▁Dave ▁G ett le man , ▁with ▁some ▁project ing ▁him ▁as ▁a ▁potential ▁top ▁ 1 0 ▁selection . ▁His ▁combination ▁of ▁length , ▁athlet ic ism , ▁and ▁vers at ility ▁drew ▁compar isons ▁to ▁players ▁including ▁Robert ▁Qu inn , ▁Michael ▁Ben nett , ▁and ▁Ch and ler ▁Jones . ▁Dallas ▁Cow bo ys ▁executive ▁vice ▁president ▁Stephen ▁Jones ▁noted ▁after ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁NFL ▁D raft ▁that ▁had ▁the ▁Cow bo ys ▁not ▁trad ed ▁the ▁number ▁ 4 7 ▁overall ▁selection ▁in ▁a ▁deal ▁to ▁move ▁up ▁to ▁select ▁Bo ise ▁State ▁def ensive ▁end ▁De M arc us ▁Lawrence , ▁they ▁would ▁have ▁used ▁that ▁pick ▁to ▁draft ▁E aly , ▁whom ▁they ▁regarded ▁as ▁an ▁immediate ▁st arter . ▁ ▁E aly ▁was ▁selected ▁by ▁the