Scoreboards

• Scouts rate linebacker Curry at the top of NFL draft prospects for 2009.
• Many draft predictions have Curry going to the St. Louis Rams with the second overall pick.
• Curry’s credentials among NFL draft picks include winning the Butkus Award, the highest honor for linebackers.

Up from Poverty

After his sophomore year at Wake Forest, linebacker Aaron Curry returned home to find his mother had been evicted from their home. "I realized I had to do something," he told the Cleveland Plain Dealer, “and football was it. Those are the moments you think about in the fourth quarter when a play needs to be made and you know you have the opportunity to provide for your family for the rest of their lives."
Curry stepped up his game in his junior and senior years, culminating in his receiving the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker. His 105 tackles in 2008, including 16 for losses, were perhaps his most impressive stat. But it gets better. Curry is rated as the best player overall in the upcoming 2009 draft by many top authorities, including Sports Illustrated, NFL.com, and Scouts Inc. Curry has the rare ability to do it all as a linebacker, from stuffing the run, to covering a wideout, to forcing a fumble with a huge hit.

Success at Combine

Curry made a big impression at February's NFL scouting combine, a key tool used to rank draft prospects. Among linebackers, he had the fastest 40-yard dash time, he had the longest broad jump, and he tied for the highest vertical leap. He also displayed a strong work ethic during drills. At 6 foot 2 and 254 pounds, Curry has few detractors.
Curry seriously considered entering the NFL draft after his junior year, but his mother, a teacher, helped convince him to remain in school and graduate. That decision has paid off, as Curry was projected as only a third-round pick in the 2008 draft but now finds a massive contract likely as an early first round pick in 2009. Ironically, Curry may not be the first player taken even though he is generally considered to be the best player; most teams consider it more urgent to address a weakness at quarterback or offensive tackle than at linebacker.

Explosive Combination of Size and Speed

Asked by scout.com's Chris Steuber which NFL players he would compare himself to, Curry said, "I've always seen myself as the linebacker version of Julius Peppers, because of my size and my speed. I also believe I have the enthusiasm and leadership qualities of Ray Lewis."
One of Curry's finest games came in October, when Wake Forest defeated Clemson, limiting the traditional powerhouse to just 7 points. Curry had 9 tackles, including several crushing hits in the open field.
A native of North Carolina, Curry is the son of Reggie Pinkney, who was a star defensive back at East Carolina in the 1970s and played briefly for the Detroit Lions. Curry is no slouch when it comes to academics. A psychology major, he plans to attend law school after graduation.