[align=center]Jermichael Finley | Tight End | Texas | 6'4" - 243 lbs.
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OVERVIEW
Finley, a third-year sophomore who opted to enter the NFL Draft a year early, is one of the more athletic pass catchers at his position

"The NFL is every football player's dream, and when my NFL grade came back, it was encouraging, and I felt like it was in my best interest to enter the draft," Finley said. "I've worked really hard for three years at Texas to prepare for this, and I think I'm ready for the challenge."

"Jermichael is a great kid who has worked hard to improve in each of his three years with us," Texas head coach Mack Brown said. "He finished his career ranked among the most productive receiving tight ends in school history and handled himself well both on and off the field during his time at Texas. He's leaving in good academic standing, and we hope he will come back to finish his degree in the future. We thank him, support him and look forward to following him in the NFL."

Known for his athleticism, Finley almost enrolled at the University of Arizona coming out of high school. UA was the only school to offer him a dual scholarship, hoping to entice him to the university to play both football and basketball.

At Diboll High School, Finley was a four-year starter at tight end and also played defensive end, wide receiver, safety, punter and kicker. He owns the school career records with 316 receptions, 30 touchdown catches and 2,217 receiving yards. He also punted for a 37.9-yard average, kicked off and played an average of 101 snaps per game. He was named District Offensive Player of the Year in football and District MVP in basketball as a sophomore, averaging 24 points and 20 rebounds as a senior for the hoops squad.

Finley arrived at the University of Texas weighing 205 pounds in 2005, spending the season on the scout team. He learned the techniques of playing tight end under the tutelage of former All-Big Twelve Conference selection and current New England Patriot David Thomas. Finley, who now wears Thomas' old jersey #16, put those lessons to use as a redshirt freshman in 2006 and establishing himself as a Mackey Award candidate in 2007.

In 2006, he earned Freshman All-American honors, starting four of 13 games. He finished his first season as the most productive freshman tight end in UT history by posting 31 catches for 372 yards (12.0 avg) and three touchdowns, which are all tops on the Longhorns' freshman tight end charts.

Finley received All-Big Twelve honorable mention as a sophomore in 2007. He ranked third on the team with 45 receptions for 575 yards (12.8 avg) and two scores. His 45 grabs are the second-best season total by a Texas tight end and his 575 yards rank third on that tight end chart. He also recovered a fumble for a score and recorded a solo tackle.

In 26 games at Texas, Finley started 17 contests. He ranks fourth on the school's career-record list for tight ends with 76 receptions and sixth with 947 yards (12.5 avg), as he came up with five touchdown catches and another score on a fumble recovery.

CAREER NOTES
Ranks fourth on the school tight end record list with 76 receptions, topped by David Thomas (98, 2002-05), Pat Fitzgerald (80, 1994-96) and Bo Scaife (75, 1999, 2001, '03-04)...His 947 yards receiving placed him sixth on the UT tight end career-record list behind David Thomas (1,367), Pat Fitzgerald (1,106), Lawrence Sampleton (1,071 yards, 1978-81), Bo Scaife (997) and Kerry Cash (979, 1987-90)...His 45 receptions in 2007 are topped only by David Thomas (50 in 2005) on the school season-record list for tight ends...His 575 yards gained receiving in 2007 rank third among tight ends on the Texas annual record list, surpassed by William Harris (637 in 1984) and David Thomas (613 in 2005)...His 58-yard reception vs. Oklahoma in 2007 was the seventh-longest catch in Texas annals by a tight end and the longest since David Thomas scored on a 60-yard grab vs. Texas A&M in 2003...In the 2007 Oklahoma clash, he became the first tight end in school history to record a pair of 50-yard catches in the same game...Set a school game-record for tight ends with his 149 yards gained vs. Oklahoma in 2007, topping the old mark of 126 yards by Randy Peschel vs. Rice in 1967.

2007 SEASON
All-Big Twelve Conference first-team choice by The NFL Draft Report, earning honorable mention from the league's coaches...Started all thirteen games at tight end, ranking third on the team with 45 receptions, the second-best season total by a Texas tight end... Gained 575 yards (12.8 avg), the third-highest season total by a UT tight end, as two of his grabs produced touchdowns...Also recovered a fumble in the end zone for a score and recorded two tackles...Caught at least one pass in twelve games, as he also helped Texas average 462.0 yards of total offense (13th NCAA), 199.8 yards rushing (25th NCAA) and 36.0 points per game (19th NCAA)...Member of UT's Athletics Director's Honor Roll.

2006 SEASON
Named the team's Outstanding Newcomer (offense)...Played in thirteen games, starting vs. Rice, Oklahoma, Baylor and Oklahoma State...Earned UT Academic Director's Honor Roll recognition...Ranked fourth on the team with 31 receptions, the fifth-best season total by a Texas tight end...Gained 372 yards receiving (12.0 avg) with three touchdowns.

2005 SEASON
Redshirted as a freshman.

CAMPUS AGILITY TESTS
4.76 in the 40-yard dash...350-pound bench press...29-inch vertical jump.

COMBINE AGILITY TESTS
4.82 in the 40-yard dash...Bench pressed 225 pounds 20 times...27.5-inch vertical jump...9'8" broad jump.

HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Diboll (Tex.) High School, playing football for head coach Finis Vanover...Four-year starter at tight end and also played defensive end, wide receiver, safety, punter and kicker...Owns the school career records with 316 receptions, 30 touchdown catches and 2,217 receiving yards...Also punted for a 37.9-yard average, kicked off and played an average of 101 snaps per game...Named District Offensive Player of the Year in football and District MVP in basketball as a sophomore, averaging 24 points and 20 rebounds as a senior for the hoops squad.

PERSONAL
Education major...Two-time member of UT's Athletic Director's Honor Roll...Born 3/26/87 in Lufkin, Texas...Resides in Diboll, Texas.

TE Finley's Athleticism Intrigues Packers

Tight end Jermichael Finley is young, having spent just three seasons at the University of Texas, including one as a redshirt.

But the athletic ability he displays for such a young player is intriguing to the Packers, who chose him in the third round of the NFL Draft on Sunday, the 91st overall selection.

"When you start watching guys, obviously you look for things you can't coach, and I think he has a few of those qualities," tight ends coach Ben McAdoo said. "He's someone who was intriguing the minute you turned the tape on."

McAdoo said he first watched film of Finley in the week leading up to the scouting combine in late February, and the Packers showed interest in Finley from that point on, according to several media reports.

Offered scholarships in both football and basketball at Arizona, Finley decided to go to Texas and concentrate on football with the goal of making it to the pros.

"He's a very smooth, gifted athlete," McAdoo said. "With his youth I think his best days are ahead of him and I think he can really develop into a good player in this league."

Finley, who has two young children, said his decision to enter the draft early was simply because he's ready for the next challenge in his life.

The biggest of those on the field will probably be his run blocking. At 6-foot-4 and just 243 pounds, Finley grades himself just a B-minus as a blocker. That's likely the area he'll have to focus on the most as he battles Tory Humphrey for the No. 2 tight end spot behind starter Donald Lee.

"I need to work on the run game," Finley admitted. "When I get there, I'm going to bust my butt to do what I need to do."

McAdoo feels Finley, who already bulked up significantly in college, can add more size to his 6-4 frame. But in the meantime he sees the right attitude when it comes to doing a tight end's dirty work.

"He's got some scrappiness to him and I like that about him," McAdoo said. "They don't get a bunch of time to work on developing skills like we do at this level, ... but I like what I see as far as willing to put his face in there and scrap with some pretty good defensive ends and linebackers in the Big 12."

Those defenders certainly had trouble staying with him in the passing game. In two seasons, Finley caught 76 passes for 947 yards and five TDs. His biggest game came last October against Oklahoma, when he caught two passes for longer than 50 yards and finished the game with four catches for 149 yards and a 22-yard TD.

Seeing those kinds of plays alleviated any concern about less-than-optimal 40-yard dash times at the combine (4.82) and his pro day (4.76).

"I saw him run at Indy and it surprised me he didn't run a better time because he plays a lot faster than that," McAdoo said. "The time didn't concern me. He ran better later on at his pro day, and I think his best days are ahead of him as far as his speed and his explosiveness. I think he's going to improve that as he goes, and you see that by how he plays the game, not necessarily how he runs a 40 per se."