Shane Vereen Declares For The 2011 NFL Draft

by Avinash Kunnath on Jan 1, 2011 3:41 PM PST in California Golden Bears Football

In news that should surprise approximately no one, Cal's junior tailback Shane Vereen is following in the path of talents like Jahvid Best, Marshawn Lynch and DeSean Jackson, forgoing his senior season to move onto the NFL draft. He informed California Golden Bears head coach Jeff Tedford of the news last Sunday and told the Santa Clarita Valley Signal (the local newspaper in his hometown of Valencia) of his decision yesterday.

Vereen will probably go overlooked compared to those three names above, but his accomplishments were just as impressive. Backing up Best for a year and a half, then taking over for Jahvid after his concussion and starting the next year and a third, Vereen accumulated 2834 rushing yards, fifth most in Cal history behind Russell White, Lynch, Justin Forsett, and Joe Igber. He has one of the greatest Golden Bear performances of the past decade in the 2009 Big Game, rushing for 191 yards on 42 carries in an upset of the Cardinal. Unfortunately, inconsistent offensive line and average to poor quarterback play (a recurring trend for Cal offenses the past half-decade) wasted most of that production, as Cal went 8-9 in his games as starting tailback.

Shane is projected as a third round prospect by the NFL Draft and the sixth best tailback overall by Sports Illustrated. He was Mel Kiper Jr.'s fifth best junior running back after the conclusion of the 2010 college football regular season ($). Hopefully he'll have a killer combine like Best and up his draft status.

We wish Shane the best, and thank him for an excellent career as a Golden Bear.

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Good luck in the NFL, Shane Vereen

We’ll miss you.

Yes, I am an Old Blue. Now get off my lawn.

by Ohio Bear on Jan 1, 2011 3:46 PM PST reply actions

D:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tim5nU3DwIE

by JABear on Jan 1, 2011 3:48 PM PST reply actions

Good Luck Shane!

I’m not much of a NFL fan but there are a few players (Cal) I watch. Add Shane to that list of players to follow!

GO BEARS! Good luck Shane!

Bring back the Pac-10!!!

by calas on Jan 1, 2011 3:55 PM PST reply actions

Oh Snap!

Good luck, Shane. You were amazing.

Big Game 2009 is one of the best performances I’ve ever seen by a player.

Cal Football: I loved them once and they broke my heart. Let that be a lesson to you. Never love anything.

by CalBandGreat on Jan 1, 2011 4:03 PM PST reply actions

Good luck Shane

thanks for the Big Game 2009 performance. You made a graduating senior very happy

Los Angeles Galaxy for SBNLA / Pop Bunker

by Josie Becker on Jan 1, 2011 4:22 PM PST reply actions

Good luck Shane...

Represented the Golden Bears with class from start to finish.

Lawrence Ross

by alpha1906 on Jan 1, 2011 4:23 PM PST reply actions

Thanks for everything Shane. You’ll always be a Golden Bear. Best wishes and good luck!

Old Toothwrangler

by Kodiak on Jan 1, 2011 4:37 PM PST reply actions

Thanks for being a class act and a helluva football player Shane. It’ll be nice to have another golden bear to pull for in the NFL :)

by boomtho on Jan 1, 2011 4:37 PM PST reply actions

Best of luck to Shane. With the uncertainties at RB for Cal next year, hopefully we won’t miss him too much.

by LEastCoastBears on Jan 1, 2011 5:21 PM PST reply actions

GOOD LUCK SHANE

Thank you.

And

GO BEARS

Cal

by Thoroughbred on Jan 1, 2011 5:32 PM PST reply actions

Thanks Shane

And best wishes for your life after Cal!

by sec119 on Jan 1, 2011 5:45 PM PST reply actions

Thanks Shane for all the hard running (and receiving)

Go Bears!
Best of luck in the NFL!

by coolingfan on Jan 1, 2011 6:36 PM PST reply actions

I have this gut feeling that Shane’s gonna RAWK the NFL.

I’m ready to say 2011 NFL OROY.

Go Shane!!!

by Chispacita on Jan 1, 2011 7:34 PM PST reply actions

Question...

…and granted it’s Mel Kiper’s opinion, but does an additional year in school raise his draft stock beyond the 3rd round?

"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is
research."

by Auricursine on Jan 1, 2011 7:49 PM PST reply actions

Bravo Zulu, Sugar Shane

You can run for my guys on Sunday anytime.

(Any junior that can come out this year really needs to – God only knows what kind of salary nonsense will come with the next CBA; this may be the last chance for rookies to really cash in…)

"Well, if that ain't a show, I'll kiss your ass." - Gov. Jim Folsom Sr. (D-AL), 1948-52

by VandyImport on Jan 1, 2011 7:59 PM PST reply actions

No, they’ve already missed the boat. The current CBA expires on March 4th, and these guys will be drafted during a lockout. They are looking at a year out of football with no income support whatsoever. I don’t understand why anyone would come out early this year who’s not a dead cert to be a top pick.

by Scootie on Jan 1, 2011 9:02 PM PST up reply actions

Thanks for everything Shane! Enjoy playing for a new group of fans who will spell your name Vareen!

Norcalnick's chick. Go Bears!

by aee07 on Jan 1, 2011 8:10 PM PST reply actions

crap

goodbye, sweet prince. you were my last hope for a salvagable next season. may flights of angels sing you to the niners.

Remember, the enemy's end zone is DOWN!

by GoldBlooded on Jan 1, 2011 9:08 PM PST reply actions

may ~~flights of angels~~ hordes of demons sing you to the niners.

Since you’re wishing him straight to hell, I thought this seemed more appropriate.

CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.

http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/

by BearStage on Jan 3, 2011 5:30 AM PST up reply actions

Good luck in the NFL Shane!!

Gonna miss you at Cal but thanks for what you brought to our football team. I look forward to seeing highlights of you in the NFL on Sportscenter. Tear it up!!

by freshfunk on Jan 1, 2011 9:10 PM PST reply actions

One of my favorites..

I have to admit that I thought we were going to have a big drop off at RB this season, but Shane won me over with his performance this season. I was real impressed how he would break through after a hit and never seemed to be lying on his back when tackled. On top of that, he seems like an intelligent young man and has represented our university well.

Best of luck to you Shane!

by NITChamp on Jan 1, 2011 9:38 PM PST reply actions

he’s a fantastic football player. Would have loved to see what he could do on a good team. Both he, Forsett, and Jahvid are quality dudes.

"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark

by carp on Jan 1, 2011 10:59 PM PST reply actions

Thanks for your tremendous contributions!

Great kid, great Golden Bear…get a few good seasons in with the NFL, and then kick ass as a broadcaster…Roll On Shane

"It's on the ROOF, oh yeah, one hundred PROOF, oh yeah....."

by TKE Prytanis 79 on Jan 1, 2011 11:00 PM PST reply actions

Sigh. But good luck Shane! Tear it up in the big boys league!

Unfortunately I now have very little confidence in Cal’s offense in 2011.

In other words, Go Bears!

by royrules22 on Jan 1, 2011 11:12 PM PST reply actions

Solution: Give this man the ball every play

by LeonPowe on Jan 1, 2011 11:13 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs

Yes

by patzcalski on Jan 2, 2011 12:00 AM PST up reply actions

We will miss Shane

But we wont miss his production, hopefully.
Someone better step up and rush 1000 yards. anyone.

by JustBear on Jan 1, 2011 11:38 PM PST reply actions

O-line.

"Today's weather, excessively violent with a chance of dismemberment. Tune in later for our 5-day forecast!"
~ Three Dog - Fallout 3

by Swamphunter on Jan 2, 2011 12:41 AM PST up reply actions

I really hope he goes to the Patriots. I think they have like 8 picks in the first 3 rounds or something like that and might be looking for a RB. Their current duo feels more like a stopgap measure than a long term strategy. I’m thinking they go for a 1st round pick and then they’ll grab Vereen because he’ll fall to them.

by mrjpark on Jan 2, 2011 12:09 AM PST reply actions

The problem is that the Pats have never invested in a well-known tailback

They go for retreads or unknowns.

Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com

by Avinash Kunnath on Jan 2, 2011 7:05 AM PST up reply actions

Shane is relatively unknown.

by JustBear on Jan 2, 2011 10:02 AM PST up reply actions

who?

Remember, the enemy's end zone is DOWN!

by GoldBlooded on Jan 2, 2011 10:39 PM PST up reply actions

Green-Ellis and Woodhead have performed so well for them this season they may not see much need for a running back in the first half of the draft. But it would be a good fit.

Some RB-needy teams…
49ers – Gore’s been hurt a lot the past few seasons.
Cincinnati – Benson’s only really had one very good year, and it was two years ago now.
Dallas – Barbor is always hurt and Jones can’t break tackles.
Detroit – Best is always hurt and a change of pace back. Smith is always hurt.
Indianapolis – Small, slow backs haven’t gotten it done.
Miami – Williams and Brown are getting old.
Washington – Portis is old/always hurt and everyone else is anonymous.

If any other team drafts Vereen, it will be a luxury pick — adding depth behind the entrenched starter.

by Monica's Dad on Jan 3, 2011 2:35 PM PST up reply actions

Good luck Shane

He was everything you could ever ask of a student-athlete at a University like Cal. He has his degree, and now he wants to see what he can do. Can’t blame him at all. I wish him all the success in the world.

Next year is going to be bleak.

The Bear Will Not Quit
The Bear Will Not Die

by joshiemac on Jan 2, 2011 7:53 AM PST reply actions

I hope somehow you can stay in the bay area

Good Luck Shane and thanks for everything. when the game was on the line you knew that you have to give him tha ball.

by Xan101 on Jan 2, 2011 8:36 AM PST reply actions

We will miss you, Shane.

Will never forget your epic 42-carry, 198-yard and 3-TD performance at ’Furd in 09. Good luck in the League!

by MailmanJr35 on Jan 2, 2011 12:06 PM PST reply actions

GOOD LUCK SHANE!!!

you will be dearly missed! thanks for bringing the Shane Train to Berkeley…next stop, NFL!

by jaymi1981 on Jan 2, 2011 3:47 PM PST reply actions

Damn, I was hoping he’d come back, but either way good luck Shane! Keep up the streak of Cal backs in the NFL!

It’s a nice place for people to go watch your stupid [2010 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants].

by Spazzy Mcgee on Jan 3, 2011 1:03 AM PST reply actions

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