McDaniel 'leaning hard toward coming back'

CLEMSON -- Rising along with DeAndre McDaniel's interceptions total is his NFL draft stock.

McDaniel intercepted his eighth pass of the season Saturday, tying him for Clemson's single season record and the national lead with UCLA's Rahim Moore. NFLDraftscout.com rates McDaniel as a second-round prospect, 50th overall, for the 2010 draft.

Still, McDaniel said Monday he expects to be back on campus next season.

"I'm leaning hard toward coming back," McDaniel said. "We've got a great defense and quarterback coming back."

Last season's 50th overall pick, Mohamed Massaquoi, received $1.9 million in guaranteed money from Cleveland. But McDaniel said he has a better chance to be drafted in the first round in 2011, as Southern Cal's Taylor Mays and Tennessee's Eric Berry are the top safety prospects expected to be selected in the first round next April.

Another factor that might persuade McDaniel to return are fellow ACC safeties Deunta Williams (North Carolina), Kam Chancellor (Virginia Tech) and Morgan Burnett (Georgia Tech) threatening to further deepen the safety pool in 2010 as second and third-round prospects.

"Taylor Mays and Eric Berry aren't dropping," McDaniel said. "There aren't too many times three safeties go in the first round."

It might be unlikely but it's not without precedent -- four safeties went in the first round in 2007: Laron Landry (5th, Washington), Michael Griffin (19th, Tennessee), Reggie Nelson (21st, Jacksonville) and Brandon Meriweather (24th, New England). And safety is becoming more of a premium position in the NFL.

Moreover, if McDaniel is impressing ESPN's Todd Blackledge who said Saturday: "He's got a knack for the football and knows how to play" he's also opening eyes in NFL scouting departments.

"I'll turn in my papers," said McDaniel of the paper work that allows prospects to gauge their draft grade. "Most people can't give up first round."

It won't be a fear of injury that keeps McDaniel from returning. He doesn't yet have an insurance policy, but said he will begin looking into one.

"I don't feel affected by that," McDaniel said. "I'm a football player."

McDaniel is a physical player who leads Clemson in tackles and is described as a "violent hitter" by Clemson defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.

Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder found out firsthand.

McDaniel intercepted Ponder late in the fourth quarter Saturday for Ponder's fourth interception.

As McDaniel returned the interception down the sideline, he found Ponder as the last defender guarding the goal line. McDaniel -- smiling as he ran -- pointed at Ponder, both players lowered their shoulders for a collision, which McDaniel walked away from unscathed.

Ponder didn't.

The junior quarterback, who leads the ACC in passing, left the game and is done for the season with separated shoulder. It's a serious injury that could affect Ponder's stock in the pro ranks.

McDaniel said the finger point was a warning sign to get out of the way.

"I didn't try to hurt him," McDaniel said. "I guess it was just in the moment. I'm just trying to have a good time out there. …I wasn't trying to cut back into linemen."

McDaniel will face another decision after the season, though he says he's "99.9 percent" sure he'll be back.

Reach Travis Sawchik at tsawchik@postandcourier.com and check out his Clemson blog at www.postandcourier.com/blogs/tiger_tracks.