Early exits: David Wilson, Virginia Tech’s best set of wheels (and his big boy car)

If David Wilson really sunk $10,000 into that ride, he's about to get it all back, and then some: Virginia Tech's All-ACC tailback is foregoing his senior season in Blacksburg for the NFL draft after leading the conference in rushing and leading the Hokies to their fourth BCS bowl in five years. He read his prepared statement off an iPad, and he won't have any trouble footing the bill for that, either.

With 82 yards in Tuesday night's Sugar Bowl loss to Michigan, Wilson broke Ryan Williams' single-season record with 1,704 yards on the ground and finished fourth nationally — best among running backs — in all-purpose yards, thanks to regular duty on kick returns. Still, he's only considered a second-round pick according to his official evaluation from the NFL's Draft Advisory Board, leaving plenty of room for improvement at next month's combine for potential draftees in Indianapolis. Here's a hint on his prospects there: Before he emerged as one of the season's breakout stars in football, Wilson was an All-American triple-jumper for the Hokie track and field team.

Also going pro: Temple running back Bernard Pierce, who's on his way out with 54 career touchdowns to his name, putting behind only Wisconsin's Montee Ball and Oregon's LaMichael James among all active players. He won't be heading for the first round, either, but if the scouts aren't convinced by the pile of school records Pierce accumulated in three years in Philly, another year against MAC defenses isn't going to make him look any better.

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Matt Hinton is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.