A few weeks back, it seemed a little premature when Florida State offensive line coach Rick Trickett said that USF defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul was "a definite first-round guy."

Turns out, that might be a conservative projection.

Even though Pierre-Paul has played only five games of major college football, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has Pierre-Paul at No. 12 on his updated 2010 NFL draft board. The junior college transfer has "a lot of explosiveness, length and production ... a great package of skills and could be a top-15 pick in the spring," Kiper writes.

If that projection holds up -- and Pierre-Paul has eight games to improve his draft stock as he gets acclimated to BCS-level football -- USF would face the real possibility of Pierre-Paul leaving after only one season in Tampa.

Senior defensive end George Selvie, who has been projected as a potential first-rounder, was not listed on Kiper's top 25 on his draft board. Add in safety Nate Allen, and after getting just one first-round pick in its history, USF could have more than one next spring ...

-- Selvie has been named as one of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award, given to the nation's top lineman, offense or defense, with some linebackers eligible. It's Selvie's third consecutive year as a Lombardi semifinalist, though he's never made the cut to four finalists.

-- One NFL update: Former USF offensive lineman Marc Dile, who was cut by the Bucs on Monday, has been signed to the team's practice squad. He's the second Bulls rookie to make an NFL practice squad, as receiver Taurus Johnson is on Detroit's.