Ikegwuonu blows out knee
Green Bay - Jack Ikegwuonu, the former University of Wisconsin cornerback, blew out his knee Tuesday in a training exercise and won't play football in 2008.
Ikegwuonu suffered tears of both his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments as well as damage to his kneecap, according to a source close to the situation, and will need reconstructive knee surgery.
He was working out at Perfect Competition, a training facility in Davie, Fla., when the incident occurred.
Ikegwuonu, who earlier in the month decided to leave UW a year early, was pulling a sled designed to improve his speed when the injury occurred. He exploded out of a start, planted his leg and the knee buckled.
The injury will all but eliminate Ikegwuonu's chances of being selected April 26-27 in the National Football League draft. It's possible a team might take him in a late round and bring along for 2009.
"He's screwed now," an executive in personnel for an NFL team said. "He wasn't going to be that high of a pick, anyway. Fourth round.
"I blame the agent for talking the kid into coming out. Stupid. Because he wasn't a first-day player."
Ikegwuonu signed with agent Drew Rosenhaus on Jan. 5 and declared for the draft before the Jan. 15 deadline. Players had until Jan. 19 to change their minds and regain their collegiate eligibility.
At Wisconsin, Ikegwuonu intercepted six passes in three seasons. He made the All-Big Ten team as a junior in 2007.
Ikegwuonu was regarded by some scouts as a solid prospect on the basis of size and speed but was downgraded because of his performance this season.
"You've got to play, too," the scout said.
