Bulaga sets up postgame announcement

MIAMI -- He's at the point where he takes the question in a three-point stance.

Saturday afternoon, Iowa offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga heard the NFL question, something that's been ringing in his ears for more than a month. The 6-foot-6, 312-pounder is a projected as a mid-first round pick on an army of NFL draft websites. He's a true junior and not yet 21 years old (he'll turn 21 in March).

Time is almost up for him to decide to forego his senior season and enter the NFL draft. The deadline is Jan. 15.

He said he'll announce his decision after the Hawkeyes (10-2) face Georgia Tech (11-2) in the Orange Bowl on Tuesday. A source close to the situation said Saturday that, unless there's an unexpected change of heart, Bulaga will leave for the NFL, but nothing is definitive.

Bulaga is clearly feeling some weight here.

"You've got to do what's best for you is what it comes down to," said Bulaga, who made a few all-American lists in December. "I'm going to gather information from coach (Kirk) Ferentz and everyone I can. After the game, we'll see.

"You've got to come out of it injury-free to even consider it. You've got to come out of the practices injury-free to even consider it. You've got to get through the game, you've got to play well, you've got to win the game. That's how we're looking at it right now."

Bulaga earned all-Big Ten honors, including Big Ten offensive lineman of the year from league coaches, despite missing three games with a thyroid condition.

His thyroid is checked monthly and he's fine now. But it's something that clearly marked his psyche. Just as fellow offensive lineman and teammate Dace Richardson did, Bulaga brought up the unfortunate example of Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, who won the Heisman in 2008, passed on the NFL and then missed almost all of 2009 with a shoulder injury.

“There's a chance that I could blow out my knee and be a half of step slower," Bulaga said. "You can't have that kind of stuff. I was already at a point in my career earlier this year with the thyroid scare. You have to consider all of those things because any of those things can happen tomorrow."

Bulaga's family has been fielding the calls and mailings from agents. They will have a hand in his decision, he said.

"What will go into it? That's kind of what my family and I are deciding right now, what goes into it," he said.

Ferentz, whose NFL ties gave him obvious access and insight into this type of decision, has passed along what he's learned and said Friday he doesn't know which way it'll go.

Bulaga said he's talked to former Hawkeye and Oakland Raider Robert Gallery, who went No. 2 in the 2004 draft. ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay projected Bulaga as the No. 20 pick, going to the New York Jets, in a mock draft he put out Dec. 15.

Last April, the Detroit Lions picked tight end Brandon Pettigrew with the No. 20 pick. He signed a five-year, $14.6 million contract with $9.4 million guaranteed. Bulaga's deal might be different because offensive tackles come with a higher value, but that's an idea of what kind of money is being considered here.

Just as he left the interview room Saturday, Bulaga said he'll announce a decision after the Orange Bowl.

“Coach Ferentz and my family have already had this talk a couple of times, so we have an idea of what's going on and we'll wait until after the game to get everything out there,” he said.