Toughest personnel voids to fill

Texas A&M, Stanford among teams that will struggle to replace key departures

Updated: January 21, 2013, 5:27 PM ET

By KC Joyner | ESPN Insider

For the second year in a row, there are a record number of collegiate players declaring early for the NFL draft.

Despite the large number of early entrants to the draft, there are more than a few programs losing key starters -- both underclassmen and seniors heading for the pro ranks -- that should be able to absorb the defection with little loss or, in some situations, might actually see an improvement in production thanks to standout returning players or top recruits.

However, for teams that don't have such favorable personnel circumstances, losing high-caliber starters will be very hard to overcome.

Here are four situations that fit this description.

Texas A&M Aggies

Departing player: DL Damontre Moore

Moore is one of those rare players who can post impactful numbers in almost any situation. He ranked second on the team in sacks and first in tackles for loss (TFL) in 2011 while racking up 10 starts as a "Joker" linebacker in a 3-4 alignment, and then ranked first in sacks and TFL in 2012 after moving to defensive end in a 4-3 alignment. This versatility led to but one of the four No. 1 rankings in his Scouts Inc. analysis, and is a big reason why he ranks first in their defensive end rankings (and third overall).

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