Super Senior Years
We’re nearing the end of the COVID “bonus year” cycle. This off-season will be the last full one where every senior has the option of using their extra year. After ‘24, only players who have redshirted (for the most part) will still have that option.
The situation Saturday where TJ Tampa went out, and Darien Porter came in left me wondering just who might choose to exercise that option after this season concludes.
Let’s start with the aforementioned:
CB
Darien Porter
You might think this is a pretty easy answer, but there is a possible twist. It seems pretty obvious that Darien could use his sixth year (as Enyi did) to step into TJ’s role next Fall and refine his corner skills to become a high draft choice himself. After all, I’m pretty sure he has Sauce Gardner measurables.
At the same time, that’s the fly in the ointment. With those measurables, Darien could conceivably use them—ala Kene—to leverage a spot onto an NFL roster right away as a special teams player, with a chance to learn cornerback from pro coaches…for a paycheck.
I am pretty sure that Darien’s testing numbers will shout “freak” just like Kene’s did. The major difference being that Darien’s path to PT in a sixth year will be a whole bunch more open than Kene’s would have been at RB.
TE
Easton Dean
DeShawn Hanika
I can see reasons for both of these guys to use their sixth year. In Dean’s case, he waited a long time to get a regular shot at playing—then got minimal reps his junior year while hampered by injury. A sixth year would make up for that.
The only thing being, he may well be playing well enough this year to at least be drawing some UFA interest, ala Dylan Soehner.
As far as Hanika is concerned, after looking good last year…well, he just got screwed out of his senior year by the NCAA and the DCI. While (or because) DeShawn also has some NFL potential, I’m going to guess it’s a 100% certainty he uses his Super Senior year.
The problem for both of them is…the ‘24 TE room is absolutely loaded. Brahmer will have added muscle to be a better blocker. Klotz, Moore and Burkle will (or should) be back. Keller should be healthy. Current commit Stephen Cooper looks like he might be another Brahmer.
So, barring any attrition at the position…might one or the other portal out as a grad transfer?
OL
Jarrod Hufford
Jake Remsburg
Grant Treiber
Darrell Simmons
This one is more complicated than the tight end room. However, I’ll start out with a qualifier: the last few years, we’ve seen seniors on the OL simply complete their fifth year without coming back, simply because of the accumulated wear and tear on their bodies.
That taken care of…if any of this bunch has any kind of NFL shot after this year, I’d say it would be Hufford. He finally got to play his natural position the last couple of years, and seems both comfortable and competent this season. The only way I see him coming back is just for the sheer fun of it.
Treiber is in the same “sheer fun of it” place, albeit for different reasons.
Remsburg is in pretty much the same spot as Hanika. However, after an injury marred career (including this year), he may also be in the same place as Colin Newell and Trevor Downing. No guesses on this one.
Then we get to Simmons, whom I also don’t know how to read…albeit for different reasons than any of the others. I’d hesitantly say that he uses his sixth year…but whether that’s in an attempt to fill Hufford’s spot and have a monster super senior year or portaling out as a grad transfer, is beyond me.
Brendan Black pretty much locking down a guard spot tightens future PT opportunities for others.
*One issue to note is, if any of these guys do return, I’m pretty sure it increases the chances of the current redshirt juniors (Petersen and Pauls, Smith moved to defense and Rengert left the team) who aren’t already starting portaling out after earning their degrees—for a chance to start somewhere.
Well, Coach Clanton gets to rebuild his OL room the way he wants in either case.
Hmm. Looks like that covers all of the current seniors who aren’t already using their sixth year. And aren’t TJ Tampa.
What do you folks think? And…did I miss anyone?
We’re nearing the end of the COVID “bonus year” cycle. This off-season will be the last full one where every senior has the option of using their extra year. After ‘24, only players who have redshirted (for the most part) will still have that option.
The situation Saturday where TJ Tampa went out, and Darien Porter came in left me wondering just who might choose to exercise that option after this season concludes.
Let’s start with the aforementioned:
CB
Darien Porter
You might think this is a pretty easy answer, but there is a possible twist. It seems pretty obvious that Darien could use his sixth year (as Enyi did) to step into TJ’s role next Fall and refine his corner skills to become a high draft choice himself. After all, I’m pretty sure he has Sauce Gardner measurables.
At the same time, that’s the fly in the ointment. With those measurables, Darien could conceivably use them—ala Kene—to leverage a spot onto an NFL roster right away as a special teams player, with a chance to learn cornerback from pro coaches…for a paycheck.
I am pretty sure that Darien’s testing numbers will shout “freak” just like Kene’s did. The major difference being that Darien’s path to PT in a sixth year will be a whole bunch more open than Kene’s would have been at RB.
TE
Easton Dean
DeShawn Hanika
I can see reasons for both of these guys to use their sixth year. In Dean’s case, he waited a long time to get a regular shot at playing—then got minimal reps his junior year while hampered by injury. A sixth year would make up for that.
The only thing being, he may well be playing well enough this year to at least be drawing some UFA interest, ala Dylan Soehner.
As far as Hanika is concerned, after looking good last year…well, he just got screwed out of his senior year by the NCAA and the DCI. While (or because) DeShawn also has some NFL potential, I’m going to guess it’s a 100% certainty he uses his Super Senior year.
The problem for both of them is…the ‘24 TE room is absolutely loaded. Brahmer will have added muscle to be a better blocker. Klotz, Moore and Burkle will (or should) be back. Keller should be healthy. Current commit Stephen Cooper looks like he might be another Brahmer.
So, barring any attrition at the position…might one or the other portal out as a grad transfer?
OL
Jarrod Hufford
Jake Remsburg
Grant Treiber
Darrell Simmons
This one is more complicated than the tight end room. However, I’ll start out with a qualifier: the last few years, we’ve seen seniors on the OL simply complete their fifth year without coming back, simply because of the accumulated wear and tear on their bodies.
That taken care of…if any of this bunch has any kind of NFL shot after this year, I’d say it would be Hufford. He finally got to play his natural position the last couple of years, and seems both comfortable and competent this season. The only way I see him coming back is just for the sheer fun of it.
Treiber is in the same “sheer fun of it” place, albeit for different reasons.
Remsburg is in pretty much the same spot as Hanika. However, after an injury marred career (including this year), he may also be in the same place as Colin Newell and Trevor Downing. No guesses on this one.
Then we get to Simmons, whom I also don’t know how to read…albeit for different reasons than any of the others. I’d hesitantly say that he uses his sixth year…but whether that’s in an attempt to fill Hufford’s spot and have a monster super senior year or portaling out as a grad transfer, is beyond me.
Brendan Black pretty much locking down a guard spot tightens future PT opportunities for others.
*One issue to note is, if any of these guys do return, I’m pretty sure it increases the chances of the current redshirt juniors (Petersen and Pauls, Smith moved to defense and Rengert left the team) who aren’t already starting portaling out after earning their degrees—for a chance to start somewhere.
Well, Coach Clanton gets to rebuild his OL room the way he wants in either case.
Hmm. Looks like that covers all of the current seniors who aren’t already using their sixth year. And aren’t TJ Tampa.
What do you folks think? And…did I miss anyone?
