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Success of highly touted athletes that return for their senior year...
Posted on 4/24/12 at 4:56 pm
Posted on 4/24/12 at 4:56 pm
Many Arkansas fans were expecting a run at a National Championship with Wilson returning and Petrino as their coach. Now that Petrino is out, this has turned into a belief that their returning stars who could have left for the draft will mitigate or enhance the polarizing hire of JLS.
This begs the question of how often highly touted athletes that return for their senior years actually live up to the expectations or achieve the goals they set.
So...
a) which athletes have done it, regardless of conference
b) what were their goals
c) which were successful, a disappointment, disappointed, or considered a wash
and
d)whether there is validity to the preconceived notion that the return of an athlete that stays in school despite a high draft rating translates automatically to improved results for him or the team, and what that means in terms of realistic expectations.
Just to start the conversation, I'll throw out Payton Manning, Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford, and Jake Locker.
Obviously, we have Wilson and Barkley coming back. I didn't think Knile Davie was in the same discussion because of his injury.
*I edited my through to throw. Clearly I'm illiterate and didn't know the difference, so thanks, random Tennessee fan.
This begs the question of how often highly touted athletes that return for their senior years actually live up to the expectations or achieve the goals they set.
So...
a) which athletes have done it, regardless of conference
b) what were their goals
c) which were successful, a disappointment, disappointed, or considered a wash
and
d)whether there is validity to the preconceived notion that the return of an athlete that stays in school despite a high draft rating translates automatically to improved results for him or the team, and what that means in terms of realistic expectations.
Just to start the conversation, I'll throw out Payton Manning, Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford, and Jake Locker.
Obviously, we have Wilson and Barkley coming back. I didn't think Knile Davie was in the same discussion because of his injury.
*I edited my through to throw. Clearly I'm illiterate and didn't know the difference, so thanks, random Tennessee fan.
This post was edited on 4/24/12 at 5:29 pm
Posted on 4/24/12 at 4:56 pm to Bellabama
Wilson = Jevean Snead
/thread
Andrew Luck should probably be in the conversation.
/thread
Andrew Luck should probably be in the conversation.
This post was edited on 4/24/12 at 4:59 pm
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:00 pm to Bellabama
Bednarik Award winning Linebacker Paul Posluszny returned to Penn State for his senior year of college, rather than declare himself eligible for the 2006 NFL Draft. The decision was considered "a boon," with Posluszny completing the 2006 season with 116 tackles and a school-high career total 372 tackles winning The Bednarik again and graduating with a 3.57 in finance.[2]
This post was edited on 4/24/12 at 5:02 pm
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:01 pm to Bellabama
B. Jones has a chance to break the mold.
:homercomment:
:homercomment:
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:01 pm to Bellabama
Who was the QB a couple of yrs ago that returned, only to see his stock plummet in the draft?
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:02 pm to Alahunter
quote:Leinart?
Who was the QB a couple of yrs ago that returned, only to see his stock plummet in the draft?
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:02 pm to Alahunter
quote:
Who was the QB a couple of yrs ago that returned, only to see his stock plummet in the draft?
Brodie Croyle.
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:03 pm to WDE24
Obviously they did better than they probably would have if he wasn't there, but he underperformed IMO. This clearly didn't impact his draft status. I don't know what realistic people expected from Stanford preseason, but I know the Heisman was a disappointment.
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:03 pm to Ice Cold
Coulda been. Didn't Locker lose alot in the draft, had he left his Jr. year?
Maybe not him. Seem to remember one being touted as a number one pick and then he fell a ton of spots the following year. Maybe I'm dreaming it.
Maybe not him. Seem to remember one being touted as a number one pick and then he fell a ton of spots the following year. Maybe I'm dreaming it.
This post was edited on 4/24/12 at 5:05 pm
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:05 pm to Alahunter
quote:
Who was the QB a couple of yrs ago that returned, only to see his stock plummet in the draft?
You are probably thinking of Snead. He was a 1st round lock with some people saying he could go 1st overall after his first season at OM. He stuck around another year and ended up being a 7th round pick or a UFA. I can't remember which.
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:05 pm to NBamaAlum
So I wonder if there is a difference in success based on position.
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:06 pm to Bellabama
quote:
So I wonder if there is a difference in success based on position.
I'm sure there are some linemen who fit the criteria..
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:06 pm to Robot Santa
Yeah..that might be who I'm thinking. I just don't keep up with the NFL that much, unless it's Bama players.
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:07 pm to Bellabama
Ill give you two A&M examples on opposite ends of the spectrum.
Von Miller pondered leaving after his junior year. I believe he graded out as a 2nd rounder and was told he could definitely go 1st round with a solid senior campaign, potentially even top 10.
Well, Von Miller had an all American senior season and goes #2 overall to Denver.
Jeff Fuller, after seeing the success Miller had, decided to also return. He was in a very similar situation in his junior year grading out to about the 2nd round. He was told he could work his way into the first as well.
Jeff Fuller has a very subpar senior season (his worst at A&M by far) and is now graded to go somewhere around 4 or more.
Von Miller made serious money returning, and Fuller lost out on quite a bit.
Von Miller pondered leaving after his junior year. I believe he graded out as a 2nd rounder and was told he could definitely go 1st round with a solid senior campaign, potentially even top 10.
Well, Von Miller had an all American senior season and goes #2 overall to Denver.
Jeff Fuller, after seeing the success Miller had, decided to also return. He was in a very similar situation in his junior year grading out to about the 2nd round. He was told he could work his way into the first as well.
Jeff Fuller has a very subpar senior season (his worst at A&M by far) and is now graded to go somewhere around 4 or more.
Von Miller made serious money returning, and Fuller lost out on quite a bit.
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:08 pm to Alahunter
Locker was a first rounder after his Jr. year... he totally plummeted. It seems like most people want to come back for a Heisman.
Tebow was a wash, but the expectations for the 2009 team certainly fell short.
Manning didn't get a Heisman or a National Championship. Then they won it the next year, right?
Tebow was a wash, but the expectations for the 2009 team certainly fell short.
Manning didn't get a Heisman or a National Championship. Then they won it the next year, right?
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:08 pm to Alahunter
Locker didn't lose that much. There is no way he would've gone ahead of Bradford. He fell to 8 last year which may be a few spots lower than if he would've come out but not by much. Now, he did lose a bunch because of the new CBA. However his actual draft stock didn't change that much. Maybe a spot or two.
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:09 pm to NBamaAlum
quote:
I'm sure there are some linemen who fit the criteria..
Just like the wonderlic!
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:09 pm to Bellabama
Correct. Tenn booster in Mobile, wired Tee Martin incentives to win it in 98.
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:09 pm to Bellabama
Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck did OK.
Posted on 4/24/12 at 5:11 pm to Diamondawg
quote:
Peyton Manning
That was a bust IMO. His sights were set on winning it all and the Heisman. They had a good record, but his being there certainly didn't guarantee a better season.
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