Which teams were hit hardest by early NFL departures?
The call of the NFL has grown louder and louder in college football in recent years.
In 2010 53 underclassmen declared for the NFL draft. Last season there were 95. This year stands to set a record with more than 100 players announcing intentions to give up their remaining college eligibility. The NFL will release the complete list to teams on Friday.
The growing trend means schools must adjust to a new world where the expectation is for elite players — and some non-elite players — to stay for only three years. Having ready replacements is critical. Recruiting well and developing young players faster help make up for those who have left.
However, it’s inevitable that the amount of underclassmen leaving is going to hurt many programs. Here are six schools left with major questions after key contributors decided to take their talents to professional football.
Florida State
No matter of preparation was going to mitigate the loss of Derwin James, one of the top defensive backs in the country. But that’s not the only major hit for the Seminoles.
Auden Tate, who had 10 of the team’s 21 touchdown receptions, was expected to team with Nyqwan Murray to form a formidable receiving duo. Tate, however, decided to leave, as did tight end Ryan Izzo, creating a major void of targets when quarterback Deondre Francois returns from injury.
The defense also wasn’t spared beyond James. Defensive back Tarvarus McFadden and defensive lineman Josh Sweat were expected leaders before deciding to move on to the NFL, leaving the unit thin on playmakers. Factor in a coaching transition under Willie Taggart, and a return to prominence got a lot tougher for the Seminoles.
LSU
Strictly by numbers, the Tigers and Seminoles lose more to the draft than any other teams with six players leaving early. The biggest casualty for LSU is Derrius Guice, the leading rusher the past two seasons. Two pieces set to block in front of the new running back and an inexperienced quarterback are gone with offensive linemen Will Clapp and Toby Weathersby heading to the NFL.
The defense wasn’t spared, either. Arden Key, a potential dominant pass rusher, decided against returning after dealing with injuries in 2017. Two big hits to the secondary came with Donte Jackson and fellow cornerback Kevin Toliver becoming the latest defensive backs from Baton Rouge to head to professional football early. Filling all those spots will be a challenge for Ed Orgeron with high expectations in his second full season at the helm.
Notre Dame
This season was a rebound year for the Irish, who went 10-3 and quieted talk of Brian Kelly being in trouble. It looked like 2018 might continue the momentum before some key departures. Leading rusher Josh Adams and leading receiver Equanimeous St. Brown both decided to give up their final seasons in South Bend. Those are two significant losses at skill positions.
Quenton Nelson, a potential anchor on the offensive line, is another significant departure who does not have an obvious replacement. What looked like was going to be a step forward in the second season with offensive coordinator Chip Long might just end up being a step sideways unless some playmakers emerge. The good news was several potential losses on defense were averted and that group could hold down the fort as the offense gets settled.
Southern California
As recently as the start of the 2016 season, the quarterback position at USC was unresolved. Sam Darnold stabilized things for the better part of two seasons, but now a replacement needs to be found and there isn’t much experience to draw from. Matt Fink threw nine passes as a freshman while serving as Darnold’s backup. It’s possible J.T. Daniels, who reclassified for this season’s recruiting class, could come in and be the starter or maybe it will be redshirt freshman Jack Sears. No matter who wins the job, he will be hard pressed to match the production of the past two seasons.
Like Notre Dame, the Trojans also lose their top rusher and receiver. Ronald Jones had almost 1,200 yards more than any other running back, and Deontay Burnett topped 1,000 yards receiving and had a team-high nine touchdowns. On the defensive side, a big loss was defensive lineman Rasheem Green. The junior led the team with 10 sacks.
Texas
The Longhorns went 7-6 in Tom Herman’s first season, but little of the blame could be laid at the feet of their defense. With an anticipated improvement on offense, it seemed big strides would be possible in 2018. Those expectations likely need to be dampened with several of the pieces that led Texas to finish second in total defense in the Big 12 gone. DeShon Elliott had six interceptions at safety, and Holton Hill was the team’s top cornerback. The biggest hit, however, is the loss of linebacker Malik Jefferson, who led the team by a huge margin with 110 tackles. Elliott was second with 63 stops.
The unit brought in young players available to fill the vacancies, but it will test defensive coordinator’s Todd Orlando’s ability to get them up to speed. The offensive line must improve, so Conor Williams choosing to turn pro removes what could have been a major building block on a unit that isn’t blessed with top prospects. Also, don’t overlook punter Michael Dickson’s decision to leave. The All-America punter routinely flipped the field to help the defense and force opposing offenses to drive long fields.
Virginia Tech
Justin Fuente has done a great job following Frank Beamer with 19 victories in two seasons while bringing in young talent to the program. Everything looked to be in place for the Hokies to have an elite defense that would have put them in position to be a dark-horse College Football Playoff contender in 2018. Those plans probably need to be revisited with Tim Settle, Terrell Edmunds and Tremaine Edmunds all deciding to enter the draft. The trio were the three best underclassmen on defense, and their losses impact all three levels.
Settle would have been an elite interior defensive lineman. Tremaine Edmunds will be one of the top linebackers taken in April. His brother was expected to be a veteran leader of the secondary at safety. While the Hokies will still be stingy on defense, the loss of three standouts will hinder their prospects.