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College Football News: Surprise Clemson DT Christian Wilkins returning..

Feb 19, 2003
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With the entire Defensive Line for the Clemson Tigers....All 4 Are projected 1st Round Draft Picks...looks like a Bama vs Clemson CFP Collision...

Clemson's defensive front four was arguably the best in college football this past season. It should once again be in that conversation again in 2018.

On Monday, Clemson announced that stud defensive tackle Christian Wilkinswas returning for his senior season. The deadline for undergraduate declarations for the upcoming NFL Draft was Monday at 5 p.m. ET.

That means the Tigers will have all four starters from its vaunted D-line -- Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell, Austin Bryant and true sophomore Dexter Lawrence -- for next season.



https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...-which-brings-back-its-entire-defensive-line/
 
Sounds like Clemson opened up the checkbook and paid big money to keep him. 1st round draft picks just do not come back to school in football unless they have some donors taking care of them for the year. I'd understand if he go a evaluation and projected 3rd or 4th round.
 
From ESPN....Remember Dexter Lawrence the true Sophomore wasn’t Eligible to jump but is considered by many their most talented DL...Both Wilkins and Ferrell was rated higher by Kiper than Alabama Da’Ron Payne

Ferrell and Wilkins were widely considered as potential first-round selections if they had entered this year's NFL draft. ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranked them eighth and ninth, respectively, in his latest Big Board.


http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/22112631/christian-wilkins-return-clemson-tigers
 
Clemson keeps those guys and yet Boom Williams thought it was a good idea to turn pro...

Clemson’s defense is going to be NASTY next season.
 
That is huge. Clemson recruits very well, so I assume they will also be very deep on the line. Who can challenge them in the ACC? Will the return of Francois be enough to turn FSU around? Will Miami improve? They have a fairly straight path to the playoffs.
 
Sounds like Clemson opened up the checkbook and paid big money to keep him. 1st round draft picks just do not come back to school in football unless they have some donors taking care of them for the year. I'd understand if he go a evaluation and projected 3rd or 4th round.

Just curious how much money you think they ponied up to keep him from going pro. If he would have indeed been drafted first round even the last pick his contract would have been worth around 8 million dollars with half being a signing bonus. So if they ponied up say $500,000 to keep him at school in what universe does $500,000 trump 8 million?

Sometimes kids aren't in a hurry for the game they love to become a business.
 
Yeah...I seriously doubt these guys are getting paid because it'd be too much for Clemson boosters to afford. First round picks get a minimum of $10 million guaranteed, and second round picks are getting guaranteed money now too. Somebody like Christian Wilkins, likely a top 10 pick, would have been guartanteed at least $15 million.

More likely, they each are getting insurance to mitigate injury risks. Definitely not common to have all four return, but I doubt the Clemson booster network came up with money to keep them around for one more year.
 
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I think the schools can pay for it now.
Wow... interesting if true. I would imagine they have a 1 in 10 chance of getting hurt. If they get $3mill in coverage (small figure for a 1st rounder imo) then wouldn't the premium need to be $350-400k to figure in profit, cost of business and agent commission? Maybe more, depending on the actual odds of career ending injury or injury effecting draft position.

I don't think it's a stretch to say a stud DLman would be worth even $2mill in insurance premium but I'm surprised that's fair game. You take a team like UK 2016 or 2017 and add a big ogre on the line, +2 wins in my opinion, maybe more. How's does a 9 win season impact hype, ticket sales, bigger bowl, jersey sales, etc.
 
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A guy like him staying for his senior year, I don't know. After 3 years and the danger of getting hurt and you pass up that kind of money,hmmm.:rolleyes:
 
A guy like him staying for his senior year, I don't know. After 3 years and the danger of getting hurt and you pass up that kind of money,hmmm.:rolleyes:
Isn't it well known Clemson has excellent boosters? I might be wrong. If he was insured for $10-15mill, his premium had to be in the millions.
 
Bryce Love Who finished 2nd in the Heisman is also returning to Stanford...equally shocking especially since he is a RB....


Stanford received huge news for its 2018 outlook early Tuesday morning with Bryce Love reportedly turning down the NFL Draft in favor of returning to school for his senior season.

"Bryce will return for his senior year," his father, Chris, texted to The San Francisco Chronicle.

Love's decision was the last notable one for underclassmen eligible to declare by the Jan. 15 deadline. The star running back was slotted as a top-30 prospect on CBS Sports and the No. 3 overall running back in the class after rushing for 2,118 yards (No. 2 in the nation) at 8.1 yards per carry (best mark in FBS history) and finishing as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting.


https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...e-love-returning-to-stanford-for-senior-year/
 
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Just curious how much money you think they ponied up to keep him from going pro. If he would have indeed been drafted first round even the last pick his contract would have been worth around 8 million dollars with half being a signing bonus. So if they ponied up say $500,000 to keep him at school in what universe does $500,000 trump 8 million?

Sometimes kids aren't in a hurry for the game they love to become a business.
Just curious how much money you think they ponied up to keep him from going pro. If he would have indeed been drafted first round even the last pick his contract would have been worth around 8 million dollars with half being a signing bonus. So if they ponied up say $500,000 to keep him at school in what universe does $500,000 trump 8 million?

Sometimes kids aren't in a hurry for the game they love to become a business.
There's more to what you say than some want to believe. There really is just one chance to be a kid and enjoy the college days and all that come with it. Everybody gets caught up in the amount of money these guys can make and it is life changing from a security standpoint but the fun fades out of that pretty quick and they can't buy back those years. I think most all of them would tell you after the first year buying spree their lives are not necessarily better or more enjoyable than when they were in college. If they are they don't always act like it. I know I know I'd like to give it a try too!

But the reality is the chances of getting hurt to where you can't play again are really really small and even then it doesn't keep you from still earning a very good living and having a very good life with your connections etc. It's never like most present it as . . . take the millions and live on the rainbow or not make it and live in a dumpster. There's a whole lot of ways to a good life in between. I say good for them and enjoy it while it lasts. Not sure any of them would trade their experience next year as a 22 year old big man on campus chasing a title with all that comes with it for any particular year after that with millions in the bank.
 
Just curious how much money you think they ponied up to keep him from going pro. If he would have indeed been drafted first round even the last pick his contract would have been worth around 8 million dollars with half being a signing bonus. So if they ponied up say $500,000 to keep him at school in what universe does $500,000 trump 8 million?

Sometimes kids aren't in a hurry for the game they love to become a business.

The only time Clemson has ever been very good was always followed by sanctions. But to answer your question, the school can buy an insurance policy to cover an injury up to 20mil I think, which would be tax free, so getting them to return with a 500k incentive isn't out of the question. That 20 mil would be the same as a 40 mil NFL contract.
 
Schools are now permitted to pay for these injury insurance plans. Rest assured U.K. Is doing it for guys like Allen and Conrad.
 
Most of these guys only have a small window as it is. Nothing wrong with taking a chance on yourself. Boom was just trying to get paid soon as possible.

I am not sure whether he made a good decision or not. Best way to get paid is to get drafted. I don’t know if he would have improved his stock had he returned. UK’s OLine took a hit he could predict in Toth and Ramsey leaving and another when Mosier and Haynes were damaged. It may not have been possible for him to improve his draft stock. So, he sat on a practice squad and had a short stint on a roster. That got him some money. I suspect he will give it another go next year in someone’s camp. If he spends every day catching passes, he might be able to improve his chances. I just cannot say he made a bad football decision.

As a fan, I suspect he could have helped us win another game or two. He was a special back, by UK standards.
 
Bryce Love Who finished 2nd in the Heisman is also returning to Stanford...equally shocking especially since he is a RB....


Stanford received huge news for its 2018 outlook early Tuesday morning with Bryce Love reportedly turning down the NFL Draft in favor of returning to school for his senior season.

"Bryce will return for his senior year," his father, Chris, texted to The San Francisco Chronicle.

Love's decision was the last notable one for underclassmen eligible to declare by the Jan. 15 deadline. The star running back was slotted as a top-30 prospect on CBS Sports and the No. 3 overall running back in the class after rushing for 2,118 yards (No. 2 in the nation) at 8.1 yards per carry (best mark in FBS history) and finishing as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting.


https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...e-love-returning-to-stanford-for-senior-year/

He was playing injured in the latter half of their season. May have won the Heisman had he remained healthy. Has to be the favorite for next year.
 
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And in turn not getting paid in the league.

How much do you think he made last year?

Practice squad gets you $7,200 per week. He also was paid to be in someone’s camp. I think he also had a short stint on an actual roster. Minimum pay in the NFL is $465k for the year.

I suspect Boom made between $100k and $200k last year. If he was on a practice squad for the whole year, he made at least $122,400.
 
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Wow... interesting if true. I would imagine they have a 1 in 10 chance of getting hurt. If they get $3mill in coverage (small figure for a 1st rounder imo) then wouldn't the premium need to be $350-400k to figure in profit, cost of business and agent commission? Maybe more, depending on the actual odds of career ending injury or injury effecting draft position.

I don't think it's a stretch to say a stud DLman would be worth even $2mill in insurance premium but I'm surprised that's fair game. You take a team like UK 2016 or 2017 and add a big ogre on the line, +2 wins in my opinion, maybe more. How's does a 9 win season impact hype, ticket sales, bigger bowl, jersey sales, etc.


The premium is nowhere near that figure
 
The premium is nowhere near that figure
Usually for what normal insurance companies consider an "uninsurable risk", a high risk insurer will cover it for a hefty fee. You can't tell me that in 10 seasons a player doesn't almost have a 100% chance of getting an injury that would destroy their draft status. Maybe it doesn't knock a player out of the NFL that has proven themselves but who's gonna draft a torn ACL for $15mill. There would have to be some major coverage gaps (broke leg=no pay and still draftable).

If 1 in 10 get knocked out of the draft due to injury and you insure them for $1mill, you'd have to charge $100k plus cost of business, plus profit.
 
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