If I understand the ruling correctly, the NCAA recently announced that seniors electing to participate in 2020 fall sports will not be docked a year of their NCAA eligibility and can return on scholarship in 2021. I understand the reasoning behind the announcement, but don't want to enter into a discussion of its fairness or wisdom. As a matter of reality, it is done, so let's discuss its impact on UK's football program.
According to UK's website, here are our senior football players on scholarship-
Josh Ali, WR
Quinton Bohanna, DL
Max Duffy, P
Brandin Echols, CB
Luke Fortner, OL
Phil Hoskins, DL
Drake Jackson, OL
Zack Johnson, DB/ST
Kordell Looney, DL
Quandre Mosely, DB
Justin Rigg, TE
Davonte Robinson, DB
AJ Rose, RB
Sawyer Smith, QB
Boogie Watson, LB
Terry Wilson, QB
Landon Young, OL
Josh Ali- Although not very big, Ali received some quality Power 5 offers including Utah, UCF, Pitt, WVA, and IA because he is fast, athletic, and smart. In 2019, Eddie Gran changed his offense because TW and SS were injured, denying the receivers an opportunity to participate in a passing attack. Still, Ali caught the winning TD pass in our bowl victory over VA Tech. He probably won't be pushed very hard for his leadership role and playing time in 2021, but the QB depth chart should be strong. So Ali is a logical example of a senior who probably comes back in 2021.
Quinton Bohanna- An overachiever whose only Power 5 offers came from UK, Ole Miss, and UL. Whether he will be motivated to come back to UK in 2021 probably depends on where he gets projected in the next NFL draft. If he expects to be picked in the first or second round, then there probably wouldn't be a very good reason to play an extra year of college football. Otherwise, though, he could improve his stock a great deal by returning in 2021. So Bohanna could fall into either category. He is probably gone, but I can imagine several realistic scenarios where he might consider returning.
Max Duffy- Already 26 years old, Max won the Ray Guy Award in 2019, emblematic of the nation's best college punter. There doesn't appear to be anything else for Max to accomplish in college football, but there is a caveat. Punters usually sign as NFL FAs and are seldom drafted. They generally don't have long NFL careers. I expect Max to sign with an NFL team after UK's 2020 season, but it depends to a certain extent on whether his NFL stock improves this fall. Still, Max's successor (Wilson Berry) has already committed to UK. Enjoy watching Max punt in Lexington while you can, because this is probably it.
Brandin Echols- The former juco is a quality cover corner, but not an obvious NFL prospect at this point. He can only benefit by returning to UK in 2021.
Luke Fortner- Another overachiever, and one of the better returning SEC OGs in 2020. But Fortner was very lightly recruited out of hs, and probably still not on the radar of many NFL teams at this point. If Fortner wants to play NFL football, returning to UK in 2021 probably makes sense for him.
Phil Hoskins- Frequently injured and already granted a sixth season of eligibility, Hoskins gets a golden opportunity in 2020 because Calvin Taylor just graduated. But unless he stays healthy and takes a big step forward this year, he could soon be overtaken on the DL depth chart by younger players such as Isaiah Gibson, Justin Rogers, and Josaih Hayes. I doubt things will set up well for Hoskins to return in 2021, but that largely depends on Hoskins.
Drake Jackson- Recently asked in an interview whether he will return to UK in 2021, Jackson said he is the kind of person who only thinks one week ahead. Already one of the nation's best college Cs, Jackson still probably needs to pack on another 10-20 pounds of muscle to become an ideal NFL prospect. So his assessment of 2021 depends on how high he expects to get drafted next spring. But he is probably gone after this season.
Zach Johnson- A former walk-on who really loves playing football, and whose role on our team just gets bigger and bigger every year. Johnson has become one of the SEC's most important and impactful ST players and is now a team leader. Those are gaudy accomplishments for an unrecruited player. Provided that his scholarship remains available, which it should, it only makes sense for him to come back in 2021.
Kordell Looney- Although not heavily recruited, Looney was one of Coach Stoops' early recruits from Springfield hs, where he was coached by former UK superstar Mo Douglass. (Coach Douglass' son Moses now plays for UK.) Redshirted in 2016, Looney was very slow to develop but has finally become an important contributor on our DL depth chart. It would only make sense for him to return to UK in 2021, especially since he is capable of playing the relatively thin DE position in Coach Stoops' 3-4 defense.
Quandre Mosely- The former juco was recruited as a CB but eventually became a part time starter last year at S and NB. He was very good in our bowl victory over VA Tech. Even if it becomes difficult for Mosely to remain a starter with Davonte Robinson back and a slew of younger DBs coming on, he will remain an important cog in our secondary. Given his athleticism and body type, I would not put it past him to overachieve and surprise everyone. Unless he just gets totally lost in the shuffle this fall, it would only make sense for him to return in 2021.
Justin Rigg- I could see this working out either way. Although Rigg was mainly healthy and took a step forward in 2019, he has suffered a couple of serious injuries including a ruptured spleen during his UK career. Rigg is not yet a legitimate NFL TE prospect, but he has the size, workmanlike blocking skills, and soft hands to become one with more development. If he can stay healthy again this fall, it would make sense for him to return to UK in 2021 for additional development. But if the injury bug bites him again, then he will probably need to hang up his cleats.
Davonte Robinson- The former Henry Clay hs star lost a season of development in 2019 due to a serious leg injury. The timing of the injury was unfortunate, due to the fact that Robinson had just had a strong game against PA St in the Citrus Bowl and his career was really beginning to take off. I think the opportunity for Robinson to come back to UK in 2021 is a godsend for his career.
AJ Rose- A hs QB who was recruited mostly as a S prospect by B10 schools, Rose came to UK because Eddie Gran offered him a chance to play RB. While Benny Snell quickly became a freshman star, Rose redshirted and developed slowly while learning basic RB skills. Now, though, Rose is a starter in a prolific rushing offense, running behind one of the nation's best OLs. The glut of effective RBs in Coach Gran's stable might be frustrating if you are a backup, but probably not if you are the starter. Rose is not a high NFL draft choice, so it would only make sense for him to think about returning to UK in 2021.
Sawyer Smith- With Joey Gatewood and Beau Allen now on UK's roster, one of the safest bets in town would be that Smith probably can't hang onto the #2 QB role behind TW much longer. But we know how fluid the QB rotation can be, and a couple of injuries can change everything. In the most likely scenario, I don't expect Smith back in 2021. But you never know.
Boogie Watson- Another UK overachiever story. Although lightly recruited, Watson has become one of the SEC's better edge defenders. This is another case where the player's stock in the next NFL draft probably determines whether he decides to return to UK in 2021.
Terry Wilson- TW has already announced that this will be his final season at UK.
Landon Young- The former Lafayette hs star has the size and athleticism to be a great college LT and a significant NFL player. His UK career has had a couple of problematic twists and turns, including missing his redshirt opportunity in 2016 and then sitting out UK's 2018 season following ACL surgery. He had a solid 2019 season but was overshadowed to a certain extent on a stellar UK OL by All SEC players Drake Jackson and Darian Kinnard. But, after a healthy offseason, Young should be dominant this fall. Quality LTs are among the more highly paid NFL players. If Young projects as a first or second round selection in the next NFL draft, he is gone. But if he needs one more season to get stronger and improve his draft stock, that opportunity is now available to him. Like everyone else, I suspect he is gone after this season.
Finally, in this context, a word about junior RT Darian Kinnard. The All SEC player is considered by many UK fans as a lock to leave for the NFL draft after this season. I agree, that outcome is likely. But at the end of the day, it has been a rare occurrence for UK players to leave early for the NFL. These Wildcats come to mind-
Mo Williams
Dennis Johnson
Dewayne Robertson
Jeremy Jarmon (not his decision)
Randall Cobb
Braylon Heard
Boom Williams
Benny Snell
Lynn Bowden
Just based on how most of these other NFL stories have gone, one might think it could be in Kinnard's best interests to return in 2021.
Not only that, but the number of players widely expected to leave early by UK fans has far exceeded the number who actually attempted it.
But in these times, such decisions seem to be driven more by ego than logic. Kinnard is a fine player with a likely NFL future and, for better or not, there is a good chance he is gone after this fall.
According to UK's website, here are our senior football players on scholarship-
Josh Ali, WR
Quinton Bohanna, DL
Max Duffy, P
Brandin Echols, CB
Luke Fortner, OL
Phil Hoskins, DL
Drake Jackson, OL
Zack Johnson, DB/ST
Kordell Looney, DL
Quandre Mosely, DB
Justin Rigg, TE
Davonte Robinson, DB
AJ Rose, RB
Sawyer Smith, QB
Boogie Watson, LB
Terry Wilson, QB
Landon Young, OL
Josh Ali- Although not very big, Ali received some quality Power 5 offers including Utah, UCF, Pitt, WVA, and IA because he is fast, athletic, and smart. In 2019, Eddie Gran changed his offense because TW and SS were injured, denying the receivers an opportunity to participate in a passing attack. Still, Ali caught the winning TD pass in our bowl victory over VA Tech. He probably won't be pushed very hard for his leadership role and playing time in 2021, but the QB depth chart should be strong. So Ali is a logical example of a senior who probably comes back in 2021.
Quinton Bohanna- An overachiever whose only Power 5 offers came from UK, Ole Miss, and UL. Whether he will be motivated to come back to UK in 2021 probably depends on where he gets projected in the next NFL draft. If he expects to be picked in the first or second round, then there probably wouldn't be a very good reason to play an extra year of college football. Otherwise, though, he could improve his stock a great deal by returning in 2021. So Bohanna could fall into either category. He is probably gone, but I can imagine several realistic scenarios where he might consider returning.
Max Duffy- Already 26 years old, Max won the Ray Guy Award in 2019, emblematic of the nation's best college punter. There doesn't appear to be anything else for Max to accomplish in college football, but there is a caveat. Punters usually sign as NFL FAs and are seldom drafted. They generally don't have long NFL careers. I expect Max to sign with an NFL team after UK's 2020 season, but it depends to a certain extent on whether his NFL stock improves this fall. Still, Max's successor (Wilson Berry) has already committed to UK. Enjoy watching Max punt in Lexington while you can, because this is probably it.
Brandin Echols- The former juco is a quality cover corner, but not an obvious NFL prospect at this point. He can only benefit by returning to UK in 2021.
Luke Fortner- Another overachiever, and one of the better returning SEC OGs in 2020. But Fortner was very lightly recruited out of hs, and probably still not on the radar of many NFL teams at this point. If Fortner wants to play NFL football, returning to UK in 2021 probably makes sense for him.
Phil Hoskins- Frequently injured and already granted a sixth season of eligibility, Hoskins gets a golden opportunity in 2020 because Calvin Taylor just graduated. But unless he stays healthy and takes a big step forward this year, he could soon be overtaken on the DL depth chart by younger players such as Isaiah Gibson, Justin Rogers, and Josaih Hayes. I doubt things will set up well for Hoskins to return in 2021, but that largely depends on Hoskins.
Drake Jackson- Recently asked in an interview whether he will return to UK in 2021, Jackson said he is the kind of person who only thinks one week ahead. Already one of the nation's best college Cs, Jackson still probably needs to pack on another 10-20 pounds of muscle to become an ideal NFL prospect. So his assessment of 2021 depends on how high he expects to get drafted next spring. But he is probably gone after this season.
Zach Johnson- A former walk-on who really loves playing football, and whose role on our team just gets bigger and bigger every year. Johnson has become one of the SEC's most important and impactful ST players and is now a team leader. Those are gaudy accomplishments for an unrecruited player. Provided that his scholarship remains available, which it should, it only makes sense for him to come back in 2021.
Kordell Looney- Although not heavily recruited, Looney was one of Coach Stoops' early recruits from Springfield hs, where he was coached by former UK superstar Mo Douglass. (Coach Douglass' son Moses now plays for UK.) Redshirted in 2016, Looney was very slow to develop but has finally become an important contributor on our DL depth chart. It would only make sense for him to return to UK in 2021, especially since he is capable of playing the relatively thin DE position in Coach Stoops' 3-4 defense.
Quandre Mosely- The former juco was recruited as a CB but eventually became a part time starter last year at S and NB. He was very good in our bowl victory over VA Tech. Even if it becomes difficult for Mosely to remain a starter with Davonte Robinson back and a slew of younger DBs coming on, he will remain an important cog in our secondary. Given his athleticism and body type, I would not put it past him to overachieve and surprise everyone. Unless he just gets totally lost in the shuffle this fall, it would only make sense for him to return in 2021.
Justin Rigg- I could see this working out either way. Although Rigg was mainly healthy and took a step forward in 2019, he has suffered a couple of serious injuries including a ruptured spleen during his UK career. Rigg is not yet a legitimate NFL TE prospect, but he has the size, workmanlike blocking skills, and soft hands to become one with more development. If he can stay healthy again this fall, it would make sense for him to return to UK in 2021 for additional development. But if the injury bug bites him again, then he will probably need to hang up his cleats.
Davonte Robinson- The former Henry Clay hs star lost a season of development in 2019 due to a serious leg injury. The timing of the injury was unfortunate, due to the fact that Robinson had just had a strong game against PA St in the Citrus Bowl and his career was really beginning to take off. I think the opportunity for Robinson to come back to UK in 2021 is a godsend for his career.
AJ Rose- A hs QB who was recruited mostly as a S prospect by B10 schools, Rose came to UK because Eddie Gran offered him a chance to play RB. While Benny Snell quickly became a freshman star, Rose redshirted and developed slowly while learning basic RB skills. Now, though, Rose is a starter in a prolific rushing offense, running behind one of the nation's best OLs. The glut of effective RBs in Coach Gran's stable might be frustrating if you are a backup, but probably not if you are the starter. Rose is not a high NFL draft choice, so it would only make sense for him to think about returning to UK in 2021.
Sawyer Smith- With Joey Gatewood and Beau Allen now on UK's roster, one of the safest bets in town would be that Smith probably can't hang onto the #2 QB role behind TW much longer. But we know how fluid the QB rotation can be, and a couple of injuries can change everything. In the most likely scenario, I don't expect Smith back in 2021. But you never know.
Boogie Watson- Another UK overachiever story. Although lightly recruited, Watson has become one of the SEC's better edge defenders. This is another case where the player's stock in the next NFL draft probably determines whether he decides to return to UK in 2021.
Terry Wilson- TW has already announced that this will be his final season at UK.
Landon Young- The former Lafayette hs star has the size and athleticism to be a great college LT and a significant NFL player. His UK career has had a couple of problematic twists and turns, including missing his redshirt opportunity in 2016 and then sitting out UK's 2018 season following ACL surgery. He had a solid 2019 season but was overshadowed to a certain extent on a stellar UK OL by All SEC players Drake Jackson and Darian Kinnard. But, after a healthy offseason, Young should be dominant this fall. Quality LTs are among the more highly paid NFL players. If Young projects as a first or second round selection in the next NFL draft, he is gone. But if he needs one more season to get stronger and improve his draft stock, that opportunity is now available to him. Like everyone else, I suspect he is gone after this season.
Finally, in this context, a word about junior RT Darian Kinnard. The All SEC player is considered by many UK fans as a lock to leave for the NFL draft after this season. I agree, that outcome is likely. But at the end of the day, it has been a rare occurrence for UK players to leave early for the NFL. These Wildcats come to mind-
Mo Williams
Dennis Johnson
Dewayne Robertson
Jeremy Jarmon (not his decision)
Randall Cobb
Braylon Heard
Boom Williams
Benny Snell
Lynn Bowden
Just based on how most of these other NFL stories have gone, one might think it could be in Kinnard's best interests to return in 2021.
Not only that, but the number of players widely expected to leave early by UK fans has far exceeded the number who actually attempted it.
But in these times, such decisions seem to be driven more by ego than logic. Kinnard is a fine player with a likely NFL future and, for better or not, there is a good chance he is gone after this fall.
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