The free covid-19 season (2020) really messed around with remaining eligibility for players on the roster that year. As a result, we entered last season and again this season with pretty much most of the projected starters having remaining eligibility.
2021 Season
The only starters who exhausted their eligibility after the 2021 season were:
Andrew Vastardis
Brad Hawkins
These starters had remaining eligibility but left early for the NFL:
Hassan Haskins
Andrew Stueber
Chris Hinton
Aiden Hutchinson
David Ojabo
Josh Ross
Vincent Gray
Daxton Hill
That's right. 20/22 2021 offense/defense starters had remaining eligibility, Eight of those decided to leave early. Of those eight, only Andrew Stueber, Aiden Hutchinson and Josh Ross would have exhausted their eligibility if not for the free covid-19 season. In other words, there were actually five players who would have been considered early leavers not counting the free covid season.
2022 Season
The only projected starter (excluding punters/kickers, where we lose them both) who will exhaust their eligibility is:
Olusegun Oluwatimi
That is right. Just ONE projected starter with no remaining eligibility after the 2022 season.
Of course, many others will leave. How many? If we have a great season, perhaps as many as last year. There are a handful who are sure-fire NFL draft picks.
Here are the projected starters who could leave early and would have exhausted their eligibility if not for the free covid year:
Ronald Bell
Cornelius Johnson
Erick All
Ryan Hayes
Taylor Upshaw
Michael Barrett
Gemon Green
Mike Sainristl
Non-starters but in rotation:
Luke Schoonmaker
Julius Welschof
Here are other projected starter who, with a good season, could well leave early:
Cade McNamara
Blake Corum
Trevor Keegan
Zak Zinter
Trente Jones
Mazi Smith
Michael Morris
D.J. Turner
Rashod Moten
Roman Wilson
Kris Jenkins
It is tough to say how many of the above will lave after this season but my guesstimate would be to assume that all eight with just the free covid-19 year of eligibility would leave early. The most likely to leave early among the true underclassmen would be Zak Zinter, Blake Corum, Cade McNamara (especially id he loses job to JJ-may in fact transfer if he does), Mazi Smith, D.J. Turner and Michael Morris.
2021 Season
The only starters who exhausted their eligibility after the 2021 season were:
Andrew Vastardis
Brad Hawkins
These starters had remaining eligibility but left early for the NFL:
Hassan Haskins
Andrew Stueber
Chris Hinton
Aiden Hutchinson
David Ojabo
Josh Ross
Vincent Gray
Daxton Hill
That's right. 20/22 2021 offense/defense starters had remaining eligibility, Eight of those decided to leave early. Of those eight, only Andrew Stueber, Aiden Hutchinson and Josh Ross would have exhausted their eligibility if not for the free covid-19 season. In other words, there were actually five players who would have been considered early leavers not counting the free covid season.
2022 Season
The only projected starter (excluding punters/kickers, where we lose them both) who will exhaust their eligibility is:
Olusegun Oluwatimi
That is right. Just ONE projected starter with no remaining eligibility after the 2022 season.
Of course, many others will leave. How many? If we have a great season, perhaps as many as last year. There are a handful who are sure-fire NFL draft picks.
Here are the projected starters who could leave early and would have exhausted their eligibility if not for the free covid year:
Ronald Bell
Cornelius Johnson
Erick All
Ryan Hayes
Taylor Upshaw
Michael Barrett
Gemon Green
Mike Sainristl
Non-starters but in rotation:
Luke Schoonmaker
Julius Welschof
Here are other projected starter who, with a good season, could well leave early:
Cade McNamara
Blake Corum
Trevor Keegan
Zak Zinter
Trente Jones
Mazi Smith
Michael Morris
D.J. Turner
Rashod Moten
Roman Wilson
Kris Jenkins
It is tough to say how many of the above will lave after this season but my guesstimate would be to assume that all eight with just the free covid-19 year of eligibility would leave early. The most likely to leave early among the true underclassmen would be Zak Zinter, Blake Corum, Cade McNamara (especially id he loses job to JJ-may in fact transfer if he does), Mazi Smith, D.J. Turner and Michael Morris.
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