Expect Miami football to lose draft eligible players to spring season
One of the many different scenarios for the 2020 college football season is moving it to spring. If that happens expect the Miami football program to lose a few players.
The 2020 college football season is still very much in doubt. Several different scenarios remain on the table. One of those is the possibility of moving the entire season to the spring. A spring college football season would impact many top prospects and likely hinder the Miami football program.
The Miami football program currently has the most top prospects for the NFL Draft that they have had since 2015. Several Hurricanes are expected to be selected on the first two days of the NFL Draft. Redshirt defensive end Greg Rousseau is a near-lock to be taken in the first round.
Rousseau would be the first player from Miami taken on the first night of the NFL Draft since David Njoku was drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Browns in 2017. Two or three Hurricanes could be drafted in the first round in 2020. That would be the first time Miami has multiple first-round picks since 2015.
Offensive tackle Ereck Flowers was taken in the first round by the New York Giants in 2015 and wide receiver Philip Dorsett went to the Indianapolis Colts. Both players are on their third teams entering the 2020 season. Flowers is with the Miami Dolphins and Dorsett with the Seattle Seahawks.
Temple graduate transfer DE
and junior tight end
are projected to be no later than second-day picks (second or third round) in the 2020 NFL Draft. If the college football season moves to spring, Rousseau, Roche and Jordan and possibly quarterback
could choose to sit out the season.
Miami Athletic Director Blake James appeared on the Joe Rose Show on WQAM to discuss the state of college football and Miami athletics. James discussed the multiple scenarios for the college football season and how it would impact the Miami football team. One of those was what the best players’ options would be.
"“Hopefully we can start right at the beginning of September as scheduled…If it moves to a spring season, the likelihood [draft-eligible players] would take advantage of that opportunity [to play] becomes smaller.Some guys would decide their focus is going on to the next level. What is the impact of that on the 100 other guys on the team? That’s part of the conversation. If we decide spring makes the most sense, I’m sure that’s the direction we will go.”"
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald transcribed the comments from James. If Miami loses that quartet plus anyone else it would severely impact the 2020 (2021 Spring?) season. The anticipation of Roche and Rousseau forming a nearly unstoppable pass rush plus the addition of King are highly anticipated.
Without those three Miami becomes the ordinary football team they have been the for the majority of the last nearly 20 years. As James stated in the conversation with Rose there is still a long way to go to fall before determining how the season will play out. Athletic administrators have to have multiple scenarios ready.