ESPN Names 6 "Losers" Of The College Football Offseason So Far
These six programs have been hurt by the NFL Draft's early entry deadline.
Monday was an important day in the college football world. It was the last day for college football's underclassmen to declare for the NFL Draft.
There were some huge decisions. Clemson star defensive lineman Christian Wilkins and Stanford star running back Bryce Love, for example, both opted to return for their senior seasons.
ESPN college football writer Adam Rittenberg has named the "winners" and the "losers" of the NFL Draft early entrant deadline.
Six programs have been named the "losers" of the college football offseason so far. There are some big programs on the list.
Those six teams:
- Virginia Tech
- LSU
- Florida State
- Alabama
- Texas
- Tennessee
Alabama, the probable preseason No. 1 team in the country, still returns a ridiculous amount of talent - especially the star freshmen on offense - but they are losing some serious players to the NFL.
Here's what ESPN said about what the Crimson Tide are losing:
Much was made of the freshmen Alabama had on the field when it won the national title against Georgia. Optimism is warranted there, but the Tide still loses most of its best players from a team that had some weaknesses. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley, headed to the draft, had 49 more receptions than any other Alabama player. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was the nation's best all-around defender, and Da'Ron Payne will be missed along the defensive line. The running game should be strong with Damien Harris returning. Alabama always prepares for an exodus of underclassmen to the NFL, but it has some big holes to fill.
There are holes to fill, but with the way Nick Saban recruits, he'll be filling them with five-star players.
You can read about the "winners" of the early entrant deadline here.
