Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small opting out?

#51
#51
CAVPUT said:
Depends on who else opts out. Hate saying it, but I'm starting to see Iowa being more likely to win this game than everyone else wants to believe. Not sure how many starters Iowa is losing to the portal, but it sure looks like our opt outs will be pretty substantial...if not quantity, certainly quality. Our offense has been somewhat challenged when we were at full strength. The idea that we can just plug in backups and be just as effective doesn't wash with me. Even if the talent is superior, the experience and physical maturity will be a weakness. We've been considered a veteran team all season long. If things go as some speculate, we're gonna get much younger at certain critical positions and really fast. Against a hard hitting, disciplined Iowa defense, that might be a tough ask.
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Shocked I am that this is what you believe. 🙄
 
#53
#53
Carp said:
RBs are simply not valued very highly anymore by the NFL. It's extremely unlikely any NFL talent evaluator's opinion on him is going to be swayed by a Citrus Bowl performance. He only stands to lose money by playing in this game.
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Fair point and one I should have thought about seeing the Jonathan Taylor soap opera that has played out in Indy this year.
 
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#55
#55
CAVPUT said:
Everyone knew those two would likely not play. He's not breaking news here. Wright is headed to the NFL and Small sees the writing on the wall with his carries. If he wants to be a headliner, he has to go elsewhere. My question is about Milton. With his senior bowl invite, I think the probability that he opts out increases greatly. Just pray that our OL is available and we can keep Nico healthy in the bowl game since by the time we play, the portal will be closed...I think? At the end of the day, NFL caliber guys all bleed green.
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I believe our highest draft pick from last year played in the bowl game. There are still some players that want to finish what they started with their teammates.
 
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#58
#58
Carp said:
Everything I have read pretty much suggests that Wright is a forgone conclusion that he will enter the draft. No reason to risk injury given the value of RBs in the NFL has shrunk.

I have also read that Small is checking on his draft projection and will make a decision in January, but the expectation is that won't return regardless (i.e. into the portal he goes).
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This is pretty spot on
 
#61
#61
Bowl games don't seem to matter any more to a lot of players. Pure shame. Back in the 90's it was exciting and something to really look forward to.
 
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#64
#64
Smokey7 said:
Bowl games don't seem to matter any more to a lot of players. Pure shame. Back in the 90's it was exciting and something to really look forward to.
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But historically, they didn't mean a thing and were actually played after the title was awarded, etc. Bowls meaning something more is really more recent than we think.
 
#66
#66
CAVPUT said:
Everyone knew those two would likely not play. He's not breaking news here. Wright is headed to the NFL and Small sees the writing on the wall with his carries. If he wants to be a headliner, he has to go elsewhere. My question is about Milton. With his senior bowl invite, I think the probability that he opts out increases greatly. Just pray that our OL is available and we can keep Nico healthy in the bowl game since by the time we play, the portal will be closed...I think? At the end of the day, NFL caliber guys all bleed green.
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If I was a Milton's agent I would directly say to him do not play in the bowl game. He just had a stat sheet stuffer of a game the last game of the season which was his best game here. Don't get in a bowl game that may lower your stock because of portal changes and opt outs. The bowl may be a possible low scoring game that could take shine off of your Vandy game.
 
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#69
#69
Wright knows he'll be getting a raise next year. I think Small is just trying to secure his, even if somewhere else. I think he'll be backing up Sampson if he stays.

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#70
#70
Losing Small would be scary. We would go from the deepest backfield in the country to no proven depth. I mean we have talent behind Sampson but nothing proven. As for Wright....playing in bowl VS Iowa is a bad business decision/gamble if you're going in the draft. For Milton its interesting.....The Best 2 QB's Iowa has faced were Drew Allar of Penn State and McCarthy of Michigan. Both of them have very similar stats to Joe and seeing McCarthy played an extra game against worse competition overall I would rate Joe as the better QB of the 2 with the better offense. This could be a good chance for him to show out? I dunno given his track record at UT I see Joe playing. He has more to win than lose draft-wise playing assuming no injury. its not like he was getting sacked a lot this year and most if not all the starters on Oline are likely to play.
 
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#71
#71
I have been watching college football for over 60 years. I am convinced it is being destroyed more everyday . I hate to sound so negative but I am yet to see any changes that I consider as positives. Now, for those who opt out...................................nothing more than saying to hell with my team because I am more important than my teammates and fellow Vols. It also says to me that winning makes no difference because I am leaving anyway. Vol for life ??? Don't think so !
 
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#72
#72
ReelfootVol said:
I have been watching college football for over 60 years. I am convinced it is being destroyed more everyday . I hate to sound so negative but I am yet to see any changes that I consider as positives. Now, for those who opt out...................................nothing more than saying to hell with my team because I am more important than my teammates and fellow Vols. It also says to me that winning makes no difference because I am leaving anyway. Vol for life ??? Don't think so !
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And get off my lawn!!!
 
#73
#73
Small should know how well our rb’s function as a group. I would think he would want to continue the monster now with a greater role
 
#75
#75
CAVPUT said:
I'm no scout, but I don't see Small going pro. I think he's destined for the portal. Probably looking for a landing spot now and will do like so many others and announce they're in the portal once they've secured a spot elsewhere.
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I agree with Wright not getting the credit he deserves. He was left out of all 3 of the AP All American teams that were announced today. If you go look at his stats, he led all RB's in the country that were over a thousand yards with the most yards per carry.
The guys on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd all American teams all had SO many more carries than Wright and just had more total yards. None of them averaged 7.4 yds per carry and had 1000 yds. He was penalized with post season rewards for sharing the RB duties in our 3-back set.

Hopefully he is rewarded in the NFL because his numbers don't lie. Not to mention that sweet run untouched to the endzone on the opening play versus the vaulted Georgia defense.
 
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