'25 Northwestern Transfer OL Josh Thompson

#201
#201
LaagerVol said:
What would you say are the odds Heard comes back for his senior season?

I don’t know if Sanders starts next year or not. I imagine he will get plenty of playing time either way. Who have we lost in the NIL era that we have REALLY wanted to keep?
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I don't know, it depends on how next season goes. Its certainly not clean and clear. If he doesn't get a great response in his draft grade, he could make a ton of money coming back

We haven't had any freshman 5* OTs to lose. How many freshman 5* OTs have we gave a bag to and got in the portal?
 
#202
#202
Volben00 said:
I don't know, it depends on how next season goes. Its certainly not clean and clear. If he doesn't get a great response in his draft grade, he could make a ton of money coming back

We haven't had any freshman 5* OTs to lose. How many freshman 5* OTs have we gave a bag to and got in the portal?
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Some people need help. Sanders will be great, he will be great for Tennessee but he’s not guaranteed to start as a freshman. Start the best five guys and then let the chips fall where they may.
 
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#203
#203
Volben00 said:
Sanders will start at RT next year, if he isn't the starter game 1, then he will be before long

How do you think we got Lance Heard? He was a 5* freshman that played some, but didn't start. So we offered him a bag to come be our starting LT

What do you think a Tackle desperate team with money is going to do next offseason, if we repeat what LSU did with Heard? Completely overpay and promise to let him be their starter and Sanders will be gone. Its one of the main reasons we are getting experienced, transfer college players in for visits to play at RG, and not a first time starter from our depth chart
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You left out the part where LSU had two All Americans at OT, so Heard had no path to start as a sophomore. Completely different situation at Tennessee.

If Sanders is the best RT, he will start. If he isn’t, he won’t start.
 
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#207
#207
Volben00 said:
He is going to be ready, helped by getting here this month.

It is 2024 and we are in the semi-pro era, you don't waste the effort and money it takes to recruit a 5* OT if you don't think they can play as a freshman. He will be the RT starter next season or he will be playing LT somewhere else in 2026, with an even healthier bank account

The exact situation that happened with our starting LT
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Why would a Top 10 program even recruit a 5* tackle then? Why would the best programs recruit any linemen at all now? Almost no freshman is "ready" to start the OL in the SEC or Big10. Some are talented enough to not get their QB killed every play or not miss a key block every rush.

If he's as talented as he is billed then he will develop more quickly than his peers. He will definitely earn playing time, but that doesn't mean he earns starts or the most minutes. It will take him 1-2 years in S&C and a couple hundred snaps to become a top lineman. It was the same for Darnell Wright. We see it with Lance Heard. Seems like the middle of the sophomore year when the game slows down and they start to lock down the edge.

And btw, that is NOT the "exact" situation with Lance Heard. Heard didn't transfer because he didn't play enough. He transferred because the guy in front if him was only 1 year older and 1 year better. He would have to switch positions or be 2nd string for 2-3 more years. Sanders could easily redshirt next fall and have a clear path to starting at either tackle position in 2026.
 
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#209
#209
Volben00 said:
Sanders will start at RT next year, if he isn't the starter game 1, then he will be before long

How do you think we got Lance Heard? He was a 5* freshman that played some, but didn't start. So we offered him a bag to come be our starting LT

What do you think a Tackle desperate team with money is going to do next offseason, if we repeat what LSU did with Heard? Completely overpay and promise to let him be their starter and Sanders will be gone. Its one of the main reasons we are getting experienced, transfer college players in for visits to play at RG, and not a first time starter from our depth chart
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Sanders is getting paid for being at Tennessee now, maybe he already understands that there may be a learning curve his first year. Maybe he understands he will play when he is ready to play, he will start when he is ready to start. Our staff is upfront with players, not all players leave just because they don’t start automatically. Sanders will be a great player but getting developed right is more important. If Sanders starts it will be because he earned it not because he may leave if he doesn’t. GBO
 
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#210
#210
Volben00 said:
He is going to be ready, helped by getting here this month.

It is 2024 and we are in the semi-pro era, you don't waste the effort and money it takes to recruit a 5* OT if you don't think they can play as a freshman. He will be the RT starter next season or he will be playing LT somewhere else in 2026, with an even healthier bank account

The exact situation that happened with our starting LT
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Heard had two other all-world tackles the same year as him at LSU. Barring injury, he might not have been a long-term starter EVER. Sanders will be looking at a wide open door to starting as a sophomore/redshirt freshman. The two situations are vastly different.

Edit: Jones and Campbell were 1 year ahead of Heard, but the point stands.
 
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#211
#211
Woodlawn VOL said:
Sanders is getting paid for being at Tennessee now, maybe he already understands that there may be a learning curve his first year. Maybe he understands he will play when he is ready to play, he will start when he is ready to start. Our staff is upfront with players, not all players leave just because they don’t start automatically. Sanders will be a great player but getting developed right is more important. If Sanders starts it will be because he earned it not because he may leave if he doesn’t. GBO
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Solid and reasonable post. Some of these people dont seem to understand that starting immediately isnt attractive to kids if its creating scout tape that shows them getting worked. These kids are interviewing for an NFL job from day one and dont want to be put on a D Linemans draft film.
 
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#213
#213
I keep seeing this assumption that Sanders is being handed the job if he starts and that it’s over better players.

That won’t be the case, because he will be ready to start at RT and will do so. He is the RT next season, Bennett or Perry are the swing tackle and both still get reps next season.

Heard likely goes pro after next season, Sanders slide to LT and whomever wins out between Bennett/Perry (or is still on the roster) gets RT in ‘26
 
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#215
#215
Volben00 said:
I keep seeing this assumption that Sanders is being handed the job if he starts and that it’s over better players.

That won’t be the case, because he will be ready to start at RT and will do so. He is the RT next season, Bennett or Perry are the swing tackle and both still get reps next season.

Heard likely goes pro after next season, Sanders slide to LT and whomever wins out between Bennett/Perry (or is still on the roster) gets RT in ‘26
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Can I get a turn on that crystal ball please?
 
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#217
#217
Volben00 said:
I keep seeing this assumption that Sanders is being handed the job if he starts and that it’s over better players.

That won’t be the case, because he will be ready to start at RT and will do so. He is the RT next season, Bennett or Perry are the swing tackle and both still get reps next season.

Heard likely goes pro after next season, Sanders slide to LT and whomever wins out between Bennett/Perry (or is still on the roster) gets RT in ‘26
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Why do we always assume a decent UT player will go to the draft after 3 seasons, we have some that do but most stay all four years. There are 130 more LT starting across the country. If he isn’t a top 3-5 tackle in the college next year he should absolutely come back for his senior season.
 
#218
#218
volKano said:
Why do we always assume a decent UT player will go to the draft after 3 seasons, we have some that do but most stay all four years. There are 130 more LT starting across the country. If he isn’t a top 3-5 tackle in the college next year he should absolutely come back for his senior season.
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You’re right about VN comically over predicting our player’s draft status. I disagree though on being “top 3-5 tackle in college” before entering the draft as it’s well documented the NFL drafts more based on their perceived potential not on past college performance only. Players are likely well served to enter the draft early if they’re predicted to be a day 1 or 2 pick. JMO
 
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