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Taylor turned down $600K to return

We have really just recruited a lot of players that were out before they were even in. They had their eyes on the league before they signed on NLI Day and that has been a cultural element in this program, especially with players from this area (but not limited to), for a really long time now. Lots of mid prospects masquerading as "blue chippers" because they were "blue chippers" (*as @Rellyrell outlines) but lack the necessary athleticism and character

Leonard Taylor just another in the long lineage of these incredible prospects just phone it in for 3 years until they find something else to do. Marcus Forston, Ryan Moore. Sucks he never really got it. Maybe he wasn't put in the best position to succeed, but you need to make chicken salad out of chicken **** at every level of football.

* https://www.canesinsight.com/threads/reality.191059/

For those that think he can still MAKE IT as a UDFA. Yes, that is true. But, its not really the 90s anymore. John Randle or Tony Siragusa aren't popping up as UDFAs in 2024 NFL. The liklihood of a DT being Coy Bacon today is slim. Maybe he's Poona Ford if things bank right. Maybe Damon Harrison like career if he gets very lucky.

Odds are stacked against LT for sure.

Anyone else remember this guy? Reminds me a lot of Leonard Taylor, unfortunately.

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gogeta4 said:
Leonard Taylor would be a championship level player had he had sufficient push and was able to play his position of 3 tech.

Nothing in his hs film or early film showed he would be a 1 or 0 tech...his entire high school tape were filled with swim moves..him playing end..him getting up the field, etc.

He actually played the 1 alot last year which i would give credit for..where he messed up was leaving early shouldve came back and ran at the 3 tech this year with Clark and change the words on his work ethic, etc that were out there that obviously caused him to not get drafted.

But when he signed he was on a 3 yr roadmap regardless of situation n well he played himself.
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I realize you put a couple of disclaimers in there, but I still don't think he's an elite championship level player no matter how you slice it.

He tested so poorly that at best, he finishes mid range in testing at the combine. It gets him in the draft,, that's positivex but he's not skyrocketing up to the top of the charts at his position.

Could've done better, but that's about it. I think to many are holding onto the high school hype here trying to figure out what went wrong rather than just calling it for what it is.
 
BeastMode said:
Let’s say he just put 400K of that in strong mutual funds or S&P 500 and it got average return of 10% from age 22 to age 58.


Does nobody teach these kids financial literacy????

That 400K at age 58 would be worth roughly 14.4 MILLION DOLLARS!!!!!!!!

But why would anyone want to do that when you can just leave for the nfl not get drafted and be looking for a 9-5 by October of this year.
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Well, there's always Barber College.
 
SSCane said:
It won’t. We see this again and again.
Here and at other programs.
They all think they are superstars and NFL material, especially the ones that had 4 or 5 stars next to their name in high school.
You would think NIL would prevent these poor decisions but stupid is gonna stupid.
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I also blame the fans too. We overrate our guys a lot. On youtube a lot of these hurricane fans were pushing X to come out early. Glad he made the right choice to comeback. As a fan base we gotta stop saying these guys are day 1 or 2 picks. Most of them are not. He11 I remember some of us thought Hunte and Jalen Rivers should come out early. Btw shout out to Hunte for heading to my SMU
 
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SCarolina Ibis said:
This has become waaaaay too common. Maybe its time for the NCAA to allow undrafted players the chance to return.

Maybe start with something like.. underclassmen who declare for the NFL draft are automatically entered into the spring transfer portal (which just happens to be open during the NFL draft anyway).

Football is really the only sport that doesn't allow players any opportunity to come back.

Undrafted college basketball players are allowed to return if they attend the NBA combine, get an evaluation from the Undergraduate Advisory Committee and inform their athletics director by the Monday after the draft.

College baseball players who get drafted can return to school as long as they don't sign.

Draft eligible hockey players are allowed to sign AND stay in school AND use all 4 years of eligibility. NHL teams retain their rights until 30 days after they leave college.

So its not unheard of.
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I think with hockey they get their rights for 3 years after the draft. If the player does not sign a contract within 3 years - then they can sign anywhere as a free agent. I may be wrong but I know that’s how it used to work.
 
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BoxingRobes said:
We have really just recruited a lot of players that were out before they were even in. They had their eyes on the league before they signed on NLI Day and that has been a cultural element in this program, especially with players from this area (but not limited to), for a really long time now. Lots of mid prospects masquerading as "blue chippers" because they were "blue chippers" (*as @Rellyrell outlines) but lack the necessary athleticism and character

Leonard Taylor just another in the long lineage of these incredible prospects just phone it in for 3 years until they find something else to do. Marcus Forston, Ryan Moore. Sucks he never really got it. Maybe he wasn't put in the best position to succeed, but you need to make chicken salad out of chicken **** at every level of football.

* https://www.canesinsight.com/threads/reality.191059/

For those that think he can still MAKE IT as a UDFA. Yes, that is true. But, its not really the 90s anymore. John Randle or Tony Siragusa aren't popping up as UDFAs in 2024 NFL. The liklihood of a DT being Coy Bacon today is slim. Maybe he's Poona Ford if things bank right. Maybe Damon Harrison like career if he gets very lucky.

Odds are stacked against LT for sure.

Anyone else remember this guy? Reminds me a lot of Leonard Taylor, unfortunately.

View attachment 288659
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That was all the NFLU branding that we benefited from, smfh.. I was saying for years it was hurting more than helping.. and this had to be like 10 years ago.
 
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skyman said:
Said it all year, people were ****ting on a guy who was sacrificing for the team because there was no one else..
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I do agree that he was not playing a position that he excels in. However, it can be taken as you saying that’s the reason he went undrafted. That simply is not the case.

He went undrafted because he didn’t put in the work to succeed and did not interview well either. The Jets took a flyer on him based solely upon measurables.
 
JamesQuall said:
I do agree that he was not playing a position that he excels in. However, it can be taken as you saying that’s the reason he went undrafted. That simply is not the case.

He went undrafted because he didn’t put in the work to succeed and did not interview well either. The Jets took a flyer on him based solely upon measurables.
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I didnt say anything about draft in my post. My post referenced when he played for us during season..
 
skyman said:
I didnt say anything about draft in my post. My post referenced when he played for us during season..
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I'm really hoping they don't make the same mistake with Barrow this year and play him mostly in the A gap like they did LT
 
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DC3 said:
I'm really hoping they don't make the same mistake with Barrow this year and play him mostly in the A gap like they did LT
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We should have better options goin into season with the ncst kid getting first crack but college seasons are how long now?
 
skyman said:
I didnt say anything about draft in my post. My post referenced when he played for us during season..
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Ok but people rightfully called him out for taking way too many plays off. He earned people ****ting on him. He’s not blameless…
 
skyman said:
Said it all year, people were ****ting on a guy who was sacrificing for the team because there was no one else..
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One of the few points we agree on lately. Taylor was vital to this team last year. Really wish we had him back for 2024.
 
JamesQuall said:
Ok but people rightfully called him out for taking way too many plays off. He earned people ****ting on him. He’s not blameless…
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He clearly earned his rep. But I will say this, getting double teamed as a 1 tech when you love to get after the ball carrier sucks. He was taking one for the team.

Maybe we should have promised to also bring a NT in addition to that 600K NIL offer, and actually followed through? Not excusing LT's weaknesses, he is responsible for that combine performance, too. But we weren't doing him any favors.... Of course, coaches did try. Fing Darrell Jackson and Burroughs, if either had stayed we'd be in a different spot at DT.
 
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