2028 Brysen Wright WR Mandarin

[Pearson704]

TrumpyCane was thinking this, pay Samson and you have Samson, Congdon, SJ at C, Max B and you hope Cantwell is ready or you pick up a T in the portal + insurances

Agreed. One of Mario's biggest recruiting jobs may be convincing Samson to stay another year.

 

[Dwinstitles]

I guess i am the only fan of Nickel here. I was disappointed he was given a chance to throw the ball in the Pitt game, they were all runs. I think kid has touch and an arm.

If we don't portal Nickel will start and I also think he will be a star.

Still think we portal, this a Ferrari bruh we not limiting the weapons we have next year with LN. There is no way he starts next year he will portal. Revisit this post and I will gladly take the L. He is a game manager and we can’t slip up and have people negative recruit us about Luke for that cycle.

He been on the roster where we went portal shopping two times. They see him in practice and I would be shocked we don’t go portal. If this were a manny or previous staff then I would agree with people about the Luke starting next year stuff. The starter for next year is on another team right now. IMO that is

 

[BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati]

Yup. Who else was available in the portal in the OL that weren’t latas de basuras?

There were guys to be had, some teams grabbed 4 guys to build whole new olines.. Kentucky success is based on them building inside out in trenches..

dont think its wrong to say we didnt address position

2026 College Football Transfer Portal Position Rankings

2026 College football Transfer Portal Position Rankings

247sports.com

Had we not taken two OL in the portal, I would buy the we didn’t address it line. Could we have done better? Yes.

Tbh, I’m a little too exhausted on this topic. However I do want to thank you for being the only person thus far to reply with any sort of list.

 

[bobbydigius]

Zero question we will see what’s available in the portal. The difference being that unlike previous years, we will have a guy in Nickel, that is good enough to start if we don’t like what’s available along with price.

 

[skyman]

Had we not taken two OL in the portal, I would buy the we didn’t address it line. Could we have done better? Yes.

Tbh, I’m a little too exhausted on this topic. However I do want to thank you for being the only person thus far to reply with any sort of list.

Yea those guys were cheap filler types, no p4 starts or headline type guys.. Like camp bodies or long term projects..

We needed a couple legit p4 starters and we didnt really address it the way we should have, especially knowing Bell wasnt coming back.. There were options and if Seaton was too much, we should have found someone else not just go from top of list to filler.. Have Lance Heard visit. To have all 5 guys in new positions is just tough rebuild and jeopardizes standard we created..

But **** it, we thug it out and see where we go.. SJ save us!

 

[Alex_Dynamix]

Are we sure Mensah leaves? I don’t get it but he’s a fringe first right now which is beyond stupid? He makes good money. If he’s gone ( and I know we think he will be ) and we portal a QB it won’t be for a run of the mill kid.

Most mocks I see have him going top ten to eith
er

I was actually going to say something similar, but I’ll ask it this way….

For all the dudes on here adamant about getting a portal QB, what have you seen or not seen from Nickel to this point to make you feel so strongly that we need another portal QB?

From what I’ve seen, and admittedly it’s not much, he’s looked good to this point. Good size. Good touch. Decent arm strength. Is it just the “proven” vs “unproven” thing?

its basically the last question, you just don’t know what you’re getting with him as a full time starter, especially knowing Mali is in his final year.

 

[305407cane]

TrumpyCane was thinking this, pay Samson and you have Samson, Congdon, SJ at C, Max B and you hope Cantwell is ready or you pick up a T in the portal + insurances

Agreed. One of Mario's biggest recruiting job may be convincing Samson to stay another year.

Samson wasn’t good this past Saturday. He should come back. Even if he does his resume for the draft will be 2-year starter. That’s it. Markel bell was a 1.5 year starter and he was a good deal better than Samson is playing now. And went third round.

Francis and cooper were 3 year starters. Jalen rivers started at left tackle for 2 years? And played a bunch of guard. And was a better left tackle than Samson currently. Maybe a tie. Maybe.

Samson needs to come back. McCoy is aging out so he’s gone. We can be good next year on the line if Samson can solidify a side

 

[AUcane]

Are we sure Mensah leaves? I don’t get it but he’s a fringe first right now which is beyond stupid? He makes good money. If he’s gone ( and I know we think he will be ) and we portal a QB it won’t be for a run of the mill kid.

Given the Moore stuff and how all QBs are dropping like flies, yeah, I'd say he's a goner.

 

[JG14]

Give me the Cal kid or Simmons and I'm good. I could go out and play RT at 6'1 185 and we'd still be loaded.

 

[BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati]

Most mocks I see have him going top ten to eith
er

its basically the last question, you just don’t know what you’re getting with him as a full time starter, especially knowing Mali is in his final year.

That's fair. I don't put all the credence in the "Mali's final year" concept, but that's just me.

 

[CoastCane]

Mensah been starting 3 to 4 full college seasons already and is on track to be top ten pick according to the draft experts. Absolutely no reason to come back to college if this trend continues

I think he goes as well, but it’s actually nice playing while you make the money. Versus sitting maybe a year in the pros. Again I think it’s a no brainer that he goes, but I can see a small opening.

 

[L A M P]

Totally kidding..

/but totally not

 

[Trav]

Are we sure Mensah leaves? I don’t get it but he’s a fringe first right now which is beyond stupid? He makes good money. If he’s gone ( and I know we think he will be ) and we portal a QB it won’t be for a run of the mill kid.

Yea, unless there's reform to limit player pay, it's not impossible that Mensah does better financially staying another year if he's not a top 5-10 pick. I would think he leaves if he's projected to be a first at all, but these are different times we're in.

 

[Alex_Dynamix]

That's fair. I don't put all the credence in the "Mali's final year" concept, but that's just me.

We’ve been spoiled to watch him play with two Great QBs in his first two years, not saying Nickel is Mid cause we don’t know but mid QB play in his final year would be shameful, but to be fair you could prolly throw Mali screens and slants all day n he’d still have an all American season

 

[WobbleWits]

Zero question we will see what’s available in the portal. The difference being that unlike previous years, we will have a guy in Nickel, that is good enough to start if we don’t like what’s available along with price.

I don't understand this sentiment at all. Y'all really think Luke ******* Nickel, who has never started a college game, and has played a total of 65 snaps. You think he's good enough to start because he's played 65 snaps against 3rd stringers after the games are over?

Yall want to entrust what is shaping up to be the most talented hurricane teams in decades and arguable the best WR unit the U has ever had to this guy ?


I'm not calling you out, I just want to know what you see and hear to make you feel even remotely confident in 65 snaps, majority against non FBS teams.

 

[Trav]

I don't understand this sentiment at all. Y'all really think Luke ******* Nickel, who has never started a college game, and has played a total of 65 snaps. You think he's good enough to start because he's played 65 snaps against 3rd stringers after the games are over?

Yall want to entrust what is shaping up to be the most talented hurricane teams in decades and arguable the best WR unit the U has ever had to this guy ?


I'm not calling you out, I just want to know what you see and hear to make you feel even remotely confident in 65 snaps, majority against non FBS teams.

This is my thought. Now of course in the pre-portal era, good teams would have to roll with unproven guys they've developed in their system obviously. But in this era, if you don't have to do that, why would you? Imagine 2017 if we could have paid to have a McKenzie Milton or Mason Rudolph. You think we would have rolled with Rosier?

 

[rascon]

I guess i am the only fan of Nickel here. I was disappointed he was given a chance to throw the ball in the Pitt game, they were all runs. I think kid has touch and an arm.

If we don't portal Nickel will start and I also think he will be a star.

Still think we portal, this a Ferrari bruh we not limiting the weapons we have next year with LN. There is no way he starts next year he will portal. Revisit this post and I will gladly take the L. He is a game manager and we can’t slip up and have people negative recruit us about Luke for that cycle.

He been on the roster where we went portal shopping two times. They see him in practice and I would be shocked we don’t go portal. If this were a manny or previous staff then I would agree with people about the Luke starting next year stuff. The starter for next year is on another team right now. IMO that is

I think we portal for QB. Next year is our 2001 year.

That said, Nickel is not a game manager - that dude is a gun slinger. From what I’ve seen and heard, he thinks he make every throw and sometimes that gets him into trouble. Look at a couple of his tds, a couple should have been picked probably.

Over the course of a year, I think he figures it out (and if he transfers, I do see him having success), but next year we ain’t allowing anything to develop over the course of the year. We need everything optimized from day 1.

 

[Dwinstitles]

I think we portal for QB. Next year is our 2001 year.

That said, Nickel is not a game manager - that dude is a gun slinger. From what I’ve seen and heard, he thinks he make every throw and sometimes that gets him into trouble. Look at a couple of his tds, a couple should have been picked probably.

Over the course of a year, I think he figures it out (and if he transfers, I do see him having success), but next year we ain’t allowing anything to develop over the course of the year. We need everything optimized from day 1.

And I do think that Mario is honest with him, we will develop you the best we can and you have to show us. If you show us we will be honest and give you the keys, if we think you cant do it explore your options. Mario is transparent asf with his players, if I had to guess thats what they tell recruits.

 

[Scorpioncane]

Bring back Samson, get Max back from injury, and have a second year Congdon and Cantwell… Unreal. The crazy part is, this could actually happen. Like you said, I could see Mensah wanting to play with Mali again.

Add ervin at the other guard or tackle depending on where cogdon is slotted at! Cantwell, ervin/cogdon, sj, mad max, cogdon/ervin!

 

[bobbydigius]

I don't understand this sentiment at all. Y'all really think Luke ******* Nickel, who has never started a college game, and has played a total of 65 snaps. You think he's good enough to start because he's played 65 snaps against 3rd stringers after the games are over?

Yall want to entrust what is shaping up to be the most talented hurricane teams in decades and arguable the best WR unit the U has ever had to this guy ?


I'm not calling you out, I just want to know what you see and hear to make you feel even remotely confident in 65 snaps, majority against non FBS teams.

Again, I strongly believe we should and will go the portal route. I just think given Nickel’s talent and the fact he will be in year 3 if things don’t work out, it won’t be like previous years where we had no option but the portal. Nickel is light years ahead of Judd and Emory is all. I believe we can win with Nickel, the question is how much. The previous options would have meant certain disaster.

Lastly, I think it’s premature to call next year’s team the most talented we have had under Mario. That may be the case but we could lose a ton and then it’s back to the portal for all those positions as well.