Garvin should've came back, a Senior year of production for a DE always helps in the draft when you're not a physical freak of nature, but it was clear he mailed it in this season because he had one foot out the door, which is sad because he was heralded as a really good team guy coming out of HS by his Coaches.
Bandy should've came back too, I understand he's got situations to deal with at home, but in order to maximize his earning potentiality a Senior season would've helped him drastically by moving him up the draft board & making him more money. He's gonna be in a fight for his life as a 6th/7th/UDFA practice squad guy, sincerely doubt he even makes it past training camp.
JT4 would've played himself into a Mid 2nd round - to high 3rd round pick had he came back another year & played in Lashlee's offense. He cost himself hundreds of thousands of dollars by leaving early.
And the scout was correct on the QB's, they were horrendous last year, there were at least 4 or 5 FCS QB's that significantly outplayed the 3 stooges.
King will be a major improvement in on field play & locker room leadership.
all this is spot on, El, and let me add something else:
coming back for your senior year is more than just improving your draft position. it's actually about getting better as a football player. stronger, smarter, more mature, more skilled, more cognizant of what it means to prepare to be a professional.
when you have those things, you are much more capable of showing the NFL what you can do, and sticking with the team that signs you, than you are if you shorted yourself the opportunity to get better in your senior year.
Once you are in camp, NFL teams don't give a rat's balls what round you happened to fall. if you were a 4th rounder, and you're teammate is a 7th rounder? doesn't matter in the slightest. if you can play better than the next guy, you stick. if not, then you're cut. good luck, turn in your playbook, and have a nice day.
are you less likely to be cut early if you're a first round draft choice? of course. but that's not what we're talking about here, and that applies only to 32 guys a year. period. the analysis of whether a sure fire first rounder should go or stay for their senior year has some additional factors to consider, but the analysis still holds.
I was at the super bowl with a friend who is an NFL GM, and we were talking about this same issue. he said, rightly: "trying to get to the NFL as fast as possible, is a sure cut path to being out of the NFL as fast as possible."
guys like bandy, garvin, etc. .... they should have stayed. no question about it.