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There are two kinds of Buffalo fans right now...
Those who want Tyree Jackson to stick around for his senior season, and those who are wrong.
The Buffalo Senior is a dynamic physical specimen who could probably get drafted this year on his measurable alone. Jackson’s gifts are not only his size and speed but a powerful arm that can throw the ball deep downfield on a rope.
Because of this, and some truly impressive numbers early in the season, Jackson’s draft stock were very high. Many services had him down as a first round pick earlier in the year, for the first half the season the consensus was that Jackson was easily a day one selection.
But as he struggled in three out of UB’s last four games that dropped a bit and most of the draft sites have taken note of that. Many now have him as a round three or four development project.
Still, nothing at all wrong with being drafted in the top half of the draft.
Jackson now faces the same question that Khalil Mack faced after the Bulls 2012 season.
“Do I say or do I go”
Option 1 - Stay: The upside of staying is that you have a chance to, perhaps, clean up your game a little bit and go from the 3rd round to a day one pick, that’s how it worked out for Mack.
Buffalo is returning a lot of talent on offense next year. Of course they lose Anthony Johnson but between Antonio Nunn, KJ Osborn, and Charlie Jones he has three solid receivers returning. He also has a pair of young running backs who could each start on any team in the conference.
Buffalo’s offense could be far more potent next year, than it was this past season.
Option 2 - Go: The upside of going into the draft now is that you’re pretty much guaranteed that you’ll get drafted, albeit later. If you play next season in college and get hurt or don’t much improve then you’ll either be drafted in the same place or lower.
Option 3 - Stay but Go: There is a third option for Jackson, he’s already gotten all of the classwork he needs for his degree taken care of, and could transfer to another school.
It had not even occurred to me this was an option before someone on a game thread pointed it out. But it’s possible some power five school might give him a shot to run the offense.
Option three looks to be the worst option. You take all the risk of options (1) and (2) but very little chance it betters your choices.
You’re walking into a new system, competing for a job, and one or two bad games can put you on the bench. Just ask Grant Rohach how it works out.
If Jackson is to declare early it will have to be before January 15th, here is hoping whatever decision he makes works out well for him and his family.