Kentucky Wildcats should get Mychal Mulder commitment today

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Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

On the podcast a week or so ago, we discussed whether this season was “boom or bust” for Mark Stoops in this upcoming Kentucky Wildcats football season. After two seasons, Mark Stoops has his team in position for a bowl game in his third season and he has a favorable schedule with eight home games. And the third season is usually when a team makes that push after a new head coach. Historically, there are examples that this could be the year for UK.

"The reason is apparent if you look around college football. Many of the coaches who have elevated non-traditional powers into national relevance have tended to make a big move forward in the win/loss column in their third seasons. Under Gary Pinkel, Missouri has won back-to-back SEC East championships. In Pinkel’s first three seasons at Mizzou (2001-03), the Tigers went 4-7, 5-7 then 8-5. With Art Briles, Baylor has had double-digit wins three times in the past four seasons. Briles’ initial three seasons at Baylor (2008-10) went 4-8, 4-8 to 7-6. In the five seasons (2002-06) before Jim Harbaugh was hired at Stanford, the Cardinal went a combined 16-40. In Harbaugh’s first three years (2007-09), the Stanford records progressed from 4-8, 5-7 to 8-5. In the coach’s fourth season, Stanford went to the Orange Bowl. Replacing the fired Steve Kragthorpe at Louisville in 2010, Charlie Strong’s record progression went 7-6, 7-6, 11-2 (2012). He finished his tenure as U of L head man by winning 23 of his last 26 games. Heck, if you want to go old school, Frank Beamer’s first three Virginia Tech teams went 2-9 (1987), 3-8, 6-4-1."

. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

With the NFL Draft looming, it’s important to look back at the “unexpected” players that became stars in college and found their way to the NFL. There is a ton of former “two star” players that not only made the NFL, but are striving. JJ Watts is perhaps the best to overcome that two star ranking and tops the list of the top 15 ** in the NFL.

"Watt had the measurables coming out of high school and a good frame to build on, but he wasn’t the killer you see today. The dominant defensive end who terrorizes NFL quarterbacks wanted to be a tight end coming out of high school and stuck with his commitment to Central Michigan over late offers from Minnesota and Colorado. Watt was recruited at CMU by a couple of guys you might recognize — then-head coach Brian Kelly (now Notre Dame’s head coach) who left to take the Cincinnati head job and was replaced by Butch Jones (now Tennessee’s head coach). Those are two guys who know a thing or two about recruiting. If Watt wanted to play defensive end, the position we felt was a better fit, he might have been a three-star prospect. Watt famously transferred to Wisconsin after a lackluster year at CMU at tight end and a proposed move to offensive tackle and the rest is history. While Watt was named a second-team All-American during his final season at Wisconsin, there were still few that envisioned the impact he would have on the NFL. Selected with the 11th overall pick of the 2011 draft by the Houston Texans, Watt showed glimpses of potential as a rookie, finishing with 56 tackles and 5.5 sacks. That potential became reality in 2012, as he dominated the opposition with 81 tackles, an NFL-best 20.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. He was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year after the season. His third year was a relatively disappointing one for Watt, as he finished with 80 tackles and 10.5 sacks, while the Texans finished 2-14. However, the 2014 season turned out to be another memorable one for Watt, as he finished with 78 tackles, 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, an interception and three touchdown receptions from his beloved tight end spot. This earned him his second NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award, plus a second place finish in the league MVP voting."

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