JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – News of the Big Ten’s decision, and later, the Pac-12′s, to cancel fall sports was a dagger across college football on Tuesday.
The area has more than a dozen players on the rosters of football teams in the Big Ten and one Jacksonville native on the roster at a Pac-12 program.
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For a player like Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade, a recent graduate of the school and a prospective first-round pick in next year’s NFL draft, it may not sting from a future standpoint as bad as it will for others. But Wade returned for his redshirt junior season in 2020 and bypassed the NFL draft this year where he would have been a first- or second-round pick.
A look at players with area ties who will be affected with Tuesday’s decision.
Pos. Player, College, Local tie
WR Edwin Carter, Illinois, Sandalwood
RB Marcus Crowley, Ohio State, Trinity Christian
OL Curtis Dunlap, Minnesota, Lee**
CB Tyreke Johnson, Ohio State, Trinity Christian
WR TJ Jones, Penn State, Columbia
DB Devon Matthews, Indiana, Ribault
DB Glen Miller, Maryland, Ridgeview
RB Dedrick Mills, Nebraska, Ware County
DB Tahveon Nicholson, Illinois, Lee
DL Deon Pate, Illinois, Trinity Christian
S Tyrese Ross, Washington State, Trinity Christian*
LB Derrick Smith, Illinois, Trinity Christian
CB Shaun Wade, Ohio State, Trinity Christian
WR Isaiah Washington, Rutgers, Trinity Christian
S Deontai Williams, Nebraska, Trinity Christian
* Played his first two seasons at Trinity before transferring to Atlanta Westlake.
** Played his first season at Lee before transferring to IMG Academy.