So, you’ve probably heard about the NCAA’s recent ruling that gives junior college (JUCO) players an extra year of eligibility, right?
Well, it’s pretty exciting, especially for Alabama football fans. This opens up a cool opportunity for linebacker Justin Jefferson to possibly return for another season in 2025.
He was a solid performer for the Tide this past season, racking up 52 tackles and two sacks, and really stepped up after Deontae Lawson got hurt. Jefferson has been a key player alongside Jihaad Campbell, and with Campbell likely heading to the NFL draft, his experience could be invaluable for the team if he comes back. Now, there’s this guy, Diego Pavia, a quarterback from Vanderbilt, who actually won an injunction against the NCAA for an extra year, and that kind of set the stage for this new ruling.
So now, any JUCO players who were about to run out of eligibility can stick around for another year. This could be a game-changer for teams like Alabama, especially with all the shuffling happening in their linebacker corps. Heads up, though—if Jefferson does return, we might see some ripple effects in the Transfer Portal. For example, Jeremiah Alexander, who’s been in the program for a bit, might not be too thrilled sitting on the bench for a whole extra season.
And then there’s Justin Okoronkwo, who’s definitely talented enough to play, so having Jefferson back as a more veteran presence could push young guys like him to consider other options. But honestly, having that experience in the middle of the defense would be huge. Pairing Jefferson with Colorado transfer Nikahi Hill-Green could really solidify things, especially if Lawson decides to leave.
Plus, giving Okoronkwo another year to develop behind those guys could just make the whole team better in the long run. So, yeah, while there are some potential downsides, I think the upside definitely makes Jefferson’s return worth it for Alabama football. It could be a pivotal year, Can’t wait to see how this all plays out.