MAC Prospectus Audio

Previewing the 2019 Kent State running backs. Jo-El Shaw returns as the team's leading back, but after that, who knows? 

It's been a while, so here are five very-recent headlines to can be up-to-speed before the summer really heats up.

1. Ohio's AD Jim Schaus is on his way to be the Southern Conference commish.

2. The MAC will be a primary member of the Quick Lane Bowl from 2020-2025.

3. Brandon Peters visiting BGSU & Miami this weekend.

4. Grad transfers added to NIU's roster.

5. Uplifting: Jadon Rucker-Furlow & teammates help after tornadoes strike Dayton-area. 

There are a lot of transfers out there, especially guys leaving as grad students. But if you leave as a graduate student and enrolled early out of high school but didn't get much playing time, chances are you'll still have two years left to play. Could we see more of these kinds of transfers if we see more early enrollees across the board? I'm just spit-balling here, but there's a way for this to make sense (at least I think so), especially in the MAC. 

Exciting returning sophomores Jayden Reed and Chase Brown for Western Michigan won't actually be returning. Both of these guys who were expected to have important roles on the team's offense this year (and years to come) have entered the transfer portal, and the report is that they're looking to go Power 5. Obviously this is bad news for WMU, but things could be worse, right? 

Well, the thing finally happened. Not that this was something anybody would really root to happen (unless you're a Toledo fan I suppose), but Jarret Doege has now put his name in the NCAA Transfer Portal. Doege earned the starting QB job his first year on campus as a true freshman who came in with only the one offer, and ended up having a short but promising career with the Falcons. In his 19 games: 362-for-577 (62.7%), 4,041 yards (7.0 Y/A), 39 TD, 19 INT. If the NCAA lets him, he can play right away with two years of eligibility. 

A couple bits of news regarding the transfer portal. Keishawn Watson, former WMU receiver, found a new home in Appalachian State which is a really solid destination end up at. And at Bowling Green, running back Davon Jones is reunited with Scot Loeffler, his old offensive coordinator from Boston College, as a grad transfer.

Congrats to Sean Bunting, Max Scharping, Diontae Johnson, Maxx Crosby, Sutton Smith, Ka'Dar Hollman, Xavier Crawford, Ulysees Gilbert III, and Scott Miller for all being selected in the NFL Draft, and congrats to everybody else that received opportunities after the draft to get on a roster. But the big story that everybody is focusing on is the big quarterback out of Buffalo and why he didn't get picked after leaving school a year early. 

Is Soand So a sleeper? Depends on who you ask. With a lot of MAC guys having gone to the Combine this year, on top of many other 3- and 4-year starters to also consider, there's a lot of talent that really hasn't been slept on in the MAC. But there certainly are a few out there. (They're probably the guys not talked about in this episode.)

The Athletic's Dan Brugler put out a full 7-round mock draft which features 10 MAC players. That's quite a bit! Who are they, what did he say about them, and how did Pro Football Focus' 250-player big board line up with the mock?

With the NFL Draft coming up, it's time to start focusing on the MAC prospects. To get things started with a Combine invitee and a non-invitee, let's begin the series with Sean Bunting (CB, CMU) and Scott Miller (WR slot, BGSU). Bunting's an obvious draft pick to-be, but can Scott Miller, a 3-time All-MAC receiver, be a late-round sleeper?