[washingtonismoney]

At linebacker:  We have a very highly recruited Blake Lueders playing behind Chase Thomas.  No shame in that, but the question is whether Lueders has developed or will quickly develop into a LB that can start.  It's a genuine question,  not a final judgment on his ability.  But with Thomas done after this season...

Thomas is a redshirt junior--he has another year of eligibility after this one. Whether he'll take it is another matter, I suppose. Mel Kiper rates him as the #2 junior OLB but doesn't have him as one of his top 25 players overall. I don't see a lot of the draft pundits fawning over Thomas (yet?). So it's entirely plausible to me that Thomas will be back for a senior season.

[washingtonismoney]

At linebacker:  We have a very highly recruited Blake Lueders playing behind Chase Thomas.  No shame in that, but the question is whether Lueders has developed or will quickly develop into a LB that can start.  It's a genuine question,  not a final judgment on his ability.  But with Thomas done after this season...

Thomas is a redshirt junior--he has another year of eligibility after this one. Whether he'll take it is another matter, I suppose. Mel Kiper rates him as the #2 junior OLB but doesn't have him as one of his top 25 players overall. I don't see a lot of the draft pundits fawning over Thomas (yet?). So it's entirely plausible to me that Thomas will be back for a senior season.