[socalstanfan1]

As for honing his skills with another year playing college football, there's another way to look at this which is really the prism through which all early departures should be judged.  Is Reynolds going to have a higher draft stock in 2015?  Right now he's considered the  #1 FS in 2015 by many analysts, but he's pretty much even with Clinton-Dix from Alabama for the 2014 draft now too.  Given he can't appreciably raise his stock next year, and considering the fact he's already had a significant knee injury, he'd be kind of foolish to come back for another year that would provide far more downside risk than upside potential.  He's going to run as fast and jump as high in 2014 combine workouts as 2015 ones.  If he is going to fall in the draft because of those, he'll fall in 2015 too, so might as well get another year of an NFL paycheck by leaving now.  It's the same situation with Yankey.  How can he possibly be rated higher in 2015, and what does he gain with another year of college football, other than risk of injury?

Only reason to stay is to finish up school, but as RS Juniors it seems pretty likely both Reynolds and Yankey are going to graduate in Spring, or only be a few units short.

I agree that Reynolds might as well jump to the NFL, if he remains the #1 safety, or even in the top couple of safeties, as he goes through the evaluation process. But if his reputation in the national media is a bit inflated, then the important question is what the NFL scouts say. If Reynolds starts hearing there are areas of his game he can improve on to raise his stock, then it would be worthwhile to stay. But if they say he is as good as the media says (or even close), or if they say he would not benefit from an extra year, then I'm sure he's got to take the opportunity.

[socalstanfan1]

As for honing his skills with another year playing college football, there's another way to look at this which is really the prism through which all early departures should be judged.  Is Reynolds going to have a higher draft stock in 2015?  Right now he's considered the  #1 FS in 2015 by many analysts, but he's pretty much even with Clinton-Dix from Alabama for the 2014 draft now too.  Given he can't appreciably raise his stock next year, and considering the fact he's already had a significant knee injury, he'd be kind of foolish to come back for another year that would provide far more downside risk than upside potential.  He's going to run as fast and jump as high in 2014 combine workouts as 2015 ones.  If he is going to fall in the draft because of those, he'll fall in 2015 too, so might as well get another year of an NFL paycheck by leaving now.  It's the same situation with Yankey.  How can he possibly be rated higher in 2015, and what does he gain with another year of college football, other than risk of injury?

Only reason to stay is to finish up school, but as RS Juniors it seems pretty likely both Reynolds and Yankey are going to graduate in Spring, or only be a few units short.

I agree that Reynolds might as well jump to the NFL, if he remains the #1 safety, or even in the top couple of safeties, as he goes through the evaluation process. But if his reputation in the national media is a bit inflated, then the important question is what the NFL scouts say. If Reynolds starts hearing there are areas of his game he can improve on to raise his stock, then it would be worthwhile to stay. But if they say he is as good as the media says (or even close), or if they say he would not benefit from an extra year, then I'm sure he's got to take the opportunity.