Wide receiver Tommy Streeter and defensive tackle Marcus Forston are forgoing their senior seasons and are declaring for the 2012 NFL Draft.
Without getting too deep on the subject, let’s just say this – very curious to see where both wind up.
Head coach Al Golden advised Streeter to return, as did his father Tommy Sr. As for Forston, an underwhelming, injury-plagued career at Miami – and nothing resembling the breakout season Streeter had, you have to wonder if the big man will even get drafted.
Forston only played three games in 2011 before injury, though was singled out by Golden as having become a team leader over this past year.
Streeter had a breakout season, finishing at Miami’s top receiver and hauling in 47 catches for 811 yards and eight touchdowns.
Both Streeter and Forston have signed with agent Drew Rosenhaus, as have Miami and former Northwestern teammates Sean Spence and Jacory Harris. This Bulls crew came in together and stated they wanted to go out together, which they have. The remaining Canes of that 2008 Northwestern class; Brandon Washington, Ben Jones and Kendal Thompkins return in 2012, with Washington being the lone standout.
Also moving on, former Bulls and Canes wideout Aldarius Johnson, part of the 2008 class but dismissed by Golden prior to the 2011 season or unspecified reasons. Johnson is working out in effort to impress NFL scouts, despite missing his senior season.
Again, not the time to rail on these kids, who came to UM with high expectations, amassed at 29-22 at ‘The U’ and are now moving on, a few bailing early. That said, a bad decision is a bad decision and everything about this stinks.
On one hand, grown men who have every right to make their own decisions – but in the grand scheme of life, still little boys yet to experience the world and with no concept of time. Honestly, what is one more year in college in the bigger overall picture?
For Streeter he could be trading first round money for a third or fourth round payday, while Forston could go sixth or seventh round (or undrafted!) versus second or third round with a productive senior year.
With both of these guys the best and looking forward to seeing who Golden and staff end up reeling in with the available scholarships.
IN OTHER NEWS : Miami landed Fort Scott Community College cornerback Ladarius Gunter over the weekend. Gunter is out of Montgomery, AL but didn’t have the test scores to qualify for a major university at the time, so he headed to a Kansas junior college.
Gunter is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound defensive back that can player corner or safety, but will most-likely wind up at corner, with the departures of Mike Williams and Lee Chambers.
According to Rivals.com, Gunter is a three-star talent. Check out his highlight reel and welcome him to The U. Miami needs depth and immediate-impact kids in the secondary, so here’s hoping Gunter gets busy quickly.
To Admin:i believe,that if both ncaa and all the universities were to someway/somehow enforce a rule,or to create one, that would keep these players(football) from leaving early but to get these players to finish college and then maybe we would have more focused players and better competition because then the players would be forced to stay until graduation depending on how long their scholarship lasts.i would like to see this happen.what say you Admin?GO CANES!!!!! p.s. i don’t think the nfl would have too much of a problem with this.after all, they do want to see these kids graduate and “bulk-up”.
I love it in theory, but I just don’t know how it’s enforced.
Let’s be honest, college football needs an overhaul across the board. From corrupt programs and football factories, to the broken bowl system, to kids getting some form of compensation, to it being treated as “college” as opposed to a breeding ground for the NFL.
The biggest joke of a phrase in the game is “student athlete”. It no longer means what it once did and that’s pathetic.
Streeter and Forston leaving early is idiotic. It was one thing when Edgerrin James or Andre Johnson chose to forego their senior year, but when you’re talking about a Streeter … a Forston … a Vernon … a Miller … an Armstrong … you’re not even talking about guaranteed first rounders, let alone top five picks.
Miller COULD go late first round. Streeter is probably a third rounder – or second if he KILLS at the combines. Forston? Undrafted or at best, sixth / seventh round. Vernon? Fourth or fifth round. Armstrong? Third or fourth round, based on sheer athleticism.
The NFL is to blame, too. They’re no longer taking kids with proven track records, but kids that have potential, can be molded and have raw talent.
The entire system is broken and needs to be fixed.
Frankly, I don’t think either one is quite ready but hey, you have to respect them for going after it. Maybe they don’t have big money aspirations and just love the game that much or maybe they figure they’ll float on 3rd or 4th round money till a contract extension in a few years after development at the next level. Maybe they’re seeing red flags we’re not aware of or maybe Rosenhaus is filling their heads with nonsense for a check. In any event, they’re Canes and I wish them success and nothing but domination at the next level. I hope they’re making the right decisions.
Go Canes.
I respect an individual’s right to choose, but don’t necessarily respect knee-jerk decisions or not heeding advice.
Al Golden and Tommy Streeter Sr. are grown men. They’ve lived. They’ve been around. They are legitimate elders to today’s college kids and if twentysomethings want to learn, you need mentors and have to ask and listen to the advice of those who have gone before you.
There have been times I didn’t necessarily agree with the advice I’d been given, but I trusted the source and life experience from where it came. Golden and Streeter Sr. said to stay. Streeter Jr. still chose to bolt. That I have a hard time respecting. He’s his own man, but that doesn’t mean he knows what’s in his best interest because as a twentysomething, his perspective is immature and his life experience – or lack thereof – is clouding his vision.
I wish all these kids success and I hope everything plays out at they’re hoping. That said, we’ve seen this many times and on one level it really seems like they’re both making a mistake.
IMO they are leaving a lot of money on the table by leaving early (especially Streeter) but I wish them well in the future NFL careers. Its time for some new blood anyway.
Justin Blackmon spent the last year earning a huge paycheck on draft day. Streeter should have done the same. We’ll miss him though.
what we need (although it will never happen) is for the professional sports to work with the NCAA.
for example, any agent in illegal contact (as defined/agreed upon by NCAA and the professional leagues) gets fined/suspended whatever.
the enablers in NCAA violation are the agents. AGENTS need to be held accountable for their actions.
Hold the damn phone PEOPLE. Who will miss Streeter? I won’t!!!
Im not trying to down the kid but what has he really done this year??? Most of his touchdown passes were wide open ( UNC, BCU, and KSU), jump balls against midget (UVA x2, VT). Everything coming off the play action or no bump off the line by the corner back. When hit off the line Streeter is a massive FAIL…a la the pick six in the Maryland game. I would say Streeter is a 6th or seventh rounder….AT BEST. I remember Golden saying that when he first got to UM that everyone was saying that Streeter lacked mental toughness…here it is folks!
Armstrong still runs like a linebacker, still misses tackles, still takes bad angles, and is living off the Demarco Murray hit from his freshman year….I wish he would try to leave….it would make that tweeter dinner all the more damming for the university…smh!
I wont waste my time with Forston comments.
I think Drew Rosenhaus needs to stay away from the University of Miami. He has also played his part in luring these Pre-Madona kids to UM and filling their heads with NFL dreams…..Remember this guy ruined Terrel Owens career. Don’t believe me, just ask the coaches that showed up to his recent workout…..lol. Or ask Terrel Pryor how the qb situation is in Oakland. Has anyone since Portis this year???? All these players have Mr. WithDREW Rosenhaus as their agent.
I personally think these guys didn’t want another off-season of U-Tough!! They didn’t want to WORK, they didn’t want to COMPETE, and they didn’t want to be LEADERS, they didn’t respect the PROCESS!!!
Good-Bye!!
Listen guys i am one of the biggest guys who believes kids should stay all four or five years in college. Get that degree and don’t end up like a lot of nfl guys who end up leaving early and never pan out and end up being left with nothing. I do not believe streeter or forston should have left. They should have come back next season and played. They would have been key guys in our program. streeter could have been an all american receiver and forston could finally have the season we all thought he would have.
Alright dude who said who has seen portis this season?? no one has and why you might ask? because the nfl is full of owners and gms who believe once you get in your late 20’s that you can no longer be affective. Clinton had workouts with teams and for that stereotype he was not picked up. I think clinton could be good for one or two more seasons i mean look at McGahee rolling off 100 yard games lately. Maybe portis takes this year off and gets a shot next season and has a great season.
I do think its funny though how all the northwestern kids all have the same agent. I like drew rosenhaus because he truely believes in his guys and will push to get them all jobs. I don’t blame drew for T.O. crap thats all on owens. Drew got him shot after shot and Owens couldn’t keep his mouth shut. I hope all these guys get shots but really spence and streeter have the best chance.
Wish those guys would have stayed but i guess its on to next season and hopefully the receivers we have and the ones coming in step and give morris or williams solid guys on the outside. If Miller leaves he is gonna be a guy who is going to sit behind a guy who is the established back in the nfl. Thats not always a good thing int he nfl. Everyone can find a backup each year. Miller needs to stay in college and so does vernon. I’d hate to see that talent wasted.
Here’s to hoping better things to next season. here’s hoping that coach D pulls his head out of his ass and becomes a man and becomes aggressive and makes our defense a strength again.
Admin who is your heisman winner?
Good points, DSCOTT.
For starters, these kids need to get their degrees and seems Forston and Streeter will have theirs in May.
I guess the hard thing here is that in 2001 we were talking about a Portis going second round instead of first, after a slew of early-to-leave and senior Canes were taken in the first.
Seeing a Streeter and Forston go when neither will sniff the first two rounds? Scary. With a great combine, you’d have to guess at BEST Streeter sneaks in second round, but probably goes third and Forston, at best is a fourth rounder, but could go even later.
Same with all the MNW kids going with Rosenhaus. Something is just off about that whole bond. All coming to Miami together was fine, but all leaving at the same time reeks of immaturity. Not all had the career of Sean Spence, and even Streeter has much more potential than Forston at the next level. Neither of them are ready to make the jump, though and leaving early doesn’t seem like it was done for the right reasons here.
Wish all the kids the best, but still don’t agree with the play.
… and on the Heisman front, because a quarterback or running back always wins, I’d go with Robert Griffin III. If Andrew Luck wins, it’s another one of those Matt Leinart or Eric Crouch deals where it’s the entire body of work as opposed to this one year.
Personally, I’d give it to Tyrann Matthieu as LSU would be a three- or four-loss team without that kid. Honey Badger is exciting as all hell to watch, is a playmaker and has an Ed Reed-like nose for the ball.
If I had a vote I’d go 1. Matthieu. 2. Griffin and 3. Ball.