We start our review with players in their fifth or even sixth year of college.
This group includes multiple players who have already earned all-conference honors, two established starters trying to return from injury and at least one who just must really love playing college football after passing up on entering the NFL Draft not just once but twice.
Class of 2020
Gavin Gerhardt, OL, Xenia — Cincinnati
He could be preparing for his first (or second) NFL training camp but opted to return for a sixth year at Cincinnati as one of the last players still taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted to players who were on college rosters during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He is already a three-year starter who was a team captain the past two seasons. The 6-foot-4, 308-pound Gerhardt has 35 career starts and was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection in 2023.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Class of 2021
Markus Allen, WR, Northmont — Mississippi State
A big, physical receiver, Allen is back at a Power 4 school after a two-year odyssey that included stops at Butler Community College in Kansas and Eastern Michigan. He spent his first two seasons at Wisconsin, where he played in nine games and caught 10 passes for 156 yards. The 6-2, 215-pounder caught 43 passes for 651 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games last season at EMU.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Kendel Dolby, DB, Springfield — Oklahoma
The 5-11, 181-pound senior is coming back from a nasty lower leg injury that cut short his 2024 season at three games, but he was a very productive nickel back for the Sooners in 2023 when he had 49 tackles, including five for loss and two sacks. He also had a pair of interceptions. That came after he was one of the top junior college prospects in the country at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M the previous winter.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Cam Fancher, QB, Wayne — Central Florida
On his third college team, Fancher is one of three quarterbacks hoping to be the starter for new Knights coach Scott Frost. The athletic lefty threw for 1,528 yards last season at Florida Atlantic before enduring a season-ending injury. That came after three years at Marshall, where he was a two-year starter and threw for more than 3,700 yards and was a formidable dual-threat QB.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Rod Green, OL, Springfield — Charlotte
Announced in April he was transferring to Charlotte after a year at Purdue. A standout defensive tackle at Springfield, he began his college career at Grambling State.
Jackson Kuwatch, LB, Lakota West — Miami University
An Academic All-MAC choice last season, the 6-4, 235-pounder has 14 tackles in 20 games since transferring from Ohio State, where he was a walk-on for two seasons.
Rod Moore, safety, Northmont — Michigan
A 6-foot, 198-pound senior, Moore has started 28 games for the Wolverines, earned All-Big Ten recognition in 2022 and ’23 and helped Michigan claim the national championship the latter season. He was set to be one of the team’s top returning players last season, but a knee injury wiped out his 2024 campaign, so he is working his way back this year.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Brian Shane, TE, Alter — Miami University
The 6-3, 228-pounder played in eight games last season and caught one pass for 12 yards. He has seen action in 12 games for the RedHawks after joining the program as a walk-on in 2021.
Did we miss anyone? Let us know at COPsports@coxinc.com. We will have updates on players from the classes of 2023, ’24 and ’25 later this week.
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