According to BusinessInsider.com, elite offensive tackles are among the highest paid players in the NFL. The average salary cap figure for the top five players at the position rounds out to $11.8 million per year, trailing only defensive ends ($16.5 million) and quarterbacks ($15.2 million) in annual income. With that in mind, the decision made by U-M offensive tackle Taylor Lewan to return to school for a fifth year, and shun a potentially massive contract, was a surprising move to some.
But the projected top-10 pick is not the first Wolverine with high draft potential to turn down the money to tend to unfinished business in Ann Arbor - and recent history suggests that this is a much-more business savvy choice than it may appear on the surface.
Here is a quick look at six prominent players that decided to return for their senior years, and how the decision affected both their legacy, draft status and NFL careers:
color="#ffff00">Senior Seasons of Prominent Players That Returned
Senior Year
Position
Name
Team Record
Individual Awards
2011
Defensive Tackle
Mike Martin
11-2 (6-2 Big Ten)
First-team All-Big Ten
2007
Offensive Tackle
Jake Long
9-4 (6-2 Big Ten)
Consensus First-team All-America, First-team All-Big Ten, Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year
2006
Cornerback
Leon Hall
11-2 (7-1)
First-team All-America, First-team All-Big Ten
2006
Linebacker/Defensive End
Lamarr Woodley
11-2 (7-1)
Consensus First-team All-America, First-team All-Big Ten, Ted Hendricks Award recipient, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year
2004
Wide Receiver
Braylon Edwards
9-3 (7-1) *Big Ten Champions
Unanimous First-team All-America, First-Team All-Big Ten, Fred Biletnikoff Award recipient, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year
2001
Linebacker
Larry Foote
8-4 (6-2)
First-team All-America, First-team All-Big Ten
width="694">
color="#ffff00">Pro Careers of Prominent Players That Returned
Draft Year
Position
Name
Draft Selection
Team
Current NFL Status
Pro Bowl Appearances
Super Bowl Championships
2012
Defensive Tackle
Mike Martin
Round: 3, Pick: 82
Tennessee Titans
Member of the Tennessee Titans
N/A
N/A
2008
Offensive Tackle
Jake Long
Round: 1, Pick: 1
Miami Dolphins
Member the Miami Dolphins
Four
N/A
2007
Cornerback
Leon Hall
Round: 1, Pick: 18
Cincinnati Bengals
Member of the Cincinnati Bengals
N/A
N/A
2007
Linebacker/Defensive End
Lamarr Woodley
Round: 2, Pick: 46
Pittsburgh Steelers
Member of the Pittsburgh Stealers
One
One
2005
Wide Receiver
Braylon Edwards
Round: 1, Pick: 3
Cleveland Browns
Member of the New York Jets
One
N/A
2002
Linebacker
Larry Foote
Round:4, Pick: 128
Pittsburgh Steelers
Member of the Pittsburgh Steelers
N/A
Two
style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black"> All six enjoyed tremendous senior campaigns, with each garnering First-team All-Big Ten honors (100.0 percent), five earning All-American accolades (88.3 percent), three receiving post season Big Ten positional awards (50.0 percent), and both Edwards and Woodley were named the top player at their respective position nationally (33.3 percent). As a team, the Wolverines enjoyed a cumulative 48-15 record, including a 32-8 mark in conference play.style="mso-tab-count:1">
style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black"> The average draft placement of this grouping was 46 overall, or mid-second round, with two players going in the top five (33.0 percent), three in the first round (50.0 percent) and five within the first three rounds (83.3 percent).
style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black"> The extra year of collegiate seasoning also proved as effective preparation for the game on the next level.All six played a role on an NFL active roster in 2012 (100.0 percent), and and have combined for six Pro Bowl selections (Long, 4; Edwards, 1; Woodley, 1) and three Super Bowl championships (Foote, 2; Woodley, 1).
style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black"> Contrarily, nine Wolverines have left early for the NFL Draft. Here is a quick glance at the results this decision produced at the next level:
color="#ffff00">Professional Careers of Early NFL Draft Entrants
Draft Year
Position
Name
Draft Selection
Team
Current NFL Status
Pro Bowl Appearances
Super Bowl Championships
2010
Cornerback
Donovan Warren
Undrafted
N/A
Not on Active Roster
N/A
N/A
2009
Tight End
Carson Butler
Undrafted
N/A
Not on Active Roster
N/A
N/A
2008
Wide Receiver
Adrian Arrington
Round: 7, Pick: 237
New Orleans Saints
Not on Active Roster
N/A
One
2008
Wide Receiver
Mario Manningham
Round: 3, Pick: 95
New York Giants
Member of the San Fransisco 49ers
N/A
One
2007
Defensive Tackle
Alan Branch
Round: 2, Pick: 33
Arizona Cardinals
Starter for Seattle Seahawks
N/A
N/A
2005
Free Safety
Ernest Shazor
Undrafted
N/A
Retired
N/A
N/A
2003
Quarterback
Drew Henson
Round: 6, Pick: 192
Houston Texans
Retired
N/A
N/A
2002
Outside Linebacker/ Defensive End
Shantee Orr
Undrafted
N/A
Retired
N/A
N/A
2001
Wide Receiver
David Terrell
Round: 1, Pick: 8
Chicago Bears
Retired
N/A
N/A
style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black"> The average draft position among those that were drafted was 113, or mid-fourth round, but this mean is greatly skewed considering four prospects (44.4 percent) were undrafted.
style="font-size:12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black"> Only one went in the first round (11.1 percent), and Terrell is widely considered a draft-day bust; he totaled just 1,602 yards and nine touchdowns in his career.Only three of the nine were chosen within the first three rounds (33.3 percent), and not a single one ever performed to All-Pro standards.In fact, only Branch and Manningham finished the 2012 with an active roster spot in the league, and both Warren and Butler have never seen action in a regular season NFL contest. Henson initially left early to pursue a career in baseball before once again returning to football, but failed on the professional level in both sports.
It is clear, at least according to recent historical data, that returning for an extra season in Ann Arbor has paid dividends, and bolting early for the greener pastures of the NFL draft has largely been detrimental, despite the possibility of a big contract up front.style="mso-spacerun:yes"> Time will tell if Lewan made the right decision, particularly with the risk of potential injury that could affect one's draft stock, but it is clear that the facts and figures are on his side.
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