Mansoor Delane
One player who it was thought that was going to declare for the NFL Draft was Mansoor Delane. When it came to his announcement, it was for the transfer portal instead of making the jump to the NFL. In the overall big picture, it’s not surprising to see him make the move in the portal for a bigger payday.
This past season Delane was a staple in the secondary tying his career-high for tackles with 54. He registered a season-high nine in a 42-21 victory over Boston College on a Thursday night in October. He also finished with four interceptions and two forced fumbles. Not to be overlooked, he did allow some explosive plays, and one against Duke is the first that comes to mind.
However, you take the bad with the good and Delane not returning for one more year at Virginia Tech is a tough loss. Like the other two former teammates on this list, Delane will be making the jump to the SEC at LSU. He will solidify the Tiger secondary in what they hope will be a bounce-back season for the 12-team CFP.