Last Chance U has become a national phenomenon among college football fans that avidly watch Neftlix. Season 2 continues the story of EMCC.
No TV show has had more of an impact on viewers in regards to the everyday lives of JUCO football players than Last Chance U. The second season of the famed Netflix show was just released this month and it seems just as entertaining as the first. There’s a focus on roughly a dozen of East Mississippi Community College’s players each season, in particularly. Head coach Buddy Stephens, offensive coordinator Marcus Wood, and academic advisor Brittany Wagner. Yet, according to the Detroit News, Wagner was recently hired by a Michigan high school, M.H. Madison, and Season Two will be the last time that Wagner sticks with the EMCC football players in Scooba.
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Moreover, quite a few of the EMCC players that did not get that much of the spotlight during the Netflix season still go onto successful careers in division one even the NFL. Former EMCC Lions such as running back LeGarrette Blount and defensive lineman Jarran Reed were NFL draft selections. Quarterback Chad Kelly was recently added to that list.
Many season 1 players from Last Chance U went onto FBS and FCS programs in the spotlight. Quarterback John Franklin III had his chance at Auburn but did not make the most of it. Defensive lineman Ronald Ollie had a good season with Nicholls State but is looking to transfer to a bigger program with few offers. And running back D.J. Law went on to the UAB program, but he might not even play when the Blazers return to action.
Following some of the fan favorites through the end of their college careers can be one of the most entertaining things for fans outside of paying attention to their own teams. Now, let’s take a look at the eight Last Chance U Season Two players with the best chance to play in the NFL after their college careers come to a conclusion.
One of the less featured players during Season Two of Last Chance U was offensive guard Tyre Phillips. The 335-pound guard signed with the Mississippi State Bulldogs in December 2016. If there’s going to be a lesser-known player from East Mississippi Community College from the show that makes it to the NFL it could be Phillips.
Mississippi State does not have a huge reputation for sending offensive lineman to the NFL but they have solidified themselves as an underrated SEC program. And it’s cool to see a player like Phillips stay in-state after his time with EMCC concluded. He’s one of several guys that chose not to venture very far in his quest to return to Division I football.
The offensive line was notorious for getting chewed out by head coach Buddy Stephens during Season Two as they struggled to protect quarterback De’Andre Johnson. However, their level of competition was the best of any JUCO team in the country.
Much like offensive guard Tyre Phillips, former EMCC safety Brian Cole had a solid run with the Lions even though he did not get much attention. Cole originally started his college career with the Michigan Wolverines back in 2015. However, he was released from the program in January 2016, according to 247Sports.
Cole might have been the most talented defensive player on the EMCC roster in 2016. He was recruited heavily by the Michigan State Spartans, Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines out of high school. He was also a key part of the EMCC defense in 2016, proving he is still ready to compete at the FBS level.
Mississippi State really took advantage of the spotlight that EMCC has with so many talented players. JUCO transfers have the ability to come into a program and immediately make a difference. If Cole proves he can compete in the SEC that will set him up for a real chance at playing on the next level.
Defensive end Tim Bonner started his career with the Louisville Cardinals before getting kicked out and coming to EMCC. Bonner had a huge spotlight in the show and seemed like a favorite among coaches. His star finally shined bright at the end of the 2016 season and teams took notice.
Bonner committed to Ole Miss originally but flipped his decision to join quarterback De’Andre Johnson in Boca Raton with the Florida Atlantic Owls. There’s a lot of buzz around the FAU program right now because of first-year head coach and former Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin taking over.
Last Chance U fans can continue to follow two of the most popular Season Two players in Bonner and Johnson at one school. Both players have the talent to succeed at the FBS level and can take FAU to new heights for a Group of Five conference team.
In 2016, Bonner sacked the quarterback 5.5 times and racked up 37 total tackles. He even forced two fumbles.
Former Florida State quarterback De’Andre Johnson put it all on the line to come back to EMCC and get back into the good graces of some of the top football programs. After a violent incident with a female in Tallahassee, Johnson turned both his life and his career around. He threw for more than 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions.
Lane Kiffin and Florida Atlantic get the pleasure of hosting the talented 6-foot tall and 175 pound quarterback for the rest of his career. Redshirt junior Jason Driskel looks to be the starting quarterback in Boca Raton next season, however he could have a short leash with Johnson in waiting.
Johnson is sure to get his chance with the Owls at some point. He might not have the size needed to compete at an NFL level but he definitely has the heart. The work that he put in during Season Two of Last Chance U proves the effort he’ll put in to reach his dreams of playing in the NFL some day.
The heart and soul of the EMCC defense in 2016 was linebacker Dakota Allen. One of the rare situations where the Lions receive a player that returns to the same school in which he originally got kicked out off. Redemption stories can be a sign of NFL promise when players push through enormous challenges and defy all odds to become stars at the college level.
Allen will start for head coach Kliff Kingsbury and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at the Will linebacker spot. However, the Texas Tech defense will have to improve before Allen has a legitimate shot at the NFL. The Red Raider defense has been one of the notoriously worst defenses among any Power Five conference team.
A burst to the top of the Big 12 would put Texas Tech and players like Allen in the spotlight that could get the attention of NFL scouts. A 5-7 record put Kingsbury on the hot seat for the 2017 campaign and that is not favorable for a player like Allen that has had such a rocky football career.
Running back Isaiah Wright had one of the most up and down careers of any player through either season of Last Chance U. In 2015 he sat behind D.J. Law during the first season of the show. Wright had his chance to star for the Lions offense in 2016 but a season full of bad attitude and injuries derailed his shot.
Jacquez Horsley ended up taking the reigns for the starting running back position with EMCC and never looked back. That led Wright to commit to Division II West Georgia after it was all said and done. He had offers from programs like Auburn, West Virginia, Iowa State, and Indiana (where he could have joined his brother Camion Patrick). Yet, the uncertainty surrounding Wright’s future scared all big time programs away.
Just because Wright will end up playing Division II football does not mean the end for his NFL chance. Wright has the talent to at least get looks from a few NFL teams. Look at former West Alabama and Oklahoma State running back Tyreek Hill and where his career is at right now.
If a player makes a mistake but still gets it all together out of community college, the results can start to come through very quickly. That could be the case for Wright.
The Pittsburgh Panthers have a real chance to establish themselves as a consistent team in the ACC over the next few seasons. Adding players like defensive tackle Kamonte Carter from EMCC can bolster their defense and really help their cause.
Carter originally committed to Penn State but got dismissed because of unspecified violations, according to 247Sports. A little more than one year after being dismissed from Penn State, Carter will return to the state of Pennsylvania to resume his college football career once again.
Pitt has become famous for producing top talent on the defensive line, with LA Rams’ superstar Aaron Donald being the prime example. The question marks surrounding Carter entering the 2017 campaign are the biggest road block he’ll face in his quest to eventually make an NFL roster.
Much like Tim Bonner, Chauncey Rivers, and Dakota Allen, Carter could be one of many EMCC defensive players that could make a run at an NFL career.
Former Georgia Bulldogs defensive end Chauncey Rivers seems to be finally getting his football career on track. He was originally kicked off the UGA team because of repeated drug charges that cost him his chance of reaching his true potential he possessed as a top-tier 4-star recruit.
Among all of the talented players on the EMCC roster last season, Rivers has the clear-cut best chance of making it to the NFL. He should become an integral part of the Mississippi State defense, along with Brian Cole. Mississippi State really took advantage of all the defensive talent available at EMCC in 2016.
Rivers led the Lions with 8 sacks in 2016 and also racked up 45 total tackles. You can see the ability that Rivers has to get to the quarterback. Unlike Tim Bonner and Kam Carter, Rivers did not struggle with as many on the field issues and kept his performance strong and consistent all season with EMCC.
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He served as somewhat of a vocal leader and someone who was able to unify the defensive line all season. The EMCC defense did not seem cohesive at all in Season Two compared to Season One and having players like Rivers helped keep them together when times got tough.