There's a lot going on in the college athletics world, but there may be a way in which tight end Lance Mason returns to Wisconsin this fall. It's a long shot and a major IF because of all the complications, but there truly is a scenario where it happens. Badger fans would rejoice, and he would immediately add a huge lift to the team. Let's look at the complications and the pathway.
The first complication is that the college athletics world is a mess right now. A court ruling on Friday from a judge in Colorado has ordered the NCAA to allow class of 2022 athletes to receive a fifth year of eligibility. Immediately, the NCAA responded by saying "not going to happen." And yet judges throughout the country are deeming athletes eligible. There's also the Protect College Sports Act that's headed to the Senate floor after the SEC and Big Ten agreed to it.
So the first and primary complication is that nothing has really been determined yet. Adding to this mess is the fact that Mason is a UDFA for the Seattle Seahawks right now, in training camp. However, he's not on the 53-man roster, and he wasn't drafted. There are plenty of cases from the NBA back to the NCAA that have already happened that could make a player like Mason the first to see how it works from the NFL to the NCAA.
Lance Mason back to the Badgers is full of complications but 'you're telling me there's a chance...'
Related: Court ruling could bring back 5 former Wisconsin stars across multiple sports
He would have to not make the roster or sign a contract out of training camp. Fans shouldn't be rooting for this, but that's the only way it works. Mason does seem like a bit of a long shot to land on the active roster for the Seahawks; it's a team loaded with tight ends.
So the second complication is his pathway in the NFL. He would either have to choose not to sign or get cut after training camp.
For the Badgers, it would be huge, while Fickell has talked about how competitive the tight end room is right now, a veteran like Mason would give the position group a major boost. Jacob Harris is the most likely star in the tight end room, though redshirt sophomore Grant Stec or redshirt freshman Nizyi Davis could emerge. Lance Mason to that group would go a long way.
So that leads to some questions after all this is laid out. Will the 2022 class actually get a chance to play a fifth season? Will Mason make the Seahawks roster? If he doesn't, does he regain eligibility if the 2022 class does get another year? Would the Badgers have room to add him, and how would that play out with the Badgers' training camp overlapping with the NFL's?
It's sticky and most likely a pipedream, but it's a fun experiment to consider nonetheless. Mason, with one more year as a Badger, would be electric in a season that is pivotal, and he would actually get to showcase his ability with a legit quarterback.
Add us as a preferred source on Google