After having Tre Turner and Jordan Williams both declare for the 2022 NFL Draft and opt out of the Pinstripe Bowl, Virginia Tech has had two more players declare for the draft including one who wasn't going to play in the bowl anyway and another who has decided to opt out of it.
Joshua 1:9. Thank you, Virginia Tech! 🧡 #ggtg pic.twitter.com/UcmUEkQyfD
— James Mitchell (@j_mitch82) December 6, 2021
Thank You Hokie Nation! 🧡 pic.twitter.com/PLQmiKLNPI
— Amaré D. Barno (@Ayye_Barno) December 6, 2021
James Mitchell and Amare Barno have become the fourth and fifth Hokies to declare for the draft along with Turner, Williams, and Changa Hodge. Like the other 3, Mitchell and Barno only had an extra year of eligibility to decline due to the free COVID year rule from the 2020 season.
Mitchell undoubtedly leaves a strong legacy as a leader who was a captain who also earned the nickname "The Governor" in large part because of his leadership. He was also an underused stud throughout his Hokie career as he had 52 receptions for 838 yards and 7 touchdowns over the course of mostly 2019 and 2020 and a two-game 2021 due to injury while also having 5 rushing touchdowns in 2019 and 2020 and even returning 4 punts in 2020.
In many ways, the Hokie offense limited the production of James Mitchell and as long as he's healthy, he's someone who should impress NFL scouts greatly.
Amare Barno had a big 2020 for the Hokies followed by a quieter 2021 where he was still a presence albeit moreso beyond the stat sheet. Barno had 78 tackles including 21.5 for loss and 10 sacks during his time with the Hokies which included an insane 16 tackles for loss in 2020 that earned him All-ACC honors.
Barno likely is a day 3 guy who's best fit is probably in a 3-4 scheme as an OLB though there's no doubt that his size and athleticism give him loads of NFL upside.
Now there may be some disappointment with all these bowl game opt outs and I could see why some would be surprised given how the Pinstripe Bowl could be a great showcase chance to boost draft stock. However, Barno and Tre Turner are both heading to the Senior Bowl already so they have that stage to perform on in front of every NFL scout imaginable.
Additionally, the Pinstripe Bowl hasn't been known for having a great field to play on at Yankee Stadium and has had issues over the years including in 2017 when players had to wear sneakers because of how slick the field was. Yes, the Pinstripe Bowl field appears to have improved since then, but some risks aren't worth taking when it could cost you millions of dollars.
