Medically disqualified -- controversially, many would say -- by Ohio State, Jamel Dean moved on to Auburn last month. That, though, doesn’t mean Dean’s career will start immediately.
In an interview with Florida Today columnist David Jones, Dean confirmed that he has been informed by the NCAA that he will have to sit out the 2015 season and take a redshirt instead. Dean had applied for a hardship waiver that would’ve granted him immediate eligibility but was ultimately denied.
A four-star member of OSU’s 2015 recruiting class, Dean was rated as the No. 35 cornerback in the country and the No. 55 player at any position in the talent-rich state of Florida by Rivals.com.
Quite the kerfuffle was stirred up in April, though, when Dean was not medically cleared by the OSU medical staff because of a recurring knee injury. Despite the fact that OSU had offered Dean a medical hardship, which would allow him to remain on scholarship, the player’s high school coach ripped the football program for “pushing him out.” Some even accused Buckeye head coach Urban Meyer of oversigning during the 2015 recruiting cycle, leaving Dean -- again, a four-star signee -- as a victim of some forced roster pruning.
Dean told Jones in the most recent interview that he “could have played this year” if the appeal to the NCAA had been successful. Since being medically disqualified by OSU doctors, Dean has been cleared by world-renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, who is based in Alabama. Dr. Andrews is also Auburn’s team physician.
Based on the words used by Dean in his interview with Jones -- “They really didn’t care. ... I was ready to leave. ... I really don’t care anymore.” -- the defensive back is still bitter about and upset over his perceived treatment at the hands of Meyer and his football program. So much so, in fact, that Dean has a wish and/or yearning and/or craving for a future postseason matchup on down the road.
“Oh my gosh, I’d say I’m going to have a lot of anger built up for that game,” Dean said when asked about a matchup between Auburn and Ohio State in the College Football Playoff. “A lot of people are hoping it will happen — friends, coaches, other people that were supporting me.”