TCU football’s Niang to undergo season-ending surgery. How will Frogs fill the void?
TCU right tackle Lucas Niang is calling it a season.
He will undergo season-ending hip surgery and begin preparing for the 2020 NFL draft, sources said, confirming a Pro Football Network report.
Niang also posted the news on his social media, writing: “Played my last college game. I love all y’all boys.”
The Frogs’ starting right tackle has not given up a sack the past two seasons. He had started 18 consecutive games before snapping that streak at Kansas State two weeks ago.
Niang did play in the K-State game and returned to the starting lineup Saturday in TCU’s 37-27 victory over Texas.
But coach Gary Patterson said Niang would be playing “banged up” all season. Niang battled through it as long as he could.
At the end of the day, as a possible first-round draft pick, Niang had to consider the risks of potentially sustaining a more serious injury.
His absence will leave a big void for the Frogs to fill the rest of the season.
Senior David Bolisomi started at right tackle for the K-State game and has filled in occasionally this season when Niang has gotten treatment and missed series. Junior Austin Myers has also seen time at right tackle.
If Bolisomi moves to right tackle, Myers could fill in at right guard. Another offensive lineman who could see increased reps is Quazzel White, who opened the season as the team’s starting left tackle before Anthony McKinney moved past him on the depth chart.
As far as Niang, he’s projected as a starting right tackle at the next level. At 6-foot-6, 328 pounds, he has the size and length NFL teams covet.
“One player that hasn’t moved from near the top of our senior OL stack is @TCUFootball 3-year starter Lucas Niang,” Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy tweeted during Saturday’s game.
“Big, long, and strong. Hard to get around in pass pro. Should be a starting RT for some NFL team a year from now.”
Unfortunately for Niang, his recovery timetable is three to four months. That will take him out of the mix to participate in the Senior Bowl scheduled for the week of Jan. 20.
Still, Niang’s college tape will speak for itself. He didn’t allow a sack in seven games this season. He didn’t allow a sack last season, either, ranking as the highest-graded pass blocker in the Big 12 (minimum 300 snaps) by Pro Football Focus.
That came on the heels of a successful sophomore season that saw Niang become the starting right tackle for the final eight games of the 2017 season, and a true freshman season in 2016 when he played in 12 of 13 games.
Niang came to TCU after a standout high school career at New Canaan (Connecticut) High School.
This story was originally published October 27, 2019 at 2:47 PM.
