Kohlton Sherman had a decision to make.

The Valparaiso safety was just a sophomore when COVID-19 upended the world in the spring of 2020 and he was halfway through his junior season when the NCAA granted an additional year of eligibility to all college athletes during the 2020-21 school year.

In an era of redshirts and transfers, Sherman was a rarity for the Valparaiso football team. A guy who came in and played immediately as a freshman, stayed the course, and finished his playing career at a Division I non-scholarship program as a key contributor for all four seasons. He earned a degree in business management along the way.

Now, with the unexpected gift of an additional year of eligibility given to him, Sherman had to decide last winter whether or not he wanted to begin his professional life or come back for one last ride with the Beacons.