What’s your experience like redshirting juniors? I want to for the purpose of balancing classes/maximizing playing time. This player will be the 3rd youngest and 3rd best at his position. I can take a 10-15 drop in WE, anything else will be defeating the purpose

Junior's are by far the most difficult to accept a redshirt. I've had about 4 over the years, that have accepted it outright. I try a lot too. Just to play and see who would accept it.

If you're cool with the WE ding, go ahead and do so

Juniors and Soph*mores that will take a RS usually turnout to be great players. I have had more luck with soph*mores than I have with juniors, though. The nice thing is you can apply the redshirt, check the WE hit and if it is too big just pull the RS. No harm, no foul.

What would the WE hit be like on your typical attempt to redshirt a junior. I’m tryna figure this out well in advance because it will impact how I choose to recruit, if I think I can redshirt those guy successfully, or if, on the other hand, I’m pretty sure it would be counterproductive

It'll drop to 1 in most cases. It's not worth it unless he's a 99 WE guy to begin with. And he's already maxed. Or maybe if he's one of those >7 WE guys that were a 5* and 90s in everything to begin with, but you'd prefer him to be with the Soph class behind him.

Those are about the only two situations i can think of where I'd take the WE hit on a Jr redshirt and be ok with it.

redshirting juniors is tough, unless you inform of redshirt in recruiting. this is harder today due to the more intense competition, but still, there are MANY juniors i've recruited over the years, who i'd only take if they took a redshirt. maybe they need it for growth, maybe to align with classes right so they are there as senior in our important title-seeking year. i have informed of redshirt a couple jucos in 3.0, its still definitely a viable strategy.