Not reccomending that route but, a kid who graduated from my son's HS a few years before him did a red shirt year at the local Juco, played 2 years, won CA state championship, was recruited to play at a mid-major D1, and was then drafted in the 4th round. Obviously he's the exception, not the rule, but they've had other RS players with successful outcomes as well. They've also had a lot whose playing days are over after they leave juco. Nothing wrong with that. Most of these guys know they're never going pro. They are in the program for three years because they love to play.