Some have blamed management teams for not giving enough first-team opportunities. Others have wondered whether it's a lack of quality coming through. With this in mind, we've looked back over previous seasons to see where graduates who've made their debut have ultimately ended up.
This list doesn't include those who came over to Hearts after graduating from other academies following their 16th birthday, like Rory Currie and Jamie Brandon, nor does it include players brought over from abroad like Marcus Godinho or Aleks Petkov. We've also limited it to debutants who broke through after the club's return to the top flight in 2015.
17. Murray Thomas
Has played twice in sub appearances against Celtic and Motherwell toward the end of the 2021/22 season. Like Denholm and Kirk, he also got a new one-year deal in May. Photo: Craig Foy - SNS Group / SFA