We'll play a lot of bodies up front again, so this depth chart will be extremely malleable for the big guys... More or less a list of guys who will see a good number of snaps.
DEFENSIVE LINE
DE: Middleton, Bumphus
NG: Gooden, Emerson, Simmons
DT: Solomon, Garland, Blakely, Butler
JACK: Bennett, D Johnson, Harrison, Baron, Joseph
Obviously the JACK position is wide open. Bennett is solid but we'll need more. I do not think Crouch or Harrison have the right build to be elite there. Baron will likely outgrow the position but could get it done there early. Joseph needs to gain some weight but if he could get to 245 he could help us there next season. I would expect us to look long and hard at a grad transfer for this position.
Of the big bodies in the position group, we have several guys poised to take that next step. I'll be curious to see if some guys emerge and a more traditional rotation establishes itself.
We do get Gooden back, right? I was thinking so.
LINEBACKERS
WLB: Tootoo, Banks or Beasely
MLB: Crouch, Peterson, Eason
Losing Bituli will be big. But Tootoo will be better next season. Crouch will be much better next season. I think Banks comes back, and he had some flashes early this season. We definitely need to get some of the young guys in this class up to speed as the year progresses because depth could be an issue here.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
CB: Thompson, George
CB: Taylor, Burrell
NB: Shamburger, Jackson
FS: Flowers, Fields,
SS: McCullough, Lawrence
Losing Warrior is going to sting but much like the DL, we have a handful of guys who look like they're ready to take that next step. Taylor tackles as well as any CB we have had in a long time. He loses the ball sometimes, but is typically in phase. Thompson isn't a great tackler but has been solid all year in coverage... And George has shown enough to carve snaps away from those two. Shamburger has been steady all year and could have a big senior season. Not a star studded group but with Pruitt and Ansley, this will be a salty group again next season.
Overall, losing 18, 19, and 35 will be tough and I don't know that we have anyone reach their level of play next season. But the other 8 guys on the field, as well as back ups in the rotation, will likely be better than they are this season. Defense has top 25 potential.
DEFENSIVE LINE
DE: Middleton, Bumphus
NG: Gooden, Emerson, Simmons
DT: Solomon, Garland, Blakely, Butler
JACK: Bennett, D Johnson, Harrison, Baron, Joseph
Obviously the JACK position is wide open. Bennett is solid but we'll need more. I do not think Crouch or Harrison have the right build to be elite there. Baron will likely outgrow the position but could get it done there early. Joseph needs to gain some weight but if he could get to 245 he could help us there next season. I would expect us to look long and hard at a grad transfer for this position.
Of the big bodies in the position group, we have several guys poised to take that next step. I'll be curious to see if some guys emerge and a more traditional rotation establishes itself.
We do get Gooden back, right? I was thinking so.
LINEBACKERS
WLB: Tootoo, Banks or Beasely
MLB: Crouch, Peterson, Eason
Losing Bituli will be big. But Tootoo will be better next season. Crouch will be much better next season. I think Banks comes back, and he had some flashes early this season. We definitely need to get some of the young guys in this class up to speed as the year progresses because depth could be an issue here.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
CB: Thompson, George
CB: Taylor, Burrell
NB: Shamburger, Jackson
FS: Flowers, Fields,
SS: McCullough, Lawrence
Losing Warrior is going to sting but much like the DL, we have a handful of guys who look like they're ready to take that next step. Taylor tackles as well as any CB we have had in a long time. He loses the ball sometimes, but is typically in phase. Thompson isn't a great tackler but has been solid all year in coverage... And George has shown enough to carve snaps away from those two. Shamburger has been steady all year and could have a big senior season. Not a star studded group but with Pruitt and Ansley, this will be a salty group again next season.
Overall, losing 18, 19, and 35 will be tough and I don't know that we have anyone reach their level of play next season. But the other 8 guys on the field, as well as back ups in the rotation, will likely be better than they are this season. Defense has top 25 potential.
