I think we'll see a Sam, Mike, Will, and Jack.
The Mike and Will won't change a great deal from what we have used the past 5 seasons. Your Mike needs to be a bigger player because he is "uncovered" by the DL's alignment more often than the Will.
Our Mike bodies include Kirkland, Ignont, Bituli, and Peterson.
The Will needs to be a little better runner because he is "covered" and should be able to pursue the ball carrier more freely than the Mike. The biggest difference between the Will we have used and what we need going forward will be a more physical player. I do not think we will recruit the JRM/Sapp body type at this position. The reason is in the 3 man front, the Will is uncovered just like the Mike.
Our Will bodies include Kirkland, Sapp, Reid, Peterson, and Bituli. Perhaps Ignont if we wanted to be really big inside. I do consider both Mike and Will to be inside linebackers.
The Sam is a guy who has to own the edge, both from space and from the line of scrimmage.
Our Sam bodies include Allen, Smith, Ignont, and Bituli. Perhaps Peterson as well.
The Jack is the classic DE/OLB combo player. He is a true DE in a 4 man front who can drop into space on a zone blitz, but he can be a true space player based on pre-snap alignment from time to time.
Our Jack bodies include Taylor, Allen, Blakely, and Ignont.
You'll notice that I included Peterson, Ignont, and Bituli in every position. Pruitt said that the best guys can play all 4 spots, and he's right. I think those 3 guys could have some Donta Hightower to their game.
I have drawn up the most elementary version of how we will line up. Of course the substitution packages and so on can be a lot more complex, but in its simplest I think the way I've drawn it up will hold true.
To get from a 4-3 to a 4-2-5, one guy moves and thats the substitution of Sam out and Nickel in.
To get from a 4 man front to a 3 man front there is zero substitution required, just different alignment from your existing front 7 (assuming the Sam is already on the field).
Again, the packages can be much more complex and I am sure as the team grows into this scheme we will ask guys to be more and more versatile, but you can get in-and-out of 3 different personnel packages with almost zero substitutions.
Moving onto the defensive line...
The end position will be bigger than our ends of the past 5 seasons. The SDE is a guy who plays everything from a wide-9 to a 3-tech. Most of the time will be spent in a 5 or 4i.
Our end bodies include Phillips, Kongbo, Butler, and maybe Johnson. Mincy and Emerson could play here too depending on where their bodies are once they get here.
The Nose isn't a great deal different from the DT's we have been using. Perhaps he is a bigger player but don't think we need a Mount Cody type guy here because we don't.
The Nose will be guys like Tuttle, Bain, Alexis Johnson, and Crosby.
The DT is a guy who lives in a 3-tech but can slide out to a 4i, perhaps even a 5 from time to time.
I see guys like Tuttle, Picou, Butler, Mincy, and Emerson being able to play here.
The Mike and Will won't change a great deal from what we have used the past 5 seasons. Your Mike needs to be a bigger player because he is "uncovered" by the DL's alignment more often than the Will.
Our Mike bodies include Kirkland, Ignont, Bituli, and Peterson.
The Will needs to be a little better runner because he is "covered" and should be able to pursue the ball carrier more freely than the Mike. The biggest difference between the Will we have used and what we need going forward will be a more physical player. I do not think we will recruit the JRM/Sapp body type at this position. The reason is in the 3 man front, the Will is uncovered just like the Mike.
Our Will bodies include Kirkland, Sapp, Reid, Peterson, and Bituli. Perhaps Ignont if we wanted to be really big inside. I do consider both Mike and Will to be inside linebackers.
The Sam is a guy who has to own the edge, both from space and from the line of scrimmage.
Our Sam bodies include Allen, Smith, Ignont, and Bituli. Perhaps Peterson as well.
The Jack is the classic DE/OLB combo player. He is a true DE in a 4 man front who can drop into space on a zone blitz, but he can be a true space player based on pre-snap alignment from time to time.
Our Jack bodies include Taylor, Allen, Blakely, and Ignont.
You'll notice that I included Peterson, Ignont, and Bituli in every position. Pruitt said that the best guys can play all 4 spots, and he's right. I think those 3 guys could have some Donta Hightower to their game.
I have drawn up the most elementary version of how we will line up. Of course the substitution packages and so on can be a lot more complex, but in its simplest I think the way I've drawn it up will hold true.
To get from a 4-3 to a 4-2-5, one guy moves and thats the substitution of Sam out and Nickel in.
To get from a 4 man front to a 3 man front there is zero substitution required, just different alignment from your existing front 7 (assuming the Sam is already on the field).
Again, the packages can be much more complex and I am sure as the team grows into this scheme we will ask guys to be more and more versatile, but you can get in-and-out of 3 different personnel packages with almost zero substitutions.
Moving onto the defensive line...
The end position will be bigger than our ends of the past 5 seasons. The SDE is a guy who plays everything from a wide-9 to a 3-tech. Most of the time will be spent in a 5 or 4i.
Our end bodies include Phillips, Kongbo, Butler, and maybe Johnson. Mincy and Emerson could play here too depending on where their bodies are once they get here.
The Nose isn't a great deal different from the DT's we have been using. Perhaps he is a bigger player but don't think we need a Mount Cody type guy here because we don't.
The Nose will be guys like Tuttle, Bain, Alexis Johnson, and Crosby.
The DT is a guy who lives in a 3-tech but can slide out to a 4i, perhaps even a 5 from time to time.
I see guys like Tuttle, Picou, Butler, Mincy, and Emerson being able to play here.
