We have some very highly recruited guys on the defensive side of the ball who due to different circumstances haven't gotten a chance to show their wares yet. These are the elite-level athletes that we don’t have enough of, and so we must develop them and maximize their ability starting in 2017. If the following can use the spring as a...wait for it...springboard to fall production than IMO the outlook for this team greatly improves:
1) DT Alexis Johnson: Highly recruited, looked good when he got back on the team in the fall before (lack of) conditioning took him out of the mix for the season. If he can be the player the staff saw in September that not only would provide a huge boost in the middle (where we already have studs like KMac and when-he-returns Tuttle plus Vickers and new strongman Picou) but also allow a guy like Kongbo to focus on DE. Speaking of...
2) DE Kongbo: #1 JUCO in the country who came on at the end of the season and in bowl practices at DT but has the mindset that he wants to be a DE and has put in the time to slim down and (hopefully) gain the explosiveness to be the stud we expected. We all know that DE is an area of concern both in terms of depth as well as known playmakers viz. what we’re losing in Barnett/Vereen
3: DE Taylor: Same deal in terms of need, and Taylor has flashed in practices to the point where we’ve all expected him to break out already. If he and Kongbo can both put it together the defense looks a whole lot different
4) LB Sapp: I was at the Ohio game, and I *think* I remember him getting and thinking “that’s a bummer, at least he’s a backup though.” Then JRM got hurt almost immediately after and all of the sudden not only were we missing arguably our best all-around and most important player but we had just lost his backup as well. Sapp has JRM type size/speed, and while we haven’t seen him on the field in any real capacity he was a star of last spring and had Rob (among others) gushing. I know he’s not 100% but IMO he’s the most athletic LB on the team and if he can use the spring to get himself in position to compete for that starting WLB spot we’re in good shape
5) LB Bituli: Just a stud. We need to find a way to get him and DK on the field at the same time. Would be a massive waste of talent to have him sit as the #2 MLB. We absolutely have to get him on the field now that he’s no longer a freshman who doesn’t know the defense
6) CB Martin: Stud athletically and size-wise. Has played (oftentimes not well) a decent amount of football in this conference. Has a chance with Warren to start fresh. If he can put it together, especially mentally and from and effort and consistency perspective, we might have ourselves an NFL CB opposite of an experienced Moseley
7) S Warrior: We all know the deal. Elite talent and athleticism, couldn’t get the defense down enough to be trusted, especially after his bust against SoCar. But there are no more excuses for Nigel OR for Shoop. One’s a 5-star player, the other is a million dollar coordinator who coaches the Safeties himself. Get Warrior on the field and you no longer see Safeties getting over a step or two too slow against a deep ball or taking bad angles in run support due to lack of speed. Instead you see picks and big hits. And if it’s not working at S, or if a guy like Griffin is just stepping up and balling, then try Warrior at CB or NB – figure it out and do it now
Bonus freshman for the fall: Maleik Gray. I know he was very highly rated and recruited, but I feel like he’s a little bit of a forgotten man because at this point he doesn’t have a defined position. But IMO he’s an elite athlete like Warrior, and Shoop needs to figure out how to get him on the field ASAP. To me he’s got the potential to be a Jabril Peppers type – hybrid S/LB who just makes plays in the front 7 and can do some NB-type coverage more than adequately. IMO the staff has to maximize his talents and do it quickly.
Thoughts? @Brent_Hubbs @Rob Lewis @Austin_Price @Jesse_Simonton
1) DT Alexis Johnson: Highly recruited, looked good when he got back on the team in the fall before (lack of) conditioning took him out of the mix for the season. If he can be the player the staff saw in September that not only would provide a huge boost in the middle (where we already have studs like KMac and when-he-returns Tuttle plus Vickers and new strongman Picou) but also allow a guy like Kongbo to focus on DE. Speaking of...
2) DE Kongbo: #1 JUCO in the country who came on at the end of the season and in bowl practices at DT but has the mindset that he wants to be a DE and has put in the time to slim down and (hopefully) gain the explosiveness to be the stud we expected. We all know that DE is an area of concern both in terms of depth as well as known playmakers viz. what we’re losing in Barnett/Vereen
3: DE Taylor: Same deal in terms of need, and Taylor has flashed in practices to the point where we’ve all expected him to break out already. If he and Kongbo can both put it together the defense looks a whole lot different
4) LB Sapp: I was at the Ohio game, and I *think* I remember him getting and thinking “that’s a bummer, at least he’s a backup though.” Then JRM got hurt almost immediately after and all of the sudden not only were we missing arguably our best all-around and most important player but we had just lost his backup as well. Sapp has JRM type size/speed, and while we haven’t seen him on the field in any real capacity he was a star of last spring and had Rob (among others) gushing. I know he’s not 100% but IMO he’s the most athletic LB on the team and if he can use the spring to get himself in position to compete for that starting WLB spot we’re in good shape
5) LB Bituli: Just a stud. We need to find a way to get him and DK on the field at the same time. Would be a massive waste of talent to have him sit as the #2 MLB. We absolutely have to get him on the field now that he’s no longer a freshman who doesn’t know the defense
6) CB Martin: Stud athletically and size-wise. Has played (oftentimes not well) a decent amount of football in this conference. Has a chance with Warren to start fresh. If he can put it together, especially mentally and from and effort and consistency perspective, we might have ourselves an NFL CB opposite of an experienced Moseley
7) S Warrior: We all know the deal. Elite talent and athleticism, couldn’t get the defense down enough to be trusted, especially after his bust against SoCar. But there are no more excuses for Nigel OR for Shoop. One’s a 5-star player, the other is a million dollar coordinator who coaches the Safeties himself. Get Warrior on the field and you no longer see Safeties getting over a step or two too slow against a deep ball or taking bad angles in run support due to lack of speed. Instead you see picks and big hits. And if it’s not working at S, or if a guy like Griffin is just stepping up and balling, then try Warrior at CB or NB – figure it out and do it now
Bonus freshman for the fall: Maleik Gray. I know he was very highly rated and recruited, but I feel like he’s a little bit of a forgotten man because at this point he doesn’t have a defined position. But IMO he’s an elite athlete like Warrior, and Shoop needs to figure out how to get him on the field ASAP. To me he’s got the potential to be a Jabril Peppers type – hybrid S/LB who just makes plays in the front 7 and can do some NB-type coverage more than adequately. IMO the staff has to maximize his talents and do it quickly.
Thoughts? @Brent_Hubbs @Rob Lewis @Austin_Price @Jesse_Simonton
