Which positions are solidified and which are you seeing as open for competition? I know they're all open for competition but realistically, I see Marcus Oliver and TJ Simmons holding down the ILB spot. I see Ralph Green and Nate Hoff holding down the NT spot.
DT spot, Robert McCray really showed signs of progress, so could see him earning a starting job. After that, I'm not seeing much depth. We're getting into Derrian Memminger,Joe Beldon, and Pat Daugherty. So I understand the staff thinking Ja'Marez Bowen would be a good fill at that position, and I'm sure the staff is thinking someone like Amir Watts could come in and play right away. Also a reason why Jovan Swann was such a big target. Anybody who ends up committing at that position would have a great shot at coming in and getting playing time immediately.
DE spot, Jacob Robinson is probably considered the incumbent unless Shawn Heffern is coming back (?). Definitely another spot someone can come in and get playing time early. Initially it seems like we're underdeveloped at this position unless Nile Sykes moves down. Potential recruits coming in would be Edrick Mathews and Elijah Ponder. They don't seem as talented as Amir Watts but could still see them playing sooner rather than later.
Bandit spot, Nile Sykes and Greg Gooch, would expect them to be above average at this position 3 years into the program. They're both talented. Quayshon Alexander or Jacoby Hill or DJ Wonnum, I could see them competing but I don't think any would be immediately more talented than Sykes or Gooch. Brandon Wilson I believe would be competing here too. Could see Chris Covington getting up in the 240 or 250 lb range and making a move.
OLB spot, between Clyde Newton, Zeke Walker, Chris Covington, and Dameon Willis, seems like we would be good here.
FS, Jonathan Crawford, would hope he'd be taking the next step at this position. We have Jayme Thompson coming in but if Crawford is taking the next step then I don't know where Thompson will fit in. I would say we could see him at boundary CB or SS but we'll have Wesley Green and Chase Dutra at those spots. I think he'll give us good depth and play but I don't see him becoming a huge impact player. Could definitely be wrong though.
SS, Chase will be a senior and I don't see anyone unseating him. I like Khalil Bryant, I was high on Tony Fields, Kiante Walton, and Will Dawkins but they haven't made huge impacts. I could see an incoming freshman stepping up and making the two deep. I think Tyler Green needs to move back to FS. He simply wasn't skilled enough to play CB last year.
Field CB, redshirt junior year for Rashard Fant and expecting him to have a great year. I think Andre Brown, Donovan Clark, Devonte Williams can play this position.
Boundary CB, Wesley Green, hopefully he's as good as his ranking and that answers our problems. Jayme Thompson, I think he could fill in here. Donovan Clark back and healthy. Andre Brown, I think he has potential to be really good. Marquavion Brinson is very physical so I would expect him to play here but he would need to add size.
So we should have depth in the secondary and with all we've recruited we really should have an improved secondary. I would expect.
Am I missing anybody or anything? Other thoughts?
DT spot, Robert McCray really showed signs of progress, so could see him earning a starting job. After that, I'm not seeing much depth. We're getting into Derrian Memminger,Joe Beldon, and Pat Daugherty. So I understand the staff thinking Ja'Marez Bowen would be a good fill at that position, and I'm sure the staff is thinking someone like Amir Watts could come in and play right away. Also a reason why Jovan Swann was such a big target. Anybody who ends up committing at that position would have a great shot at coming in and getting playing time immediately.
DE spot, Jacob Robinson is probably considered the incumbent unless Shawn Heffern is coming back (?). Definitely another spot someone can come in and get playing time early. Initially it seems like we're underdeveloped at this position unless Nile Sykes moves down. Potential recruits coming in would be Edrick Mathews and Elijah Ponder. They don't seem as talented as Amir Watts but could still see them playing sooner rather than later.
Bandit spot, Nile Sykes and Greg Gooch, would expect them to be above average at this position 3 years into the program. They're both talented. Quayshon Alexander or Jacoby Hill or DJ Wonnum, I could see them competing but I don't think any would be immediately more talented than Sykes or Gooch. Brandon Wilson I believe would be competing here too. Could see Chris Covington getting up in the 240 or 250 lb range and making a move.
OLB spot, between Clyde Newton, Zeke Walker, Chris Covington, and Dameon Willis, seems like we would be good here.
FS, Jonathan Crawford, would hope he'd be taking the next step at this position. We have Jayme Thompson coming in but if Crawford is taking the next step then I don't know where Thompson will fit in. I would say we could see him at boundary CB or SS but we'll have Wesley Green and Chase Dutra at those spots. I think he'll give us good depth and play but I don't see him becoming a huge impact player. Could definitely be wrong though.
SS, Chase will be a senior and I don't see anyone unseating him. I like Khalil Bryant, I was high on Tony Fields, Kiante Walton, and Will Dawkins but they haven't made huge impacts. I could see an incoming freshman stepping up and making the two deep. I think Tyler Green needs to move back to FS. He simply wasn't skilled enough to play CB last year.
Field CB, redshirt junior year for Rashard Fant and expecting him to have a great year. I think Andre Brown, Donovan Clark, Devonte Williams can play this position.
Boundary CB, Wesley Green, hopefully he's as good as his ranking and that answers our problems. Jayme Thompson, I think he could fill in here. Donovan Clark back and healthy. Andre Brown, I think he has potential to be really good. Marquavion Brinson is very physical so I would expect him to play here but he would need to add size.
So we should have depth in the secondary and with all we've recruited we really should have an improved secondary. I would expect.
Am I missing anybody or anything? Other thoughts?
