Not looking at it collectively and just looking at the individual guys, who are some guys you are excited about in this class? Re-watching everything, I am thinking this for these guys (which will change by next week of course)...
Antione Frazier - He could end up being my Jeremiah Booker this year as a guy that when I first watched was just OK on, then watched again and thought he could be a player, and by the time he got here thought he was going to be all world. I stood next to Frazier at the Spring Game and he was a good 3" taller than me and I am 6' 3" in shoes, so the kid definitely has the length to play tackle. When re-watching his stuff, what stood out to me was he stuck with his blocks well - that is something I don't remember watching the first time with him. Build him up, and he has a shot at contributing by his RS SO year IMO...his clips...
Hunter Harris - I still think how big/strong he gets will ultimately determine if he will be a player or not, but everything else from blocking and moving he can do, which is important. Beyond that, something a fellow country boy can tell just by looking at another country boy with pretty decent accuracy is if a kid has a bit of a mean streak to him and you don't want to mess with him. Hunter has that look. Whatever he ends up doing, one thing I feel pretty confident about is that I don't think he will back down from anyone...his clips...
Joe Malanga - Usually with a JUCO OL, I worry that he may need a year to get bigger or a year to get stronger or a year to get in better shape so he can move well. That isn't the case with Malanga - I think he has the size, strength, and athleticism to play now. I do think he needs to work on learning the ins and outs of being a better blocker, which makes me glad he is getting here at semester. I am really curious to see how he progresses from last year when some of his sophomore clips come out. As of right now, I see him as a guy that will struggle some early on but by the end of next year is a solid OL...but if he progresses better in JUCO this year than I expect...he could be a solid OL from day one...his clips...
Kyle Mayberry - Hands down my favorite commit in this class. I am expecting him to be a contributor his first year on campus and then be a three year starter. I would classify him more as a cover guy that a guy you want in run support, as well as I would like to see him get a little bit bigger, but he has legit speed and his cover skills are top notch...his clips...
Manaia Perese - Perese is a guy I am very excited about, but part of that excitement is because I don't know what we are getting with him yet. It's hard to judge from his clips a lot of things because you just see Spring practice highlights, but what you do see is a guy with a good frame and very active hands who moves well. How will he handle the run? Can he get a consistent pass rush? I am not sure, but there is a very real chance we got ourselves a steal with Perese that we may be very thankful we got on early...his clips...
Ian Peterson - When I was re-watching his clips, the thing that really stuck out to me is how physical this guy is. For a guy that runs a sub 4.4 40, it is pretty shocking how well he does in the run game. He has the athleticism to play CB, but because of this physical nature he shows I want him at safety. Now I don't see much difference between safety and CB at the Big 12 level - just the past few years we have had Cassius Sendish and LB Bates move from CB to S to play in this league. I am expecting this to happen with Shaquille Richmond as well. So I would see Peterson as a safety in name only, but doing a lot of CB stuff as well. Either way, not many teams can boast a safety with his athleticism, of which he is another guy I am expecting to start in his second year with the team...his clips...
Braylon Royal - I keep referring to the WRs individually as pieces. Royal is not an exception to that here. He is a guy that I think fills a very vital role for the team, but am not expecting him to be a #1 type WR. This guy is a speed guy - he is a guy that can make the deep catch and keep defenses honest. We don't have a lot of guys like that, so I see some value here in having him be a guy that helps other receivers in more ways than just catching the deep ball by allowing them some room to work underneath when he is in...his clips...
Marquis Smith - Re-watching his stuff, I am just incredibly impressed with how smooth this kid is making transitions. I think he may require a little bit more work in coverage skills than Mayberry, but Smith has a chance to be very good in due time. He has the speed you like in a guy, and with that ability to change directions, I think it will only help this kid. I think we got a steal here that some in Michigan will be wondering why they weren't on this kid harder in the beginning...his clips...
Kurtis Taufa - the funny thing to me is if you asked the fan base would you rather have a pass rusher or a LB, I think most would prefer a pass rusher. That's not to say that we don't need LBS, but pass rushing is a huge premium in this league. That's why I was a little bit surprised some were so defensive about suggesting this kid could be a pass rush specialist for us. Regardless, he is a guy that I noticed is at his best when blitzing. He looks comfortable attacking in this role. With his size, I could see a transition to the DL, but if we keep him at LB I could see some potential in our favorite defensive package The Bandit should Bowen bring that back...his clips...
In general, I am really excited about the DBs we are bringing in. Remember to count Shola Ayinde in this group (I think) and you are looking at nearly a handful of guys that I expect to be playing (and some starting) within two years and a group that helps us get out of the JUCO DB haul we have to take every two years.
Antione Frazier - He could end up being my Jeremiah Booker this year as a guy that when I first watched was just OK on, then watched again and thought he could be a player, and by the time he got here thought he was going to be all world. I stood next to Frazier at the Spring Game and he was a good 3" taller than me and I am 6' 3" in shoes, so the kid definitely has the length to play tackle. When re-watching his stuff, what stood out to me was he stuck with his blocks well - that is something I don't remember watching the first time with him. Build him up, and he has a shot at contributing by his RS SO year IMO...his clips...
Hunter Harris - I still think how big/strong he gets will ultimately determine if he will be a player or not, but everything else from blocking and moving he can do, which is important. Beyond that, something a fellow country boy can tell just by looking at another country boy with pretty decent accuracy is if a kid has a bit of a mean streak to him and you don't want to mess with him. Hunter has that look. Whatever he ends up doing, one thing I feel pretty confident about is that I don't think he will back down from anyone...his clips...
Joe Malanga - Usually with a JUCO OL, I worry that he may need a year to get bigger or a year to get stronger or a year to get in better shape so he can move well. That isn't the case with Malanga - I think he has the size, strength, and athleticism to play now. I do think he needs to work on learning the ins and outs of being a better blocker, which makes me glad he is getting here at semester. I am really curious to see how he progresses from last year when some of his sophomore clips come out. As of right now, I see him as a guy that will struggle some early on but by the end of next year is a solid OL...but if he progresses better in JUCO this year than I expect...he could be a solid OL from day one...his clips...
Kyle Mayberry - Hands down my favorite commit in this class. I am expecting him to be a contributor his first year on campus and then be a three year starter. I would classify him more as a cover guy that a guy you want in run support, as well as I would like to see him get a little bit bigger, but he has legit speed and his cover skills are top notch...his clips...
Manaia Perese - Perese is a guy I am very excited about, but part of that excitement is because I don't know what we are getting with him yet. It's hard to judge from his clips a lot of things because you just see Spring practice highlights, but what you do see is a guy with a good frame and very active hands who moves well. How will he handle the run? Can he get a consistent pass rush? I am not sure, but there is a very real chance we got ourselves a steal with Perese that we may be very thankful we got on early...his clips...
Ian Peterson - When I was re-watching his clips, the thing that really stuck out to me is how physical this guy is. For a guy that runs a sub 4.4 40, it is pretty shocking how well he does in the run game. He has the athleticism to play CB, but because of this physical nature he shows I want him at safety. Now I don't see much difference between safety and CB at the Big 12 level - just the past few years we have had Cassius Sendish and LB Bates move from CB to S to play in this league. I am expecting this to happen with Shaquille Richmond as well. So I would see Peterson as a safety in name only, but doing a lot of CB stuff as well. Either way, not many teams can boast a safety with his athleticism, of which he is another guy I am expecting to start in his second year with the team...his clips...
Braylon Royal - I keep referring to the WRs individually as pieces. Royal is not an exception to that here. He is a guy that I think fills a very vital role for the team, but am not expecting him to be a #1 type WR. This guy is a speed guy - he is a guy that can make the deep catch and keep defenses honest. We don't have a lot of guys like that, so I see some value here in having him be a guy that helps other receivers in more ways than just catching the deep ball by allowing them some room to work underneath when he is in...his clips...
Marquis Smith - Re-watching his stuff, I am just incredibly impressed with how smooth this kid is making transitions. I think he may require a little bit more work in coverage skills than Mayberry, but Smith has a chance to be very good in due time. He has the speed you like in a guy, and with that ability to change directions, I think it will only help this kid. I think we got a steal here that some in Michigan will be wondering why they weren't on this kid harder in the beginning...his clips...
Kurtis Taufa - the funny thing to me is if you asked the fan base would you rather have a pass rusher or a LB, I think most would prefer a pass rusher. That's not to say that we don't need LBS, but pass rushing is a huge premium in this league. That's why I was a little bit surprised some were so defensive about suggesting this kid could be a pass rush specialist for us. Regardless, he is a guy that I noticed is at his best when blitzing. He looks comfortable attacking in this role. With his size, I could see a transition to the DL, but if we keep him at LB I could see some potential in our favorite defensive package The Bandit should Bowen bring that back...his clips...
In general, I am really excited about the DBs we are bringing in. Remember to count Shola Ayinde in this group (I think) and you are looking at nearly a handful of guys that I expect to be playing (and some starting) within two years and a group that helps us get out of the JUCO DB haul we have to take every two years.
