Another clear choice for the weakest position group in yesterday's voting with the DL running away with things. So, the rankings so far are:
8: DL
9: LB
Keep voting as we build up towards opening day!
My take: KU lost a lot oF experience on the defensive line, both on the interior and the edge. Malcolm Lee, Sam Burt, Eddie Wilson, Lonnie Phelps, Caleb Sampson--those were some of the guys who made the Miles to Leipold transition work on defense, and held down the fort on the defensive line for a few years admirably. That said....could the defensive line actually be better this year without them? Devin Phillips is the headliner of the group, in my view--looks like a stud anchor in the middle, athletic, strong, and experienced. Jereme Robinson is the guy on the outside that I expect the most from--he has proven himself worthy the last few years as his snaps have continually increased, and by the end of last year was outplaying Lee regularly on the strong side DE. Young, athletic guys like DJ Withers, Tommy Dunn and Gage Keys on the interior may mean that we get more pass-rushing push this year inside than in the past, but their inexperience may also mean that you see a few bigger gaps in the run game up the middle, as well. People on this board love to dog Hayden Hatcher, who may start on the opposite side of Robinson, but the kid works hard on every play and made some plays last year when we really needed them, and doesn't seem to have the Lonnie Phelps "I'm going to run myself right out of this play for you" habit, either. There is depth at DE, with Austin Booker, Dylan Brooks, Patrick Joyner and Davion Westmoreland all bringing something to the table, and potentially rotating themselves into position to be above Hatcher and getting real snaps behind Robinson at times this year. And the middle of the defensive line has quality depth, as well, with Caleb Taylor having played hundreds of snaps for us the past few years, Kenean Caldwell having played a fair amount as a freshman, and three exciting freshmen in Marcus Calvin, Blake Herold and Grady Seyfert. There is an exciting young guy on the outside, as well, in Tony Terry. This is a position with less experience, more potential than linebacker, in my view. The future of the defensive line could be very bright, as the only guys that we lose after this season are Phillips, Hatcher and Joyner (along with an injured Ron McGee, who could theoretically apply for a medical redshirt--as could Joyner for his second season at Miami).
8: DL
9: LB
Keep voting as we build up towards opening day!
My take: KU lost a lot oF experience on the defensive line, both on the interior and the edge. Malcolm Lee, Sam Burt, Eddie Wilson, Lonnie Phelps, Caleb Sampson--those were some of the guys who made the Miles to Leipold transition work on defense, and held down the fort on the defensive line for a few years admirably. That said....could the defensive line actually be better this year without them? Devin Phillips is the headliner of the group, in my view--looks like a stud anchor in the middle, athletic, strong, and experienced. Jereme Robinson is the guy on the outside that I expect the most from--he has proven himself worthy the last few years as his snaps have continually increased, and by the end of last year was outplaying Lee regularly on the strong side DE. Young, athletic guys like DJ Withers, Tommy Dunn and Gage Keys on the interior may mean that we get more pass-rushing push this year inside than in the past, but their inexperience may also mean that you see a few bigger gaps in the run game up the middle, as well. People on this board love to dog Hayden Hatcher, who may start on the opposite side of Robinson, but the kid works hard on every play and made some plays last year when we really needed them, and doesn't seem to have the Lonnie Phelps "I'm going to run myself right out of this play for you" habit, either. There is depth at DE, with Austin Booker, Dylan Brooks, Patrick Joyner and Davion Westmoreland all bringing something to the table, and potentially rotating themselves into position to be above Hatcher and getting real snaps behind Robinson at times this year. And the middle of the defensive line has quality depth, as well, with Caleb Taylor having played hundreds of snaps for us the past few years, Kenean Caldwell having played a fair amount as a freshman, and three exciting freshmen in Marcus Calvin, Blake Herold and Grady Seyfert. There is an exciting young guy on the outside, as well, in Tony Terry. This is a position with less experience, more potential than linebacker, in my view. The future of the defensive line could be very bright, as the only guys that we lose after this season are Phillips, Hatcher and Joyner (along with an injured Ron McGee, who could theoretically apply for a medical redshirt--as could Joyner for his second season at Miami).
