Two months ago we were looking at a really good OL class and now we are back starting from scratch - such is the life of recruiting. It is what it is, so time to move on and look at who else KU has been recruiting...
The Local Kids
Joey Gilbertson - IMO, he is the best OL in the state. Don't get me wrong, Rivas is a good OL as well, but I really like Gilbertson and think he can turn into a really solid OL with some S&C. To me, Gilbertson is the type of kid in the past few years that would have walked on to KSU or went to BuCo and turned into a really good OL that people asked why he wasn't getting offers out of HS...well KU is going after those kids now, so I think people should be happy about him getting an offer (especially this early)
Josh Rivas - the big guy with power. Without this turning into the debate on fit or not fit again, I think everybody can agree this kid can block. I think Hocker was going to be a guard for us, so could see some more value now in a guy like Rivas taking up his spot. Will be a fun kid to watch develop over the next couple of years
The Texas Kids
Dominic Pastucci - this is my favorite OL prospect that we are on. A 6' 5" 250 lbs kid that is a big time weight lifter (breaking Semaji Perine's local HS record for power clean, impressive given his height). Knowing that before watching his stuff, I figured he would be kind of stiff...but in the short amount of clips there are of him that isn't the case, the kid can really move. Getting bigger and keeping that flexibility/speed will be key, but strength won't be a problem for him
Derek Kerstetter - my other favorite OL we are on, kid is an outstanding blocker with really good feet. He has been racking up quite a few offers lately (just got an OkSU offer), so could be a hard guy to land, but he said he is going to visit us so there is a chance
Eleasah Anderson - he reminds me some of Gilbertson, although Gilbertson has a little bit more speed than him. Another guy that will need some S&C to reshape himself, but seems like a fundamentally sound blocker
His clips
Justin Hall - has been listed as having a KU offer for a while, but hasn't been much news on him. Very similar to the TE prospects we have offered, the kind of guy that you would look in the weight room and 3 or 4 years down the road hope the work has paid off
His clips
The Developmental Guys
Will Wallace - of the non-OL guys they have offered to play OL, probably the one I like the most. Plays small school ball, so he should dominate, but is pretty physical out there. Great frame that can be worked with, be patient with him, but a few years down the road could develop into a really good OL
Jax Wacaser - the Arizona TE that Yenser visited on his last day on the road. Strength is one area he will definitely have to work on, but like the other developmental guys KU has offered has that long frame and quick feet
His clips
Overall - Where are we at?
The above is great, but you are probably wondering if these guys are in the same league as Polley and Hocker. I think some arguments could be made for Pastucci and Kerstetter, but really I do think it is fair to say Polley and Hocker as prospects are probably a notch above what we are looking at right now.
That doesn't mean there isn't any hope. First thing is of all of the positions out there, OL is probably the one that needs development the most. You never know with those guys what they will look like in a few years after S&C - Will Wallace could end up being a 300+ lbs athletic freak. We have a pretty solid group of young OL here right now, so guys in the 2017 class won't be forced to play right away and really allow these guys to get physically ready before being thrown in there. The other thing to remember is there are plenty of guys out there, guys the staff hasn't offered or found yet, that could end up being really good OL. This is the same staff that found guys like Clyde McCauley, Larry Hughes, and Cam Durley very late in the recruiting process. This is also a staff that is showing they will look under any rock they can to find an OL prospect - guys like the developmental guys and James Lynch are proof they are looking everywhere regardless of current position to find OL guys.
The staff has 8 months to figure this out. Sure, I would have preferred Polley and Hocker staying with the good guys, but that doesn't mean it's the end of the world. Way too early in the recruiting process to get too mad at anything happening.
The Local Kids
Joey Gilbertson - IMO, he is the best OL in the state. Don't get me wrong, Rivas is a good OL as well, but I really like Gilbertson and think he can turn into a really solid OL with some S&C. To me, Gilbertson is the type of kid in the past few years that would have walked on to KSU or went to BuCo and turned into a really good OL that people asked why he wasn't getting offers out of HS...well KU is going after those kids now, so I think people should be happy about him getting an offer (especially this early)
Josh Rivas - the big guy with power. Without this turning into the debate on fit or not fit again, I think everybody can agree this kid can block. I think Hocker was going to be a guard for us, so could see some more value now in a guy like Rivas taking up his spot. Will be a fun kid to watch develop over the next couple of years
The Texas Kids
Dominic Pastucci - this is my favorite OL prospect that we are on. A 6' 5" 250 lbs kid that is a big time weight lifter (breaking Semaji Perine's local HS record for power clean, impressive given his height). Knowing that before watching his stuff, I figured he would be kind of stiff...but in the short amount of clips there are of him that isn't the case, the kid can really move. Getting bigger and keeping that flexibility/speed will be key, but strength won't be a problem for him
Derek Kerstetter - my other favorite OL we are on, kid is an outstanding blocker with really good feet. He has been racking up quite a few offers lately (just got an OkSU offer), so could be a hard guy to land, but he said he is going to visit us so there is a chance
Eleasah Anderson - he reminds me some of Gilbertson, although Gilbertson has a little bit more speed than him. Another guy that will need some S&C to reshape himself, but seems like a fundamentally sound blocker
His clips
Justin Hall - has been listed as having a KU offer for a while, but hasn't been much news on him. Very similar to the TE prospects we have offered, the kind of guy that you would look in the weight room and 3 or 4 years down the road hope the work has paid off
His clips
The Developmental Guys
Will Wallace - of the non-OL guys they have offered to play OL, probably the one I like the most. Plays small school ball, so he should dominate, but is pretty physical out there. Great frame that can be worked with, be patient with him, but a few years down the road could develop into a really good OL
Jax Wacaser - the Arizona TE that Yenser visited on his last day on the road. Strength is one area he will definitely have to work on, but like the other developmental guys KU has offered has that long frame and quick feet
His clips
Overall - Where are we at?
The above is great, but you are probably wondering if these guys are in the same league as Polley and Hocker. I think some arguments could be made for Pastucci and Kerstetter, but really I do think it is fair to say Polley and Hocker as prospects are probably a notch above what we are looking at right now.
That doesn't mean there isn't any hope. First thing is of all of the positions out there, OL is probably the one that needs development the most. You never know with those guys what they will look like in a few years after S&C - Will Wallace could end up being a 300+ lbs athletic freak. We have a pretty solid group of young OL here right now, so guys in the 2017 class won't be forced to play right away and really allow these guys to get physically ready before being thrown in there. The other thing to remember is there are plenty of guys out there, guys the staff hasn't offered or found yet, that could end up being really good OL. This is the same staff that found guys like Clyde McCauley, Larry Hughes, and Cam Durley very late in the recruiting process. This is also a staff that is showing they will look under any rock they can to find an OL prospect - guys like the developmental guys and James Lynch are proof they are looking everywhere regardless of current position to find OL guys.
The staff has 8 months to figure this out. Sure, I would have preferred Polley and Hocker staying with the good guys, but that doesn't mean it's the end of the world. Way too early in the recruiting process to get too mad at anything happening.
