Banks
Worst case scenario, I see another Ngalu. However, that doesn't give him a starting job by any means because I think Visinia will lock down one starting spot. Once again, I think a lot depends on how good/bad the offensive tackles are this year in terms of allowing Martin to play guard. Banks is a tough kid that I suspect is going to struggle with the uptempo in spring ball but should be no excuses by August.
Booker
This kid reminds me of the big WRs Texas Tech would throw out there in the mid 2000s that were not burners but sure hands and would just keep snagging 5-6 yards play after play. I don't see him as ever getting to be a #1 so I think his ceiling is a guy that by his junior year can grab 40 or so balls in this type of offense.
Durley
Freaking impressive this kid will be a grey shirt. Compare him to the Chad Kolumber and Sean Connolly type of pick ups we have seen at offensive tackle that were signed initially and it is a sign there is a different approach and probably higher ability of recruiting to get this kid to sit for another 6+ months before joining the team full time like his peers. If they get this kid to shave 15 to 30# and then work on flexibility and build him back up some, there is a ton of potential here. He isn't from a huge powerhouse program so he's probably got more upside than a lot of kids from big cities in Texas.
Garza
Seems like each class has a forgotten man and I think that would go to Garza in this group. I see lots of similar skills from Garza that I did in Visinia's high school film. Flexibility will be the make or break part of his game. He'll need to make strides there or he'll be the next Bryan Peters. Projecting him is tough b/c he could come in and be a 3 year starter or nothing. It's kids like this that you hope Jackson can get him headed on the right trajectory b/c it could be a great final product.
Harrell
I've heard that Beaty had a great relationship with Mike Evans as well as obviously thought he was a superstar. Tossing out Harrell's name in the same breath as Evans should tell people what Beaty thinks this kid can be. If he isn't on the field next year, then it was a miss on evaluation b/c the roster is depleted and he'll have been here for spring ball. You have to think he'll be at 220# easily. He doesn't look fast on film but part of that seems to be his long stride. If the offense will be successful, Harrell will be a big part of that in 2 to 3 years.
Kinner
I see a lot of Mann in his running style, low to the ground and absorbs hits well. I think Kinner is faster than Mann though. Not sure how good of a blocker he is though. Some transcripts stuff kept this kid from going to Iowa. I would love to see Kinner be on the heels of everyone and get a nagging high ankle sprain and redshirt. With Cox and Mann done after next season and what will be a long tough season...his value is in 2 years with Avery providing 2 dynamic RBs. Lots of upside here and his ceiling is going to be what happens with Jackson in the off season. I felt Mann was way too bulky/stiff last year. Kinner seems like a kid that could end up the same way, if not he's got a lot of wiggle to him. Don't know if it's been posted but this is a kid that put up just shy of 3000 yards...in his senior year of high school. He would have been highly recruited if he was a full qualifier.
Martin
Watch his senior hudl film and tell me that it's significantly different than that of Dalvin Warmack...you can't. I think on film his stride is so smooth you don't appreciate how fast the kid is but watch how often he gets to the edge or even when he is running and guys are diving for him but hardly touch him...it's b/c he's moving at a good clip. Unless he moves to inside WR, he's surely going to redshirt and there is a chance for a huge career out of this kid.
McCauley
Offensive line recruiting is all about the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. He looked like a very lead footed kid in his junior film. When his name first started popping up as a target, I was not very excited. In his senior film, he looks slimmer and much better. The key for him is going to be getting stronger and using his hands. You can see in film he lets people slide inside him some if he doesn't get his hands on them quick enough. The way Beaty talks about him, you would think he's only about 225# with the frame to add a ton more but obviously he isn't that thin so I'm curious what his weight will end up being. Can't have enough kids like this you bring in and let get better.
Moore
This kid is a more compact Dexton Fields. He isn't going to be running a lot of zero routes but he is a kid that can find the soft spot in the cover 2 defenses seen throughout the league as teams are scared to give up the big play. Again this is not a #1 type of WR but I could see him get on the field in limited action next year and be a steady 40 reception guy soon and then slightly more over his career.
Rhodes
I think often times fans get hung up on measurements. At the end of the day, I don't care about kids being drafted and care more about kids being very good college football players that help KU win football games. Rhodes is too short for the top programs at tackle but after seeing the circus the KU offensive tackle spot has been for years now, this is an undervalued prospect because he played guard a lot but I can see him ending up at tackle.
Sims
If he is a productive return guy and gunner only, then that's more than ok for me. However, you have to think with his speed the offense will be looking to create plays for him to make something happen. In this type of offense though, kids must be able to block on the edge so if he was to play next year, it would be a tough spot for him at WR still due to size. I think the best case scenario is he turns into the next Jakeem Grant that is currently at Tech.
Smith
I want so bad for him to be a productive player. However, it doesn't seem to me that he will get on the field as the interior OL is one place I feel has quite a few talented players. If people watch his film though and compare it to Banks, there is a different level of play shown by Banks.
Stanley
I think people get all giddy about this kid and want to compare him to Reesing but this kid ran the ball well while Reesing was more of a scramble to keep a play going before throwing it. Nick Florence or Jake Waters are the type of QB he reminds me of more than Reesing. He has a good arm, not great. However, it is documented well enough for all Big 12 fans that you need to be accurate and get the ball out of your hands if you want to be good rather than have a howitzer for an arm. QBs are a lot like OL, get them here and see what happens under the lights.
Willis
I think too many people want to label QBs as mobile and not mobile on stats and what their high school asked of them. Take a look at Bryce Petty's numbers in high school. His junior year he didn't run much and had mediocre numbers. He was more than adequate running the ball as a college QB. I see a similar frame to Petty as well as skill set. Just like Stanley, get him on campus and find out what you have. The thing about Willis is he will have a cloud of doubt over him because of Montell. The difference is Montell was an athlete that played QB and is scare to tuck it and run. Willis has a different edge to him and is a well groomed QB that understands the game more than Montell imo.
Worst case scenario, I see another Ngalu. However, that doesn't give him a starting job by any means because I think Visinia will lock down one starting spot. Once again, I think a lot depends on how good/bad the offensive tackles are this year in terms of allowing Martin to play guard. Banks is a tough kid that I suspect is going to struggle with the uptempo in spring ball but should be no excuses by August.
Booker
This kid reminds me of the big WRs Texas Tech would throw out there in the mid 2000s that were not burners but sure hands and would just keep snagging 5-6 yards play after play. I don't see him as ever getting to be a #1 so I think his ceiling is a guy that by his junior year can grab 40 or so balls in this type of offense.
Durley
Freaking impressive this kid will be a grey shirt. Compare him to the Chad Kolumber and Sean Connolly type of pick ups we have seen at offensive tackle that were signed initially and it is a sign there is a different approach and probably higher ability of recruiting to get this kid to sit for another 6+ months before joining the team full time like his peers. If they get this kid to shave 15 to 30# and then work on flexibility and build him back up some, there is a ton of potential here. He isn't from a huge powerhouse program so he's probably got more upside than a lot of kids from big cities in Texas.
Garza
Seems like each class has a forgotten man and I think that would go to Garza in this group. I see lots of similar skills from Garza that I did in Visinia's high school film. Flexibility will be the make or break part of his game. He'll need to make strides there or he'll be the next Bryan Peters. Projecting him is tough b/c he could come in and be a 3 year starter or nothing. It's kids like this that you hope Jackson can get him headed on the right trajectory b/c it could be a great final product.
Harrell
I've heard that Beaty had a great relationship with Mike Evans as well as obviously thought he was a superstar. Tossing out Harrell's name in the same breath as Evans should tell people what Beaty thinks this kid can be. If he isn't on the field next year, then it was a miss on evaluation b/c the roster is depleted and he'll have been here for spring ball. You have to think he'll be at 220# easily. He doesn't look fast on film but part of that seems to be his long stride. If the offense will be successful, Harrell will be a big part of that in 2 to 3 years.
Kinner
I see a lot of Mann in his running style, low to the ground and absorbs hits well. I think Kinner is faster than Mann though. Not sure how good of a blocker he is though. Some transcripts stuff kept this kid from going to Iowa. I would love to see Kinner be on the heels of everyone and get a nagging high ankle sprain and redshirt. With Cox and Mann done after next season and what will be a long tough season...his value is in 2 years with Avery providing 2 dynamic RBs. Lots of upside here and his ceiling is going to be what happens with Jackson in the off season. I felt Mann was way too bulky/stiff last year. Kinner seems like a kid that could end up the same way, if not he's got a lot of wiggle to him. Don't know if it's been posted but this is a kid that put up just shy of 3000 yards...in his senior year of high school. He would have been highly recruited if he was a full qualifier.
Martin
Watch his senior hudl film and tell me that it's significantly different than that of Dalvin Warmack...you can't. I think on film his stride is so smooth you don't appreciate how fast the kid is but watch how often he gets to the edge or even when he is running and guys are diving for him but hardly touch him...it's b/c he's moving at a good clip. Unless he moves to inside WR, he's surely going to redshirt and there is a chance for a huge career out of this kid.
McCauley
Offensive line recruiting is all about the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. He looked like a very lead footed kid in his junior film. When his name first started popping up as a target, I was not very excited. In his senior film, he looks slimmer and much better. The key for him is going to be getting stronger and using his hands. You can see in film he lets people slide inside him some if he doesn't get his hands on them quick enough. The way Beaty talks about him, you would think he's only about 225# with the frame to add a ton more but obviously he isn't that thin so I'm curious what his weight will end up being. Can't have enough kids like this you bring in and let get better.
Moore
This kid is a more compact Dexton Fields. He isn't going to be running a lot of zero routes but he is a kid that can find the soft spot in the cover 2 defenses seen throughout the league as teams are scared to give up the big play. Again this is not a #1 type of WR but I could see him get on the field in limited action next year and be a steady 40 reception guy soon and then slightly more over his career.
Rhodes
I think often times fans get hung up on measurements. At the end of the day, I don't care about kids being drafted and care more about kids being very good college football players that help KU win football games. Rhodes is too short for the top programs at tackle but after seeing the circus the KU offensive tackle spot has been for years now, this is an undervalued prospect because he played guard a lot but I can see him ending up at tackle.
Sims
If he is a productive return guy and gunner only, then that's more than ok for me. However, you have to think with his speed the offense will be looking to create plays for him to make something happen. In this type of offense though, kids must be able to block on the edge so if he was to play next year, it would be a tough spot for him at WR still due to size. I think the best case scenario is he turns into the next Jakeem Grant that is currently at Tech.
Smith
I want so bad for him to be a productive player. However, it doesn't seem to me that he will get on the field as the interior OL is one place I feel has quite a few talented players. If people watch his film though and compare it to Banks, there is a different level of play shown by Banks.
Stanley
I think people get all giddy about this kid and want to compare him to Reesing but this kid ran the ball well while Reesing was more of a scramble to keep a play going before throwing it. Nick Florence or Jake Waters are the type of QB he reminds me of more than Reesing. He has a good arm, not great. However, it is documented well enough for all Big 12 fans that you need to be accurate and get the ball out of your hands if you want to be good rather than have a howitzer for an arm. QBs are a lot like OL, get them here and see what happens under the lights.
Willis
I think too many people want to label QBs as mobile and not mobile on stats and what their high school asked of them. Take a look at Bryce Petty's numbers in high school. His junior year he didn't run much and had mediocre numbers. He was more than adequate running the ball as a college QB. I see a similar frame to Petty as well as skill set. Just like Stanley, get him on campus and find out what you have. The thing about Willis is he will have a cloud of doubt over him because of Montell. The difference is Montell was an athlete that played QB and is scare to tuck it and run. Willis has a different edge to him and is a well groomed QB that understands the game more than Montell imo.
