Really interesting look at the line of demarcation in recruiting rankings that we identified in discussions last week. Since 2011, we have signed 8 LBs ranked 5.6+ and 7 LBs ranked below 5.6.
5 of the 8 5.6+ players have started at some point. Townsend (mentally unstable) and Rogers (surprisingly gave up football) washed out. Chad Smith TBD. That's a pretty good hit rate.
Of the other group, Walls and Burrell were just bad takes. Greenlee can't play LB at this level and was moved to a reserve blocking TE position.
The 2014 class is the real killer. We signed FIVE linebackers. It appears that only ONE will pan out. Williams has time, but he's just so small and gets overwhelmed. Then there are the Davis twins...
At present, it looks like 1 of the 7 <5.6 LBs has a chance to become a starter.
On another note - I saw Eric Boggs making plays all over the field Saturday. I wonder if he would have accepted one of the 3 grayshirts that we handed out in the 2014 class? Would anyone disagree that he's better than both Davis' and Williams?
2011
Stephone Anthony - 6.1
Tony Steward - 6.1
BJ Goodson - 5.6
Lateek Townsend - 5.8
Colton Walls - 5.4
2012
TJ Burrell - 5.5
2013
Ben Boulware - 5.8
DJ Greenlee - 5.2
Dorain O'Daniel - 5.9
2014
JD Davis - 5.2
Judah Davis - 5.2
Kendall Joseph - 5.5
Chris Register - 5.7
Korie Rogers - 6.0
Jalen Williams - 5.5
2015
Chad Smith - 6.0
5 of the 8 5.6+ players have started at some point. Townsend (mentally unstable) and Rogers (surprisingly gave up football) washed out. Chad Smith TBD. That's a pretty good hit rate.
Of the other group, Walls and Burrell were just bad takes. Greenlee can't play LB at this level and was moved to a reserve blocking TE position.
The 2014 class is the real killer. We signed FIVE linebackers. It appears that only ONE will pan out. Williams has time, but he's just so small and gets overwhelmed. Then there are the Davis twins...
At present, it looks like 1 of the 7 <5.6 LBs has a chance to become a starter.
On another note - I saw Eric Boggs making plays all over the field Saturday. I wonder if he would have accepted one of the 3 grayshirts that we handed out in the 2014 class? Would anyone disagree that he's better than both Davis' and Williams?
2011
Stephone Anthony - 6.1
Tony Steward - 6.1
BJ Goodson - 5.6
Lateek Townsend - 5.8
Colton Walls - 5.4
2012
TJ Burrell - 5.5
2013
Ben Boulware - 5.8
DJ Greenlee - 5.2
Dorain O'Daniel - 5.9
2014
JD Davis - 5.2
Judah Davis - 5.2
Kendall Joseph - 5.5
Chris Register - 5.7
Korie Rogers - 6.0
Jalen Williams - 5.5
2015
Chad Smith - 6.0
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