2014 recruiting random thoughts

[Husky83]

Some thoughts after digesting all of the recruiting information:

• Arkeel Newsome is an absolute stud and rare talent. His highlight videos reveal a very smart and efficient player with a great combination of speed, shiftiness and power. The best analogy I can think of is to a soccer savant like Lionel Messi who just sees the field differently than everyone else.
• Ron Johnson was a real coup. Diaco and company were smart to see that a powerful, bruising back who can run over people was something that was lacking on the roster. He will be a real hassle for the WVUs of the world whose defenses are set up to stop the spread offense.
• Vontae Diggs' combination of size and cat-like quickness is just amazing - not sure we have ever had anyone like him. Another coup.
• The recruiting day videos posted on UConnhuskies.com are a must watch. The coaches come across great and there are some current and future coaching stars in that group. You will get taught and challenged if you come play UConn football. But also have a great time.
• I love some of the position shifts - Watkins to CB and Oak to center - subtle but maximizing abilities!
• I see Diaco doing what Brian Kelly did at Cincinnati. It was always noticeable to me when Cincinnati came to the Rent how much taller the players on average were than UConn's.

 

[freescooter]

Agree on all of your points. I love Diggs and I love Johnson. Those were both huge gets. I have to say I don't get how Diggs didn't get more offers. He looks like he has the makings of a very special player to me. I actually agree on the Cincinnatti comparison, too.

 

[Husky68]

Cinn. also did nice job of switching players positions based on need and perceived ability (especially offense to defense). Believe they put a tight end to defensive end (his senior year) who turned out to be NFL caliber at DE. Interested in seeing what UConn does with the German kid.

 

[CodyJ.]

I like Arkeel, but have some questions. Not slamming the guy by any means so please dont take it like that. I'm just wondering how the guy was that good? He looks fast, but not world class speed. Had some large holes to work with a lot of the time. Looks like he can make cuts, but I didnt see any show stoppers like Barry Sanders cuts. 5'6" or 5'7" at 170 soaking wet. Would he be fumble prone due to strength?
Just some questions. I love the pickup and he looks outstanding. Just would like other people's insight into what makes him so good. Because he is that good.

Diggs looks like he is our next NFL linebacker. Holy crow that kid can close.

 

[Oxford Bob]

I like Arkeel, but have some questions. Not slamming the guy by any means so please dont take it like that. I'm just wondering how the guy was that good? He looks fast, but not world class speed. Had some large holes to work with a lot of the time. Looks like he can make cuts, but I didnt see any show stoppers like Barry Sanders cuts. 5'6" or 5'7" at 170 soaking wet. Would he be fumble prone due to strength?
Just some questions. I love the pickup and he looks outstanding. Just would like other people's insight into what makes him so good. Because he is that good.

Diggs looks like he is our next NFL linebacker. Holy crow that kid can close.

I've gone back and forth about how good he could be for a couple years now. However, the more I've seen seen, the more impressed I am. The only question I have is if he can do it against much better competition. He will get stronger, so that should help.

While he did have some huge holes to run through, there have been many, many times he was hit in the backfield and turned it into a nice gain. Very rarely does he go down on first contact and almost never gets driven backwards, always falls forward. Can he do this at the next level? I think that would be the question we could have with most of the backs we recruit.

 

[huskymedic]

I like Arkeel, but have some questions. Not slamming the guy by any means so please dont take it like that. I'm just wondering how the guy was that good? He looks fast, but not world class speed. Had some large holes to work with a lot of the time. Looks like he can make cuts, but I didnt see any show stoppers like Barry Sanders cuts. 5'6" or 5'7" at 170 soaking wet. Would he be fumble prone due to strength?
Just some questions. I love the pickup and he looks outstanding. Just would like other people's insight into what makes him so good. Because he is that good.

Numerous highlight videos here: http://the-boneyard.com/threads/arkeel-newsome-piles-on-yardage-history-at-ansonia.43222/

He fumbled 6 times in his career (w/ over 900 carries and many punt/kick-off returns)... His strength will not be a problem.

His reported size is all over the board. He's not 5-6/5-7 170.

 

[freescooter]

My view is that worst case Newsome is a serviceable running back. I've only seen him play in person once and he was very good, but he also did have a number of huge holes. Heck there were times you could have fit the entire Normandy Invasion Force through them. But you could also see he had some real talent, too. I think his floor is probably McCombs. On the high end maybe a Jordan Todman type of a back more than say a Donald Brown type. That is one of the things that contributes to Connecticut players being under rated I think. the game I the opponent was supposed to be very good. I left when the score reached 40-something to 7. Because of the way we do education in this State, there are a bunch of small schools and there are very few times when you see two players on the field who have D1A potential. It isn't like you are lining up against a team with 3-4 future collegiate players every week. You might see 2 in your whole season. Dade County Florida had 2 high schools that had 5 D1A signees each and several more that had 2-4. Heck, Booker T Washington had not 1 but 2 5-star Defensive Ends and another defensive tackle who signed a LOI Wednesday. You put up decent numbers running against that you know a kid is a player. There were about a dozen D1A recruits in the State of Connecticut including prepsters who go to school here but aren't "from" here.

 

[metsfan2323]

Based on reports from his coach, Newsome's strengths are his vision, instincts, cut back ability. The best combination of those traits we have had was Terry Caulley. Based on film Newsome doesn't have the leg strength of Caulley yet. Hopefully that can develop. Newsome could certainly benefit from a redshirt year to get stronger and add some weight.

Here is Terry Caulley's high school video. Very similar to Newsome.

 

[Palatine]

Newsome has rare burst. He can see the hole then accelerate through it before a defense reacts. He is short but not small. He's powerful built. He doesn't have elite speed but he's plenty fast enough. I believe he will be a very good player.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

Newsome has rare burst. He can see the hole then accelerate through it before a defense reacts. He is short but not small. He's powerful built. He doesn't have elite speed but he's plenty fast enough. I believe he will be a very good player.

Someone posted that he has run sub-4.5. Is that not true?

 

[Husky25]

I think Lyle McCombs has proven that one man does not a running game make. Football begins and ends with the big uglies up front and type of scheme they run. More importantly, do they understand what they are supposed to be doing.

 

[joey3$trike$]

Kris1 would be the best bet for info for Arkeel! I saw him this year vs Masuk, and he has great vision, and great cutbacks. The kid has a nose for the endzone, now that's the kind of trait you can't teach. He might not be the biggest, or the fastest but he scores with the best of them. Touchdown Newsome! Only thing someone said earlier is, can he do it against better competition, why not! We'll see.

 

[BNich]

Based on reports from his coach, Newsome's strengths are his vision, instincts, cut back ability. The best combination of those traits we have had was Terry Caulley. Based on film Newsome doesn't have the leg strength of Caulley yet. Hopefully that can develop. Newsome could certainly benefit from a redshirt year to get stronger and add some weight.

Here is Terry Caulley's high school video. Very similar to Newsome.

Love me some Terry Caulley. Miss that little guy!