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With the late release of the 2-deep, I thought it would be fun to make some predictions to hold us til Sunday. I also rated the groups based on how I think they can perform. Do you agree/disagree?
Quarterbacks
QB1 - Pindell(Sr)
QB2 - Washington(RFr)
The Rest - Krajewski(Fr), Jordan McAfee(RFr), Bisack(Sr)
Grade(Best/Worst) : C+/C-
Notes: I am very Meh on the QB group this year. I think Pindell has some pretty good skills, particularly with his legs and quick screen throws, but really struggles in the pocket due to his size and limited awareness. My best guess is here that if we get off to a rough start, we may see Washington or Krajewski toward the end of the year in the more winnable games to get ready for next year and beyond.
Running Backs
RB1: Zavier Scott(RFr)
RB2: Kevin Mensah(So)
The Rest: Dante Black(Fr), Khyon Gillespie(Fr), Lavar Banton(Fr)
Grade(Best/Worst): B/C
Notes: I am a bit more skittish about this group than most seem to be. Losing Hopkins, a veteran and proven runner at the goal line, along with our RB1 Donevin O'Reilly in a week could really hurt us here. I think that Mensah, aside from his weird propensity to take enormous hits and fumble the ball, showed alot of promise. So the fact that Zavier Scott has clearly beat him out is good news. And the Freshmen sound like they are impressive. Best case scenario is we have no injuries, one of the freshman plays a role similar to Todman as a freshman change of pace, and we are good to go. But if we have an injury or two, we will be placing a whole lot of trust in some kids that were at their Senior Proms like 3 months ago at a critical position. Lots of upside, but some downside as well.
Wide Receivers
X1: Hergy Mayala(Sr)
X2: Keiyon Dixon(RSo)
The Rest: Mason Donaldson(RSo), Elijah Jeffries(Fr)
Y1: Kyle Buss(Sr)
Y2: Quavon Skanes(RSo)
The Rest: Heron Maurisseau(Fr), Garrison Burnett(RFr)
Z1: Tyraiq Beals(Sr)
Z2: Donovan Williams(Jr)
The Rest: Cameron Hairston(RFr), Justin Morehead(So), TJ Vernieri(RJr)
Grade(Best/Worst): B/B-
Notes: A ton of experience, a ton of varied skills, a ton of guys to rotate and stay fresh and mitigate injuries. This is probably our best, or at least deepest, position group. I feel very good going 8 Deep here, and sounds like some of the youngsters are pushing for time to break into that group as well. Lets hope we have someone that can sling the rock.
Tight Ends
TE1: Tyler Davis(RJr)
TE2: Aaron McLean(Sr)
The Rest: Jay Rose(So), Zordan Holman(RJr)
Grade(Best/Worst): C/D+
Notes: Well this group can definitely run and catch. Outside of the continued mystery of Jay Rose(?) and the fact that Zordan Holman may be able to use his Judo skills to block, there just isn't a ton of versatility and proven mashers in this group. Particularly when we need a tough yard or extra protection against aggressive defenses, I see that s a massive liability. The test will be whether John Dunn can take more advantage of this group as an X factor in the passing game or whether their blocking liabilities outweigh that. I have the least trust/faith in this position group of the entire offense.
Offensive Line
LT: Ryan Van Demark(So), Dylan Niedrowski(Fr)
LG: Cam DeGeorge(RSo), Nino Leone(RSo)
C: Ryan Crozier(RSr), Stanley Hubbard(RFr)
RG: Christian Haynes(Fr), Bryan Cespedes(RJr)
RT: Matt Peart(Jr), James Tunstall(RFr)
Grade(Best/Worst): B+/B-
Notes: I think we are looking at a Vintage Edsall(tm) Offensive Line. Stability and leadership at Center. I think Van Demark and DeGeorge are going to really take a big step this year with 12 months of weight training and start mauling people. I think Peart is rock solid and PFF rated him as our best player last year, and all reports are that Haynes is a beast as a True Freshman. If we look back and had a good offensive season, I think its because this group really came into their own and punished people while keeping Pindell upright. However, look at that 2-deep. The middle looks great, but our backup tackle situation is pretty scary. Lets just buy some bubble wrap for Peart and Van Demark and I'll be pumped.
Defensive Line
DE - Travis Jones(Fr), Jonathan Pace(Fr), Philip Okounam(RSr)
DT - Caleb Thomas(RFr), Kevin Murphy(RJr)
DE - Lwal Uguak(Fr), AJ Garson(RSo), Carlton Steer(Sr.
Grade(Best/Worst): B/C
Notes: What a deeply weird DL Roster! Small DTs, Humongous DEs. Tall Skinny Guys, Short Stocky guys. Going into the offseason I had a few chats with people about our roster. We looked at DL and basically realized that we were going to give up 40 pts/game this year. It was awful. Somehow it appears we hit the goldmine with the Freshmen. I really believe in 3 years we are going to be watching the NFL combine as Travis Jones pulls a Byron Jones on people, and leaves mouths agape with his athleticism/power. People watched that video of Crozier getting mauled and their reaction was "wow, is crozier bad?". No, we know he's a solid player. What I took from that video is "Wow, Travis Jones is an untamed monster and it is going to be a delight watching him whip OLs for the next 3 years." Oh, and he did that with a strait bull rush and like zero technique. Wait til Edsall puts him in the technique lab. Rant over. In short, with the Freshman bringing a ton of upside and skill, now the subpar veterans can slip to more reasonable backup roles to provide depth, and poof: out of nowhere a seemingly serviceable to good defensive line. Amazing.
Linebackers
SLB: Darrian Beavers(So), Eddie Hahn(RSo)
MLB: Ryan Gilmartin(RSo), Santana Sterling(RSr)
WLB: Eli Thomas(RJr), Hunter Webb(Fr)
Grade(Best/Worst): C+/D+
Notes: To me, this is the scariest position group on the team. We are relying on Beavers to take a leap and Eli Thomas to somehow play a full season or we are in biggggg trouble. MLB is a 4 person mess where you have two veterans with serious defficiencies and low upside(Gilmartin/Sterling) and two pups that have either been inconsistent(Gardner) or were in high school 10 minutes ago(Kevon Jones) at the most physically demanding position in the sport. on the outside, we have very little depth. IMO I think this is a big reason why we will often go with 4 true DL this year. It allows this group to rotate more and can be relied upon a bit less while retaining quality on the field. Bubble wrap Eli Thomas' knees please.
Defensive Backs
Husky: Marshe Terry(RJr), Ian Swenson(RFr)
CB: Taj Herring-Wilson(So), Ryan Carroll(Fr)
CB: Keyshaun Paul(Fr), Shamel Lazarus(Fr)
FS: Tyler Coyle(RSo), Jordan Morrison(Fr)
SS: Omar Fortt(So), ONeill Robinson(Fr)
Grade(Best/Worst): B-/C-
Notes: Wow, that's a lot of True Freshmen. 50% of our DBs. 90% are Freshmen or Sophomores. But I am cautiously optimistic. I loved the tape on Paul and Lazarus coming out of HS, so if they can hold up physically I think they will be better than our options last year. The big deal is that I think we massively upgraded our athleticism, full stop. We will have to live with mental mistakes, and space to learn, but I actually feel much better about this group now than 2 months ago. At Safety I think we are in very good hands. Coyle and Fortt should be the strength of our defense, and provide some backup to the pups at corner. This has always been a trademark of Edsall, to take raw athletes and turn them into NFL DBs. I think he has the right pieces, lets let him do his magic.
Specials
K: Mike Tarbutt(RJr)
P: Luke Maggliozzi(RFr)
KR: Keiyon Dixon(RSo)
PR: Kyle Buss(Sr)
Grade(Best/Worst): B/C
Notes: I think this group is a solid contingent. Tarbutt has the leg and now some experience. He feels more Teggart than Kristen to me. I think Maggliozzi has a bigger leg at P, and that will carry the day. As for returners, I think Buss fits well in the mold of short guys with wiggle and vision that has worked for Edsall, and Dixon is our fastest player with size, so I think that will also be a fit. Who knows?
Overall Offense: I think that with a Solid OL and WR group, we should be able to move the ball with regularity. If we get positive developments at either QB or RB, we could be pretty good. I think our two main risks are injuries at OT or further depletion at RB, which could really hamper our ability to execute with consistency.
Overall Defense: Good Lord, that's a young group. I think that overall our talent/speed/athleticism levels are massively upgraded, but our experience/awareness has certainly taken a hit. Expect some spectacular mixed in with boneheaded mistakes. We will have some really good games and oh my god we will get lit up sometimes. If our LB group can come together and the freshmen at DL/DB can hold their own, we could have a serviceable year. Either way, with our upgraded athleticism we will not have such a dreary sight. It will be very good and the very bad, mixed in.
Quarterbacks
QB1 - Pindell(Sr)
QB2 - Washington(RFr)
The Rest - Krajewski(Fr), Jordan McAfee(RFr), Bisack(Sr)
Grade(Best/Worst) : C+/C-
Notes: I am very Meh on the QB group this year. I think Pindell has some pretty good skills, particularly with his legs and quick screen throws, but really struggles in the pocket due to his size and limited awareness. My best guess is here that if we get off to a rough start, we may see Washington or Krajewski toward the end of the year in the more winnable games to get ready for next year and beyond.
Running Backs
RB1: Zavier Scott(RFr)
RB2: Kevin Mensah(So)
The Rest: Dante Black(Fr), Khyon Gillespie(Fr), Lavar Banton(Fr)
Grade(Best/Worst): B/C
Notes: I am a bit more skittish about this group than most seem to be. Losing Hopkins, a veteran and proven runner at the goal line, along with our RB1 Donevin O'Reilly in a week could really hurt us here. I think that Mensah, aside from his weird propensity to take enormous hits and fumble the ball, showed alot of promise. So the fact that Zavier Scott has clearly beat him out is good news. And the Freshmen sound like they are impressive. Best case scenario is we have no injuries, one of the freshman plays a role similar to Todman as a freshman change of pace, and we are good to go. But if we have an injury or two, we will be placing a whole lot of trust in some kids that were at their Senior Proms like 3 months ago at a critical position. Lots of upside, but some downside as well.
Wide Receivers
X1: Hergy Mayala(Sr)
X2: Keiyon Dixon(RSo)
The Rest: Mason Donaldson(RSo), Elijah Jeffries(Fr)
Y1: Kyle Buss(Sr)
Y2: Quavon Skanes(RSo)
The Rest: Heron Maurisseau(Fr), Garrison Burnett(RFr)
Z1: Tyraiq Beals(Sr)
Z2: Donovan Williams(Jr)
The Rest: Cameron Hairston(RFr), Justin Morehead(So), TJ Vernieri(RJr)
Grade(Best/Worst): B/B-
Notes: A ton of experience, a ton of varied skills, a ton of guys to rotate and stay fresh and mitigate injuries. This is probably our best, or at least deepest, position group. I feel very good going 8 Deep here, and sounds like some of the youngsters are pushing for time to break into that group as well. Lets hope we have someone that can sling the rock.
Tight Ends
TE1: Tyler Davis(RJr)
TE2: Aaron McLean(Sr)
The Rest: Jay Rose(So), Zordan Holman(RJr)
Grade(Best/Worst): C/D+
Notes: Well this group can definitely run and catch. Outside of the continued mystery of Jay Rose(?) and the fact that Zordan Holman may be able to use his Judo skills to block, there just isn't a ton of versatility and proven mashers in this group. Particularly when we need a tough yard or extra protection against aggressive defenses, I see that s a massive liability. The test will be whether John Dunn can take more advantage of this group as an X factor in the passing game or whether their blocking liabilities outweigh that. I have the least trust/faith in this position group of the entire offense.
Offensive Line
LT: Ryan Van Demark(So), Dylan Niedrowski(Fr)
LG: Cam DeGeorge(RSo), Nino Leone(RSo)
C: Ryan Crozier(RSr), Stanley Hubbard(RFr)
RG: Christian Haynes(Fr), Bryan Cespedes(RJr)
RT: Matt Peart(Jr), James Tunstall(RFr)
Grade(Best/Worst): B+/B-
Notes: I think we are looking at a Vintage Edsall(tm) Offensive Line. Stability and leadership at Center. I think Van Demark and DeGeorge are going to really take a big step this year with 12 months of weight training and start mauling people. I think Peart is rock solid and PFF rated him as our best player last year, and all reports are that Haynes is a beast as a True Freshman. If we look back and had a good offensive season, I think its because this group really came into their own and punished people while keeping Pindell upright. However, look at that 2-deep. The middle looks great, but our backup tackle situation is pretty scary. Lets just buy some bubble wrap for Peart and Van Demark and I'll be pumped.
Defensive Line
DE - Travis Jones(Fr), Jonathan Pace(Fr), Philip Okounam(RSr)
DT - Caleb Thomas(RFr), Kevin Murphy(RJr)
DE - Lwal Uguak(Fr), AJ Garson(RSo), Carlton Steer(Sr.
Grade(Best/Worst): B/C
Notes: What a deeply weird DL Roster! Small DTs, Humongous DEs. Tall Skinny Guys, Short Stocky guys. Going into the offseason I had a few chats with people about our roster. We looked at DL and basically realized that we were going to give up 40 pts/game this year. It was awful. Somehow it appears we hit the goldmine with the Freshmen. I really believe in 3 years we are going to be watching the NFL combine as Travis Jones pulls a Byron Jones on people, and leaves mouths agape with his athleticism/power. People watched that video of Crozier getting mauled and their reaction was "wow, is crozier bad?". No, we know he's a solid player. What I took from that video is "Wow, Travis Jones is an untamed monster and it is going to be a delight watching him whip OLs for the next 3 years." Oh, and he did that with a strait bull rush and like zero technique. Wait til Edsall puts him in the technique lab. Rant over. In short, with the Freshman bringing a ton of upside and skill, now the subpar veterans can slip to more reasonable backup roles to provide depth, and poof: out of nowhere a seemingly serviceable to good defensive line. Amazing.
Linebackers
SLB: Darrian Beavers(So), Eddie Hahn(RSo)
MLB: Ryan Gilmartin(RSo), Santana Sterling(RSr)
WLB: Eli Thomas(RJr), Hunter Webb(Fr)
Grade(Best/Worst): C+/D+
Notes: To me, this is the scariest position group on the team. We are relying on Beavers to take a leap and Eli Thomas to somehow play a full season or we are in biggggg trouble. MLB is a 4 person mess where you have two veterans with serious defficiencies and low upside(Gilmartin/Sterling) and two pups that have either been inconsistent(Gardner) or were in high school 10 minutes ago(Kevon Jones) at the most physically demanding position in the sport. on the outside, we have very little depth. IMO I think this is a big reason why we will often go with 4 true DL this year. It allows this group to rotate more and can be relied upon a bit less while retaining quality on the field. Bubble wrap Eli Thomas' knees please.
Defensive Backs
Husky: Marshe Terry(RJr), Ian Swenson(RFr)
CB: Taj Herring-Wilson(So), Ryan Carroll(Fr)
CB: Keyshaun Paul(Fr), Shamel Lazarus(Fr)
FS: Tyler Coyle(RSo), Jordan Morrison(Fr)
SS: Omar Fortt(So), ONeill Robinson(Fr)
Grade(Best/Worst): B-/C-
Notes: Wow, that's a lot of True Freshmen. 50% of our DBs. 90% are Freshmen or Sophomores. But I am cautiously optimistic. I loved the tape on Paul and Lazarus coming out of HS, so if they can hold up physically I think they will be better than our options last year. The big deal is that I think we massively upgraded our athleticism, full stop. We will have to live with mental mistakes, and space to learn, but I actually feel much better about this group now than 2 months ago. At Safety I think we are in very good hands. Coyle and Fortt should be the strength of our defense, and provide some backup to the pups at corner. This has always been a trademark of Edsall, to take raw athletes and turn them into NFL DBs. I think he has the right pieces, lets let him do his magic.
Specials
K: Mike Tarbutt(RJr)
P: Luke Maggliozzi(RFr)
KR: Keiyon Dixon(RSo)
PR: Kyle Buss(Sr)
Grade(Best/Worst): B/C
Notes: I think this group is a solid contingent. Tarbutt has the leg and now some experience. He feels more Teggart than Kristen to me. I think Maggliozzi has a bigger leg at P, and that will carry the day. As for returners, I think Buss fits well in the mold of short guys with wiggle and vision that has worked for Edsall, and Dixon is our fastest player with size, so I think that will also be a fit. Who knows?
Overall Offense: I think that with a Solid OL and WR group, we should be able to move the ball with regularity. If we get positive developments at either QB or RB, we could be pretty good. I think our two main risks are injuries at OT or further depletion at RB, which could really hamper our ability to execute with consistency.
Overall Defense: Good Lord, that's a young group. I think that overall our talent/speed/athleticism levels are massively upgraded, but our experience/awareness has certainly taken a hit. Expect some spectacular mixed in with boneheaded mistakes. We will have some really good games and oh my god we will get lit up sometimes. If our LB group can come together and the freshmen at DL/DB can hold their own, we could have a serviceable year. Either way, with our upgraded athleticism we will not have such a dreary sight. It will be very good and the very bad, mixed in.
