The Too Early 2017 Roster Projections

[Exit 4]

Seriously, who are you arguing with? Who is saying you are wrong?

He's yelling at the wind.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Seriously, who are you arguing with? Who is saying you are wrong?

I'm not arguing with anybody. Simply stating my opinion of what next year will look like. Is a poster stating an opinion on an internet message board a strange concept to you?

 

[31GuardTrap]

AJ Garson needs to see the field in 2017. Kid is big, strong and quick. DE opposite Luke C would be ideal. The two of them.....released to attack the QB could cause some serious damage to the opp while protecting the secondary. Disruption at the attack is much needed.
We have missed this big time since Trevardo Williams graduated.

 

[Excalibur]

I'm not arguing with anybody. Simply stating my opinion of what next year will look like. Is a poster stating an opinion on an internet message board a strange concept to you?

You're asking someone to prove you wrong . . . odd considering nobody has indicated that they think you are.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

You're asking someone to prove you wrong . . . odd considering nobody has indicated that they think you are.

You're reading the context of that wrong. I'm openly hoping that I'm wrong and would gladly have this thrown in my face next year.

 

[#BleedBlueFam]

You're reading the context of that wrong. I'm openly hoping that I'm wrong and would gladly have this thrown in my face next year.

 

[ktuck911]

Absolutely...but have you looked at our depth? Anyway - until we bring in some JUCO help, its a possibility.

Hopefully that GS that took the OV the awards weekend with the other potential recruits comes here and helps fill out/plug in our OL...along with maybe anothe GS or JUCO transfer

 

[ktuck911]

AJ Garson needs to see the field in 2017. Kid is big, strong and quick. DE opposite Luke C would be ideal. The two of them.....released to attack the QB could cause some serious damage to the opp while protecting the secondary. Disruption at the attack is much needed.
We have missed this big time since Trevardo Williams graduated.

Trevardo had something none of our edge rushers seem to have...SPEED. Hoping AJ has some.

 

[ktuck911]

Ktuck, Stevens has left the program he graduated early...

Happy Jalen Stevens finished and got his degree. Here's hoping he latches on elsewhere and suits up for his final year of eligibility as a grad student and finishes his playing career on his terms. Coming out of HS I really thought he'd come in and provide similar play that Trevardo Williams provided... undersized edge rusher with speed. He had like 20 sacks his SR year coming out of HS IIRC.
Got a bad deal with all the changes up top. But he persevered and got hhis. I'm a fan. He got outof the experience what he was supposed to, first and foremost.

 

[Exit 4]

There are about 15 kids we are tracking that I think we have real good odds of landing that are scholarship worthy. If we land 15 more, then we need approx 5 or 6 kids to exit the program or gray shirt.

Overall, I'm much more bullish on our recruiting this year particularly if we land crawford, mckenzie, jones, gamble or any of those nj kids.

 

[31GuardTrap]

Trevardo had something none of our edge rushers seem to have...SPEED. Hoping AJ has some.

We have young players with speed. They have yet to be "allowed" to showcase it.

 

[huskymedic]

There are about 15 kids we are tracking that I think we have real good odds of landing that are scholarship worthy. If we land 15 more, then we need approx 5 or 6 kids to exit the program or gray shirt .

Some of these "offers" - can be PWO type deals. Won't necessarily know until signing day...

 

[weyuo]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Davis switched back to QB if Diaco can't get a grad transfer or a decent JUCO to sign on. According to Diaco the only reason Davis moved to TE was that he was too good of a player/athlete to not be on the field somewhere and at the time he had Sherrifs, Anderson and Williams in front of him. The only one in front of him now is Williams unless somebody else comes in and grabs the reins from Williams.

 

[FDNY99]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Davis switched back to QB if Diaco can't get a grad transfer or a decent JUCO to sign on. According to Diaco the only reason Davis moved to TE was that he was too good of a player/athlete to not be on the field somewhere and at the time he had Sherrifs, Anderson and Williams in front of him. The only one in front of him now is Williams unless somebody else comes in and grabs the reins from Williams.

I don't know..from the looks of his play last year during the spring game I can see why Diaco made the move. He has no accuracy and no touch on his throws.

 

[weyuo]

I don't know..from the looks of his play last year during the spring game I can see why Diaco made the move. He has no accuracy and no touch on his throws.

I didn't see the Spring game so your probably right.

 

[#BleedBlueFam]

I didn't see the Spring game so your probably right.

I don't know..from the looks of his play last year during the spring game I can see why Diaco made the move. He has no accuracy and no touch on his throws.

Yeah I was there and I agree. Think Diaco spun it the way he did to let him save face. He never got off his first read, the ball always came out late, and every throw was wobbling pretty badly.

I'm actually excited to see how he progresses next year (assuming they get the TEs involved). With his height and athleticism he can be a real match-up nightmare.

 

[sdhusky]

Yep, this is premature.

Below an attempt to look at the roster for next year while integrating verbals and target recruits. As you will see I didn't obsess over the finer details on the kids who have converter their PWO status to scholly unless I know they will be on the field next year.

I don't profess this to be perfect, far from it, so fire away. Yes - I've listed them in pseudo depth chart format where possible.

QB
1) D Williams
2) Bisack
3) McAfee - verbal
4) Need a HS recruit
5) Need a Juco transfer

RB
1) Newsome
2) Johnson
3) Hopkins
4) Vickers
5) J. Thompson
6) Mensah?
7) Scott?

FB
1) Allendinger
2) Need a recruit for this space

WR
1) Mayala
2) McLean
3) Skanes - slot wr
4) Dixon <--could be the #2 receiver
5) Coney
6) need a solid WR recruit in this class for this space
7) need another WR for future depth. Fortt or Herring look like they could be converted to WR if needed.

OT
1) Peart
2) DeGeorge? <--do we have any clue about OT next year.
3) Grad Transfer not yet named visiting this weekend?!?!
4) Hashemi
5) Cespedes
6) Tunstall? <--visiting this weekend - looks developmental to me.
7) Van Demark? <--visiting this weekend -

OG
1) Rutherford
2) Hopkins
3) Leone
4) R. Holmes? <--it would be great to get this kid this weekend, looks like the best of the four OL visiting.
5) Hubbard? <--visiting this weekend
6) I'm afraid the rest of the kids on scholly must not be worth discussing or we'd see them on the field by now given our struggles.

C/LS
1) Crozier
2) Vechery (also plays OG)
3) Oak
4) Zecchino as LS
5) Keating - PWO
6) Need an impact recruit at center pronto


TE
1) Myers <--will he return?
2) Bloom
3) Davis
4) Holman <--participation schedule says he played this year, anyone notice?
5) Lee
6) Fitton - verbal <--looks like a solid blocker
7) unless we convert Garson or Hobbs (visiting), we could use another recruit.

DL
1) Fatusaki <--returning?
2) Ormsby <--returning?
3) Atkins <-not an impact player, this is why we need to get Maize/Johnson & Hobbs
4) Lawley <-not an impact player, this is why we need to get Maize/Johnson & Hobbs
5) Okounam <--did get on the field this year?
6) Murphy
7) Brouse <--hoping for something here, had a nice HS tape
8) we need a recruit here to play DT and replace Marianan and Mikal Myers
9) Maize?? <--looks like someone that could play early
10) Josh Johnson??
11) Hobbs??
12) Keeler??
13) Cummins??

LB
1) Carrezola <--time to call a spade a spade, he's DE and should not be put in pass coverage
2) Stapleton
3) Levenberry
4) Diggs
5) Britton
6) J. Stevens
LB pool below - no idea how to sort these guys yet
7) W. Richardson
8) Nizar Williams
9) AJ Garson
10) Connor Freeborn (looked like a DE in HS)
11) Gilmartin
12) Dickens - verbal
13) Byczko - verbal

CB
1) Tre Bell
2) Coyle or Dixon <--hoping this kid or someone new moves up
3) Coyle or Dixon
4) Robinson IV
5) Swenson - verbal <--probably has a good chance of playing as a frosh
6) Olaniyan - verbal

S
1) Summers <--can move back to CB if we have injuries
2) McCallister
3) Watkins
4) Garland
5) M. Terry
6) Hahn <--per the Tulane report, Hahn may have burned his redshirt
7) Fortt - verbal
8) DeGroot? <--visiting this weekend - could be playing early here at UConn considering how others played last year.

Wonder what Randy does with this?

Bring in some grad transfers or build from ground up?

 

[Exit 4]

Got to bring in some grad transfers for certain positions. The tank is empty in too many key positions.

As for recruiting, I know many will disagree, but I actually like several of the kids we have committed or are pursuing. There are a few commits and kids we are talking too however that don't make any sense to me. Where Edsall takes this class is anyone's guess. I'd like an overhaul of our QB, OL and DT recruiting...but keep after kids like Gamble, Mensah, DeVera, Jones, McKenzie, Johnson and Maize. Particularly regarding the O Line, I'm concerned the kids we are pursuing require many more developmental years than our program can afford to give.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Wonder what Randy does with this?

Bring in some grad transfers or build from ground up?

Hopefully he doesn't bring in a bunch of quarterbacks only to transition them to the mysterious 'F' position.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I believe that there is now a very strong chance that some of our current DE's will be redeployed (and asked to add a little bulk) as DT's and some of our LB's will be moved to DE.

That by itself will benefit our defense.

 

[Exit 4]

Bumped thread - Projected Roster - Comments encouraged!

I continue to assume Sherriffs won't be returning, however I would be happy to be wrong. At the moment we appear to have 10 scholarships left unless we have more roster churn.

1.1) D Williams
2.2) Bisack
3.3) McAfee - verbal
4) Need a HS recruit <--Tronti
5) Need a Juco transfer <---JFS III! (but would need to sit out a year - so not ideal) or Rose?

RB
4.1) Newsome
5.2) Johnson
6.3) Vickers
7.4) Hopkins
8.5) J. Thompson
6) Mensah/Scott/Chukweneke/Gamble/Blackshear?? (Gamble could also be MLB)

FB
9.1) Allmendinger
2) Need a recruit for this space (Maybe they give Dickens a look)

WR
10.1) Mayala
11.2) Beals
12.3) Skanes - slot wr
13.4) Dixon <--could be the #2 receiver given he was POY on the practice squad
14.5) McLean
15.6) Coney
16.7) Donaldson
8) Crawford/McKenzie/Beavers/Laurent?? <--I love Crawford and McKenzie

OT
17.1) Peart
18.2) DeGeorge or Leone? <--do we have any clue about OT next year.
3) Grad Transfer <--someone from anywhere?!?!
19.4) Hashemi
20.5) Cespedes
21.6) Tunstall - verbal
22.7) Van Demark - verbal
8) Octavius??


OG
23.1) Rutherford
24.2) Hopkins
25.3) Leone or DeGeorge
26,4) Hubbard III - verbal
5) Homles or Fornadel?
27.6) Campbell
28.7) Schafenacker

C
29.1) Crozier
30.2) Vechery (also plays OG)
31.3) Oak
5) Keating - PWO
6) Need an impact recruit at center pronto

TE
32.1) Myers
33.2) Bloom
34.3) Davis
35.4) Holman
36.5) Lee
37.6) Fitton - verbal <--looks like a solid blocker
7) unless we convert Garson or Hobbs, we could use another recruit.
8) Is R. Williams a scholarship player?

DL
38.1) Fatusaki
39.2) Ormsby
40.3) Atkins
41.4) Lawley
42.5) Okounam
43.6) Murphy
44.7) Brouse
8) Josh Johnson?? <--ditto - frame to be another fatusaki? did take an official visit
9) Rayam/Wilcox/Thomas

LB/DE
45.1) Carrezola
46.2) Stapleton
47.3) Hobbs - verbal - maybe he will get a look at TE if we end up with Maize, Johnson or Kessler.
4) Maize ?? took an official visit with Uconn
5) Kessler?? took an official visit with Uconn

LB - the real LBs
48.3) Levenberry
49.4) Diggs
50.5) J. Joseph
51.6) Britton
LB pool below - no idea how to sort these guys yet
52.7) W. Richardson
53.8) Nizar Williams
54.9) AJ Garson (at 6'7'' - could be moved to TE)
55.10) Connor Freeborn (looked like a DE in HS)
56.11) Gilmartin
57.12) Dickens - verbal (maybe gets a look at FB)
58.13) Byczko - verbal
14) Gamble (scheduled to visit)
15) DeVera (scheduled to visit)


CB
59.1) Tre Bell
60.2) Coyle or Herring
61.3) Coyle or Herring
62.4) Robinson IV
63.5) Swenson - verbal <--probably has a good chance of playing as a frosh
64.6) Olaniyan - verbal
65.7) Swann - verbal
8) G. Burnett?

S
66.1) Summers <--can move back to CB if we have injuries
67.2) McCallister
68.3) Watkins
69.4) Garland
70.5) M. Terry
71.6) Hahn
72.7) Fortt - verbal
8) DeGroot? <--visited 12/10- could play WR

ST
73.1)Graham = P
74.2)Tarbutt = K
75.3) Zecchino = LS

 

[huskymedic]

Franklin would not need to sit out as he was be a 5th year Grad transfer w/ one year eligibility.

 

[Exit 4]

Franklin would not need to sit out as he was be a 5th year Grad transfer w/ one year eligibility.

Okay, great. I thought he came into Auburn last year (2016) as a Junior and so in 2017 he will be a senior and 2018 he would be grad student. I could see Lashlee settling in this winter at UConn, keeping tabs with JFS III and maybe after the spring game for both Auburn and UConn, the wheels start rolling on his transfer....assuming we can make the academics work.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Please, no more recruits or switches of position to TE. It's embarrassing how many we have. The idiot was obsessed with kids in the 6'4" 235 lb mold. Said they they could "serve their university" with that size if they sucked at football. Another bizarre quote from him. Good riddance.

 

[Papadukes]

I hope Tyler Davis stays at TE he's Ryan Griffin-ish

 

[Exit 4]

I hope Tyler Davis stays at TE he's Ryan Griffin-ish

Well, Ryan has a perfect TE frame to block and be a possession receiver, while Davis is much more receiver than blocker. They need to get Davis into the game this year, but they have to find a way to give him the ball in space and not ask him to do much blocking. And when Davis is on the field, it can't be obvious to the D the ball is headed his way.

 

[Exit 4]

Please, no more recruits or switches of position to TE. It's embarrassing how many we have. The idiot was obsessed with kids in the 6'4" 235 lb mold. Said they they could "serve their university" with that size if they sucked at football. Another bizarre quote from him. Good riddance.

Between his narcissism and his strange habit of over recruiting for 6-4/235 prototypes, I'm not very confident its assured he can be such a great DC again either. If he's a great DC again it will be because his HC is making the calls on scholarships and because he has been given overwhelming talent that was not of his choosing. On paper we had good reason to be a much better defense than we were this year. Thats on wacky Bob.

 

[businesslawyer]

Between his narcissism and his strange habit of over recruiting for 6-4/235 prototypes, I'm not very confident its assured he can be such a great DC again either. If he's a great DC again it will be because his HC is making the calls on scholarships and because he has been given overwhelming talent that was not of his choosing. On paper we had good reason to be a much better defense than we were this year. Thats on wacky Bob.

Being a head coach and being a coordinator are very different jobs requiring largely different skill sets. As horrific as Diaco was here, it is unlikely that he was incompetent as a DC at Notre Dame or Cincy before that, and it's also unlikely that he lost the skills that caused him to succeed as a DC in three years here.

He will be fine, and whomever hires him will likely be fine. It's no longer my problem.

 

[huskymedic]

Happy Jalen Stevens finished and got his degree. Here's hoping he latches on elsewhere and suits up for his final year of eligibility as a grad student and finishes his playing career on his terms. Coming out of HS I really thought he'd come in and provide similar play that Trevardo Williams provided... undersized edge rusher with speed. He had like 20 sacks his SR year coming out of HS IIRC.
Got a bad deal with all the changes up top. But he persevered and got hhis. I'm a fan. He got outof the experience what he was supposed to, first and foremost.