Eric
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I figured since I have been doing recruiting features lately a few of you guys might like to see one focused on the team..
To start it off all of the 2014 signees minus Myles Autry and Kenderius Whitehead.
I really like the frame of Jake Whitley and he has great size already...he does not look like he is a true Freshman. I would say he is close to the 300 range. He is someone that I expect to compete for playing time this season.
Michael Preddy had surgery awhile back but he is getting close to being ready to go...expect him to redshirt this year.
The other offensive lineman that I originally though would play this season was Jake Stickler. He has has a a huge frame but he needs to add on a good bit of weight...He looks to be in the 6'6 range.
One that the coaches love is Antonio Simmons. They really feel like they got a big steal in him...you can tell he has been working hard to add on weight...he is in very good shape but still has a lot more room to add on weight.
A couple of other offensive lineman arrived at Tech in good shape in Gary Brown and Trey Klock.
The signees started workouts on Monday.
The team has been doing 7 on 7 workouts in the off-season and compeiting against other local schools like they have in the past.
This group is more of a less talk more action...you won't see a ton of them posting things on Twitter about 7 on 7's or how they are working...but the team has been working hard this off-season.
I still have a lot of confidence in Justin Thomas and expect him to be our guy next season...not a knock against Tim Byerly at all, I just think that Thomas is going to be very good. They all get along well together and have been doing a good job of teaching what they know to Matthew Jordan...I have heard good things on Jordan from his fellow teammates.
Having said that there are some that still think Byerly will end up being the guy...I will say he has been busting his tail in the off-season.
Of course we all know that Zach Laskey is going to be the workhorse but the question mark is the depth behind him..I still have more faith in Matt Connors than I do in Donovan Wilson. I have been told that the #2 spot is still wide open and the chance for CJ Leggett to win that job is there for him.
We have some good competition going on at the WR spot with Waller, Smelter, Summers and Autry.
On the offensive line a lot of the guys have been working hard to drop weight...and none harder than Shamire Devine. He has been seeing more than just one session a day with Sisk...I have been pleased with his effort this off-season. Not sure what his weight is down to but the work is being put in by him....The lowest we will see him get is about 335-340 IMO...Unfortunately another guy on the OL that needs to drop weight isn't putting in the work like he should be...Due to the people who read this board I will leave out the name but is is not too hard to guess.
The latest I have heard on Chase Roberts is they expect him to get cleared but they are not sure if he is going to continue his career.
Still continue to hear good things on Darius Commissiong...Coach I talked to really feels like is going to be a difference maker down the road.
Coaches are not worried about the DT spot and neither am I.
The one spot to be concerned about is WDE...KeShun Freeman has a bright future ahead of him but he may be tossed into the fire a little sooner than we would like...as of know Rod Chungong is still the starter...but I do not have a ton of faith in him getting after the quarterback..we have a ton riding on Kenderius Whitehead and he is putting in all the work he can to handle what he has to.
May not be a harder worker on the team than Tyler Stargel.
Another one that has been adding weight this off-season is Patrick Gamble.
Isaiah Johnson is back healthy and most importantly he is trusting himself again..do not see any hesitation coming from him....same goes for Jamal Golden.
As I posted awhile back that my breakout player this year is Tyler Marcordes...The coaches think the same. He looks like a different guy from two years ago. Has a NFL body now. Would not surprise me to see him end up in the league when his time at Tech is done.
The concerns for me is still the OL...I am fine with the starting group of Chris Griffin, Trey Braun, Freddie Burden and Shaq Mason..but the other tackle and overall depth really concerns me. We really need some true Freshmen to step up and if nothing add some depth.
Other than that on offense B back depth is a concern.
On defense I love the LB group of Marcordes, Nealy, McNair, Harrell and PJ Davis.
We have a lot riding on Kenderius Whitehead.
To start it off all of the 2014 signees minus Myles Autry and Kenderius Whitehead.
I really like the frame of Jake Whitley and he has great size already...he does not look like he is a true Freshman. I would say he is close to the 300 range. He is someone that I expect to compete for playing time this season.
Michael Preddy had surgery awhile back but he is getting close to being ready to go...expect him to redshirt this year.
The other offensive lineman that I originally though would play this season was Jake Stickler. He has has a a huge frame but he needs to add on a good bit of weight...He looks to be in the 6'6 range.
One that the coaches love is Antonio Simmons. They really feel like they got a big steal in him...you can tell he has been working hard to add on weight...he is in very good shape but still has a lot more room to add on weight.
A couple of other offensive lineman arrived at Tech in good shape in Gary Brown and Trey Klock.
The signees started workouts on Monday.
The team has been doing 7 on 7 workouts in the off-season and compeiting against other local schools like they have in the past.
This group is more of a less talk more action...you won't see a ton of them posting things on Twitter about 7 on 7's or how they are working...but the team has been working hard this off-season.
I still have a lot of confidence in Justin Thomas and expect him to be our guy next season...not a knock against Tim Byerly at all, I just think that Thomas is going to be very good. They all get along well together and have been doing a good job of teaching what they know to Matthew Jordan...I have heard good things on Jordan from his fellow teammates.
Having said that there are some that still think Byerly will end up being the guy...I will say he has been busting his tail in the off-season.
Of course we all know that Zach Laskey is going to be the workhorse but the question mark is the depth behind him..I still have more faith in Matt Connors than I do in Donovan Wilson. I have been told that the #2 spot is still wide open and the chance for CJ Leggett to win that job is there for him.
We have some good competition going on at the WR spot with Waller, Smelter, Summers and Autry.
On the offensive line a lot of the guys have been working hard to drop weight...and none harder than Shamire Devine. He has been seeing more than just one session a day with Sisk...I have been pleased with his effort this off-season. Not sure what his weight is down to but the work is being put in by him....The lowest we will see him get is about 335-340 IMO...Unfortunately another guy on the OL that needs to drop weight isn't putting in the work like he should be...Due to the people who read this board I will leave out the name but is is not too hard to guess.
The latest I have heard on Chase Roberts is they expect him to get cleared but they are not sure if he is going to continue his career.
Still continue to hear good things on Darius Commissiong...Coach I talked to really feels like is going to be a difference maker down the road.
Coaches are not worried about the DT spot and neither am I.
The one spot to be concerned about is WDE...KeShun Freeman has a bright future ahead of him but he may be tossed into the fire a little sooner than we would like...as of know Rod Chungong is still the starter...but I do not have a ton of faith in him getting after the quarterback..we have a ton riding on Kenderius Whitehead and he is putting in all the work he can to handle what he has to.
May not be a harder worker on the team than Tyler Stargel.
Another one that has been adding weight this off-season is Patrick Gamble.
Isaiah Johnson is back healthy and most importantly he is trusting himself again..do not see any hesitation coming from him....same goes for Jamal Golden.
As I posted awhile back that my breakout player this year is Tyler Marcordes...The coaches think the same. He looks like a different guy from two years ago. Has a NFL body now. Would not surprise me to see him end up in the league when his time at Tech is done.
The concerns for me is still the OL...I am fine with the starting group of Chris Griffin, Trey Braun, Freddie Burden and Shaq Mason..but the other tackle and overall depth really concerns me. We really need some true Freshmen to step up and if nothing add some depth.
Other than that on offense B back depth is a concern.
On defense I love the LB group of Marcordes, Nealy, McNair, Harrell and PJ Davis.
We have a lot riding on Kenderius Whitehead.
