I'll play:
IMO, a "1-8 player" is a player that is not only extremely important to our team, but a player that can play for any team in the country. A difference maker as we like to say.
1. JeT. Obvious...the most important position in football, and very few teams have a "franchise" level QB running their team. GT has one in JeT. Enjoy him while you can GT fans.
2. JHD*. He has the size/athleticism/agility/speed at a premium defensive position that would have made him a 4/5 star recruit. He changes the entire complexion of our DL. From what I saw during the spring, the guy can play for any team in the country...and the includes any DL in the vaunted SEC. *The eligibility caveat applies, of course.
3. DJ White. If he keeps up the production and consistency he did toward the back 2/3rds of the season, he's a top 4 round NFL pick. One of the better cover CBs we've had in a while...still tends to let receivers loose every now and again, but also has big play capability.
4. Gotsis. He can play DT or SDE...probably played out of position most of his career, but has anchored our DL for the last two seasons. The only guy on our DL offenses cared about double teaming. Will play on Sundays.
5. Devine. IMO, probably the most physically gifted player in terms of overall talent and prototypical size for his position, and that includes JeT. He can be as good as he wants to be, and has high round draft pick written all over him if he takes his craft seriously. Will take over the reigns of the most decorated position in CPJ's tenure, RG.
6. Freeman. Freshman All-American playing undersized and as a true freshmen. Probably needed to redshirt to physically develop, but the production he brought to the position was sorely needed.
7. Burden. Anchors the most important unit on the team, and was all conference his first year. His athleticism as a tight end in HS showed. CPJ has also talked about possibly flexing him out to guard, but way too valuable at C for that to probably happen.
8. Philpott. Yes, he's unproven. Yes he hasn't even taken a snap yet. But this guy has tools none of CPJ's WR recruits have ever had from day one. He will stretch the field from Day 1, but also brings the size and athleticism that had multiple SEC schools drooling over him towards the end of the recruiting cycle. Will not start, but will probably make a larger contribution to our team than some of the guys ahead of him right now. Don't expect him to be buried in the depth chart all season.
