2020 Roster Predictions

etc79

etc79

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I’m not big into following everything that goes on with the roster (who is gone who isn’t, attrition, etc...). But what do you think our depth chart will look like?
 
  • By my math we need 12 slots, so I'd expect a significant exodus of spare running backs and undersized linemen on both sides.
  • We should be able to redshirt most of the class outside of OL and QB.
  • A lot of shuffling on OL depending how the freshmen come on and how much weight everyone adds in winter workouts.
  • Clayton, Ezzard and Allen. The chains finally come off.
  • Tobias will stay at WR. QB will be Sims, Gleason, Yates and Graham, with the pecking order sorted out this spring.
 
Flywheel said:
  • By my math we need 12 slots, so I'd expect a significant exodus of spare running backs and undersized linemen on both sides.
  • We should be able to redshirt most of the class outside of OL and QB.
  • A lot of shuffling on OL depending how the freshmen come on and how much weight everyone adds in winter workouts.
  • Clayton, Ezzard and Allen. The chains finally come off.
  • Tobias will stay at WR. QB will be Sims, Gleason, Yates and Graham, with the pecking order sorted out this spring.
Click to expand...

yeah with Sims and Gleason enrolling early I am intrigued how that will shake out, along with the oline. Interior d line is the only question I have on that side
 
I'm interested to see who new steps up at LB. Looks to me like we need a lot of help there also, may take a while I'm guessing.
 
Well the good news is we should be improved pretty much across the board, because we don't really lose any contributors outside of Glanton and Campbell. Hopefully there is a big jump in performance from year 1 to year 2.
 
Flywheel said:
  • By my math we need 12 slots, so I'd expect a significant exodus of spare running backs and undersized linemen on both sides.
  • We should be able to redshirt most of the class outside of OL and QB.
  • A lot of shuffling on OL depending how the freshmen come on and how much weight everyone adds in winter workouts.
  • Clayton, Ezzard and Allen. The chains finally come off.
  • Tobias will stay at WR. QB will be Sims, Gleason, Yates and Graham, with the pecking order sorted out this spring.
Click to expand...

Agreed except for QB won't be settled until end of summer camp. It's the biggest QB competition I've heard of. All four have a legit shot if they can separate themselves. Once a separation happens, expect the next battle to be for 2nd.

As for the OL, they will be shuffled no doubt. Probably only the centers will stay in their position.
 
I predict that...

  • We won't have clear separation at QB when the season begins, much like this season.
  • Unlike this season, we will perform much better at the QB position.
  • We will have a dramatic increase in depth and production at the DE/pass rush position.
  • Our DB lineup won't change, and will be the strength of our team.
  • Our OL will change at almost every position, and will still be the weakness of our team.
  • The OL will be inconsistent, rather than consistently bad.
  • We will do RB-by-committee, with at least 3 guys playing significant minutes.
 
johncu said:
I predict that...
Click to expand...

  • We won't have clear separation at QB when the season begins, much like this season. <---I think we will have clear separation at QB at the start of the season, but that same QB may not be the starter at the end of the year. Everybody doesn't develop at the same pace.
  • Unlike this season, we will perform much better at the QB position. <---agree
  • We will have a dramatic increase in depth and production at the DE/pass rush position. <---agree
  • Our DB lineup won't change, and will be the strength of our team. <--- DB will be a strength, but I think we will see a lineup change, or at minimum we'll see more guys in rotation: Miles Brooks, Derrick Allen, Jordan Huff, Kenan Johnson, Jaylon King, Wesley Walker, Jalen Huff if he doesn't RS and possibly Javier Morton.
  • Our OL will change at almost every position, and will still be the weakness of our team. <--- agree that it will likely still be our weakness, but hopefully a big step forward from last year.
  • The OL will be inconsistent, rather than consistently bad. <--- I think we will show more consistency. Last year we were exceptionally inconsistent. We had times where there were perfectly clean pockets and had some great zone run blocking schemes working, but then sometimes we looked like all were on a different page. I think we'll still have some hiccups but will be more consistent overall and the bad won't be as bad as last year.
  • We will do RB-by-committee, with at least 3 guys playing significant minutes. <--- agree. I think they will basically be "situational" backs.
 
At QB, I think one or both of the incoming freshmen will redshirt. I think one of Yates and Graham could be playing elsewhere by Fall (Graham different position, Yates different school) if they are 3rd on the depth chart after Spring.

Mason/Griffin/Gibbs at RB and we'll probably see a few from this group transfer out. Howard is a good STs player so I hope he stays but Dontae Smith, Devin Ellison, Christian Malloy, and Tony Amerson could look elsewhere if they don't step up on ST.

Camp/Ezzard/Sanders/Carter at WR. Dolphus might be back and the young guys could push (RIP Simba.) Probably see a few WRs transfer out. Brown and Norris at Slot so McCollum will probably get some PT. Blancato played a good bit there last year but have to think the other guys will be better.

OL should bounce back some just by virtue of being healthy. They really can't get much worse. LT Quinney/LG DeFoor/C Cooper/RG transfer Johnson. Not sure on the other tackle. Would be huge to get Devin Cochran but not sure that's going to happen. Fortunately, 3 of our OL signees are enrolling early (Williams, Spiers, and Rankins) and could definitely make an impact in the Fall. They all have the size to play Tackle, but Rankins and Williams are most likely to contribute there. Johnson could also play Tackle and we fill RG another way.

I think Clayton will have a huge impact at DE, backed up by Owens and Dawson. Domineck and Bennett will be much improved at the other end. Lee back at D Tackle along with Chimedza and Griffin and I think Lockhart will start to make an impact. I hope no DL transfer out. We need all of the bodies.

LB will still struggle imo. Curry will be a RSr, BJS a Sr, and Charlie Thomas a Jr. Quez Jackson looked pretty good towards the end of the year so he and Charlie are something to be excited about. I also expect Demetrius Knight to really be a playmaker. Meiguez and Franks are both OLBs (Domineck and Bennett) and we are much deeper there so I think at least one will RS, maybe both.

Secondary is pretty set with Swilling/Walton/Sims/Huff at CB, Oliver/Askew at nickel, and Thomas/Carpenter at Safety. Gonna be hard for freshmen to push into the rotation at corner, I think, but Miles Brooks might. I also think we'll land Javier Morton. At Safety, Campbell is graduating but Showell and King are back plus we add Derrik Allen via transfer. Jalen Huff is also enrolling early. Wouldn't surprise me to see a few secondary players transfer out because, even though we are deep, we still only have Carpenter and Askew as seniors, though Swilling, Thomas, and Oliver would all be draft eligible after 2020.

Kicker, who knows... I do not think we'll have two kickers on scholarship come the Fall.
 
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Architorture23 said:
Camp/Ezzard/Sanders/Carter at WR. Dolphus might be back and the young guys could push (RIP Simba.) Probably see a few WRs transfer out. Brown and Norris at Slot so McCollum will probably get some PT. Blancato played a good bit there last year but have to think the other guys will be better.
Click to expand...

Any thoughts on Tight End?
 
Deveny/Leonard and then Ward the TFr. Haven't seen enough of any of them to really say. Deveny had 6 catches for 48 yards last year and Leonard had 2 catches for 6 yards. Billy Ward is not enrolling early so I don't expect much from him in the fall, though he might still have to play.

Camp or Dolphus or Peje Harris are the biggest WR we have and they are 220 or under. Deveney, by contrast, is 6-6 256. Leonard will probably be 240 by Fall. Incoming freshman Ward is already listed at 6-4 245. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that they run some wider formations with more of an H-back with those WRs though. Just don't expect them in tight with the blocking responsibilities of an actual TE.
 
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