volinbama256
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Hopefully we load up with some good portal players. Everyone wants to act like it's a given. It's not. We'll still have to compete with other schools to draw the actual difference makers.We’re losing players who will likely not contribute here ever. We are about to load up on portal players and go for a championship. It is good for both sides.
We lose Hyatt, and we will definitely be taking a step backwards... I don't understand why everyone thinks our WR room is so deep... yes there are plenty of guys sitting in the room... but few if any are proven and have contributed significantly.
Bru and Keyton can't carry the load, so Squirrel and 1-2 portal guys will have to come in and step up... LOTS of potential talent there, but lots of unknown and unproven.
Before this season, Bru and Keyton were “unproven” and Squirrel’s a true freshman.We lose Hyatt, and we will definitely be taking a step backwards... I don't understand why everyone thinks our WR room is so deep... yes there are plenty of guys sitting in the room... but few if any are proven and have contributed significantly.
Bru and Keyton can't carry the load, so Squirrel and 1-2 portal guys will have to come in and step up... LOTS of potential talent there, but lots of unknown and unproven.
There is some irony in that last sentence...
November 2021 Bru wasn't here, Keyton hadn't proven anything and Hyatt was coming off a disappointing season. We had Velus and Payton leaving and just Tillman back.
This year we saw Keyton emerge when Tillman got hurt, Hyatt erupt and Bru play to his rating outta HS finally.
So what that tells me is that the staff can develop guys (happened with Velus, Tillman, Bru, and Keyton) and they can also find Portal guys that can work well with the offense (Payton and Bru for example). But unlike last season they actually recruited very well at WR in the '22 and '23 class so we may not need to look to the portal, or if we do then we'll be very selective.
I think Walker going into his 3rd season could breakout if given the opportunity, I think Webb and Nimrod both could develop and see substantial jumps in production. Seldon is the size of Tillman with the speed of Hyatt/Squirrel so he could be the breakout WR too.
Whatever carries are needed AFTER Small, Wright and Sampson, Keith should amply provide. He’s something we didn’t have this season.Once we saw that Fant was getting short yardage/goal line work outta the backfield we should have known JWT wouldn't be here much longer.
Small, Wright, Sampson left on scholarship
Currently in the portal Trey Sanders from Alabama I'm sure will be the most coveted RB. Trevion Cooley from Louisville could be on the radar as well. Josh Fleeks from Baylor and Devon Lawrence from UNC also in the portal right now.
Could also be something to Dallan Hayden wanting to come back to TN.
I'll be shocked if we don't get at least one difference maker.Hopefully we load up with some good portal players. Everyone wants to act like it's a given. It's not. We'll still have to compete with other schools to draw the actual difference makers.
Hopefully we load up with some good portal players. Everyone wants to act like it's a given. It's not. We'll still have to compete with other schools to draw the actual difference makers.
We have to get TEs. Fant is gone. Warren is thinking of leaving. Miles Campbell hasn't worked out and will likely enter the portal. We have one in this class and that's it. TE is more important than WR, and now, so is RB. We may look for an OL, but that really depends on how they feel about who we have. We need at least one LB and some good secondary on defense. It wouldn't surprise me if Heupel would like to add a WR or two, but the question is, will we have room? TE, RB, and fixing the defense really need to be the priorities IMO.Yep agree-- if we can get a good portal WR like the Charlotte one, we should be good to go--- get a WR, now a RB, and then focus on one O lineman and the rest on Defense.
The portal will be full of good players at every position. We'll be fineHonestly no reason for any of the RBs to portal...Small is heading into his Senior year, Wright into his Junior and either or both could be gone after next season.
That would leave Sampson and JWT as well as Keith as the only scholarship guys (as it stands now). Ideally I think we'd like to have 5 or 6 on scholarship in that room. We even tried to add a transfer in Fall camp that didn't work out (did the year before with Evans too).
WRs you can have 3 to 5 on the field at a time...RBs usually it's just 1 guy and 2 at most. So it's a position where they want more snaps throughout the year in practice and in games, once those started going to Sampson instead of JWT he likely checked out (unfortunately).