If youve seen the Tide the past couple of seasons, you know cornerback has been a soft spot in the typically staunch defense. Deion Belue really struggled at times, and yet he was still out there because no one came along to overtake him. John Fulton and several others failed to progress and develop, as hoped. Its been a rare position that has not matriculated as part of Sabans process.
You get enough five-star types, however, and youll put all-conference or All-America sort of players on the field. Brown is the next hope to revive the corner tradition in the vein of Dre Kirkpatrick and Dee Milliner. The only concern with the 6-foot, 196-pound prospect is that he gets too big and has to play safety. Thats a good problem to have, of course.
Cornwell could be the Alabama quarterback of the future, but its going to be difficult for him to pass FSU transfer Jacob Coker and last years backup, Blake Sims. Cooper Bateman is also in the mix going into the spring.
Our No. 1 offensive line prospect, Cameron Robinson, was another early enrollee, but it seems highly unlikely that he would skirt a redshirt season. The other line prospects, Jackson, Pettway and Reed, make more sense because theyve traveled the juco route.
Texas A&M Aggies
Potential impact players: WR Speedy Noil (7), QB Kyle Allen (35), OT Avery Gennesy (JC50 12), OG Jermaine Eluemunor (JC50 14)
Snagging Noil from LSU country (New Orleans) was a big get. Former walk-on Travis Labhart did a serviceable job last season at slot receiver, but that element was missing after Ryan Swope graduated.
Pairing Noil with a big target like redshirt freshman Ricky Seals-Jones could create real matchup problems for opposing defenses.
If there is any 2014 freshman quarterback equipped to start in his first season, its Allen according to his coaches. His polish shined at every camp and all-star game he attended.
Put it this way: When Oklahoma signed a receiver who played with Allen in high school, he even acknowledged (on the OU athletics website) that Allen was the best QB prospect in the country.
Allen would be a downgrade, though, in terms of athleticism. Then again, who wouldnt be after Johnny Manziel?
Allen will still have to beat out Kenny Hill, who was the No. 21-rated dual-threat QB a year ago and played sparingly as Manziels backup.
Weve said for some time that building quality line depth is requisite for A&M in its transition to the SEC, and juco offensive linemen Gennesy and Eluemunor could help with that.
Clemson Tigers
Potential impact players: QB Deshaun Watson (16), WR Artavis Scott (83), WR Demarre Kitt (167), WR Kyrin Priester
When I ran into Tigers coach Dabo Swinney at the Senior Bowl, I asked him about the quarterbacks and, in particular, about Watson.
Oh, we love him, Swinney said, then paused to remember that he has a three-way QB battle brewing. We love all those guys.
Swinney said, unlike some coaches, he welcomes the competition to replace Tajh Boyd. Watson, the classs top dual-threat QB, enters as the most decorated recruit at the position since Boyd. But Cole Stoudt and Chad Kelly have had time in Chad Morris system. Even as an early enrollee, its a lot to ask of a freshman QB to come in, learn a new playbook and immediately play.
In addition to finding a quarterback, immediate help at receiver would be beneficial for the Tigers. Priester, Scott and Demarre Kitt enrolled in January, like Watson. And just like Watson, Swinney highly praised the potential of all three receivers -- Priester, a prep school product, especially.
Florida Gators
Potential impact players: CB Jalen Tabor (11), QB Will Grier (34), RB Brandon Powell (272)
Defense hasnt been the issue at Florida. A more fluid season for the offensive line and quarterback position will determine the fates of many, with Will Muschamps seat sizzling.
That burden could fall to Grier, if incumbent Jeff Driskel doesnt produce under new coordinator Kurt Roper.
Muschamp has raved to me about Griers leadership potential. He said Grier, a coachs kid, often directed whole portions of the camps he was invited to attend at UF.
You look at accuracy, being able to throw the ball into tight spots, Muschamp said. Hes shown the ability to do that. ... The athleticism and accuracy, we feel like, is there.
Powell was a late flip from Miami (Fla.), helping to offset Dalvin Cooks flip from UF to FSU. The backfield is somewhat crowded, but Kelvin Taylor proved that it is possible to get action in the first fall.
Fortunate for Tabor: There is an immediate need, with the departures of Marcus Roberson, Loucheiz Purifoy and Jaylen Watkins. The downside is that the freshman corner bar was set incredibly high last season by Vernon Hargreaves III, who flirted with All-America status in his first year.
Tabor does have better size (6-foot-1, 188 pounds) than Hargreaves (5-11, 185 pounds, at time he signed), so hes projectable as a physical corner. Florida will likely put Tabor and Hargreaves on islands to increase their chances of stops near the line of scrimmage.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Potential impact players: QB Mason Rudolph (161), WR Tyreek Hill (JC50 4).
When Justin Worley left the state of South Carolina for Tennessee, I got a collective shrug on the part of coaches from Clemson and South Carolina. To their credit, and maybe relief, Worley hasnt done much for the Vols.
Rudolph, however, might be a different deal.
He wanted to go somewhere where he could throw it a bunch, one coach in the region told me. There might be more teams like that around here than there have been, but the Big 12 is still the league for that wide-open style.
The Rock Hill, S.C., native caught the eye of Mike Gundy and Mike Yurcich, which is fairly significant since they rarely enter the Southeast to nab a quarterback.
Rudolph will have to vie with an experienced returning player, J.W. Walsh, but the fact that he ran a similar offense in high school makes him an appealing option to unseat a QB who is considered a limited thrower.
Another impact first-year player, also an early enrollee, could be juco product Tyreek Hill. Between Hill and RaShaad Samples, who redshirted this past fall, the Cowboys will have the speed slot position covered and then some.
Others to watch: Dhaquille Williams, Auburn WR (JC50 1); Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State LB (13); Andrew Brown, Virginia DT (5); Jacob Park, Georgia QB (93); Dalvin Cook, FSU RB (21); Brandon Harris, LSU QB (37); DeAndre Thompkins, Penn State WR (73).
Here is the rest of the article with the other teams listed.
