Tight ends

#1
Flatliner

Flatliner

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#1
now that is looks like we maybe less one tight end, I got to thinking about our tight end situation. So any of you guys close to the program could you help with a few questions ?

present tight ends
Mychal Rivera = solid
... how is Brendan Downs progressing
... how is Justin Meredith progressing


tight ends prospects

are we on any of the top players lists ?
 
#2
#2
That's a pretty short list. Damn! We are thin everywhere, but really thin at te. I think downs will be a redshirt fr And merideth will be a true fr. Rivera better bring it!
 
#3
#3
Apparently Downs has progressed quite well. He had a big game in O&W game. Meredith didn't participate much, if any, in the spring due to an injury.
 
#4
#4
Ben Bartholemew was playing a hybrid TE role in the spring also. Hopefully Meredith can redshirt as he doesn't look SEC ready physically. Brendan Downs might be Witten Jr.
 
#6
#6
This may end up pushing J Croom to the TE position. He has ideal size for a TE and will keep getting bigger and stronger with the S&C program, but he is still a tremendous receiver. He may be one of our players that plays a couple different positions.
 
#8
#8
Not as fast, but he looked like him in the Spring game! Yes I know it's the Spring game, but CDD loves this kid.
 
#10
#10
Downs looked like the better player to me in the spring game. He's tough and has good hands. Clear is a physical marvel with enormous potential, but all I've seen him do so far is bobble a kickoff in the Buffalo (I think) game and drop a couple of passes in the O-W game.

This fiasco is a further blow to how the program looks to the outside world, but I really don't think losing this guy, which is likely, really changes our prospects for next year. Rivera was always the clear starter, and Downs can play football.

Stuff happens, frankly, we should all move on.
 
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#11
#11
First of all, don't get down on the numbers. The offense no longer uses a pure fullback. Right now, with Clear off the depth chart, there are four scholarship TEs on the roster. That's just about right for the number of guys you want on a roster. That means all four get to play in a game, and nobody's parked on the bench.

Aside--TEs do a lot. Not only on offense, but on special teams.

In a perfect world, you'd have 5 on your team: redshirt Senior, RS Junior, RS Sophomore, RS Freshman, and a redshirting Freshman. Perfect scenario, and whatnot. Here's the probable depth chart for NC State:

RS SR Rivera
RS SR Bartholomew
SO Downs
FR Meredith

The only downside I see (roster-wise, not player-wise) is that you bust Meredith's redshirt. As far as 2012 goes, they'll have numbers. Downs passed Clear last year, and if he was 50 lbs heavier, he'd be fighting for the starting spot. He's a good option as a complimentary TE right now.

Can't replace the linebacker smothering with any of them, though. Could do like Alabama did a lot last year and use a tackle-eligible. Not sure Clear was ever going to be a receiving threat here, honestly.

As far as future prospects, the roster loses two seniors next year. I noticed they weren't really doing much with TE recruiting this year (can you blame them?). That should pick up precipitously. There's several things they can do with the current roster for 2013. There's always the dreaded position switch for somebody with TE-ish size.

But I'm still pretty sure they're only going to take one TE in the class, even with needing to replace three players. The prospect of being playing early at TE for a big-name school is gonna be tough for the best prospects to pass up. And the great likelihood of not being redshirted will help Tennessee's cause.

For the probables, I'd say GA Arshad Jackson, NC Lucas Wilson, TN Mack Weaver, and NC Josh McNeil are all likely candidates. Look for Tennessee to sign one of them (or two, the coaching staff has been notorious for not obeying me in the past).
 
#12
#12
nyc_vol said:
Downs looked like the better player to me in the spring game. He's tough and has good hands. Clear is a physical marvel with enormous potential, but all I've seen him do so far is bobble a kickoff in the Buffalo (I think) game and drop a couple of passes in the O-W game.

This fiasco is a further blow to how the program looks to the outside world, but I really don't think losing this guy, which is likely, really changes our prospects for next year. Rivera was always the clear starter, and Downs can play football.

Stuff happens, frankly, we should all move on.
Click to expand...

This 100%
 
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#16
#16
A couple of points...

a) This doesn't hurt us this year unless Rivera gets hurt.

b) Cam was/is going to end up being an O-lineman imo. 280 is awfully heavy to be more than a blocking TE.

It will be very interesting to see how we recruit around this and it wouldn't shock me if CDD sat Clear for a year to see if he and Cam's family can help Cam.
 
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#17
#17
vol2013 said:
This. It is clear from the type of receivers that we are recruiting that Croom is the type of receiver that Dooley wants.
Click to expand...

Will be fun watching the honey badger try to cover Da'Rick, Patterson, Croom or Bowles!
Hunter would just hop over him. :clap:
 
#18
#18
tnfalcon said:
A couple of points...

a) This doesn't hurt us this year unless Rivera gets hurt.
Click to expand...
Of course it hurts. They needed all 4 guys to show up and play well. Cam was listed #2 on the depth chart. I like Downs more than most here. I have from the start... but this hurts.

b) Cam was/is going to end up being an O-lineman imo. 280 is awfully heavy to be more than a blocking TE.
Click to expand...
No. Not really. He has TE measurables at that weight. It is unlikely he was going to move unless he gained ALOT of weight. He's a freakish athlete. Too bad that is too often wasted on guys who do really stupid stuff.

It will be very interesting to see how we recruit around this and it wouldn't shock me if CDD sat Clear for a year to see if he and Cam's family can help Cam.
Click to expand...
He may but I think it would be a bad move both for recruiting and team discipline.

Of course, we're assuming a whole bunch of things at this point.
 
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#20
#20
nyc_vol said:
Downs looked like the better player to me in the spring game. He's tough and has good hands. Clear is a physical marvel with enormous potential, but all I've seen him do so far is bobble a kickoff in the Buffalo (I think) game and drop a couple of passes in the O-W game.

This fiasco is a further blow to how the program looks to the outside world, but I really don't think losing this guy, which is likely, really changes our prospects for next year. Rivera was always the clear starter, and Downs can play football.

Stuff happens, frankly, we should all move on.
Click to expand...

Oh, but that would be too easy.
 
#21
#21
sjt18 said:
Of course it hurts. They needed all 4 guys to show up and play well. Cam was listed #2 on the depth chart. I like Downs more than most here. I have from the start... but this hurts.

No. Not really. He has TE measurables at that weight. It is unlikely he was going to move unless he gained ALOT of weight. He's a freakish athlete. Too bad that is too often wasted on guys who do really stupid stuff.

He may but I think it would be a bad move both for recruiting and team discipline.

Of course, we're assuming a whole bunch of things at this point.
Click to expand...

Agree to disagree. :hi:
 
#22
#22
I feel like a year suspension would be a good solution. That's effectively what kicking him off the team does anyway with the transfer rules. Clear hasn't used his RS yet and his support system here is probably better than it would be elsewhere.

I guess we'll see.
 
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#23
#23
lmoore944 said:
This may end up pushing J Croom to the TE position. He has ideal size for a TE and will keep getting bigger and stronger with the S&C program, but he is still a tremendous receiver. He may be one of our players that plays a couple different positions.
Click to expand...

Poppycock
 
#24
#24
lmoore944 said:
This may end up pushing J Croom to the TE position. He has ideal size for a TE and will keep getting bigger and stronger with the S&C program, but he is still a tremendous receiver. He may be one of our players that plays a couple different positions.
Click to expand...

Negative. Just because he gets into a college S&C program doesn't necessarily mean that is going to gain weight. I am not sure if S&C program treats skill players differently as far as nutrition goes but these players should be eating for a purpose and not for pleasure. Plus combined with their workout and their high metabolism they are going to eat a good bit just to maintain their weight.
 
#25
#25
Flatliner said:
now that is looks like we maybe less one tight end, I got to thinking about our tight end situation. So any of you guys close to the program could you help with a few questions ?

present tight ends
Mychal Rivera = solid
... how is Brendan Downs progressing
... how is Justin Meredith progressing


tight ends prospects

are we on any of the top players lists ?
Click to expand...
That avatar of yours now that's a "tight end"
 
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