rokulika said:

We're set at tackle with McDermott and St. Louis imo.

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set to kill those freshman QBs

PUNCICANE said:

waynejr31 said:

Before this game, Donaldson and Miami Central had not practiced or played a game since October 14th. This was very rare for them as they are usually playing well into December. I'm sure the kid was not in the best of shape and a little rusty that game but I saw nothing alarming about his play on Sunday. He will be playing tackle for UM, there is no doubt in my mind. I also think he is ahead of where Darling was skill wise coming out of High School.

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Have heard Pete say the Cook Jr wants to blaze his own path and that UM has a legit shot. But, now i hear the kid saying things make it seem like he's very firm to FSU... You have any insight as to our chances here?

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I wouldn't bet on him coming here but with the backs that FSU are picking up this year, anything is possible. Eventually he will have to start looking at the numbers and that will be in our favor in 2018 imo. That Laborn kid looked great and if Cam Akers is anywhere near his talent then I believe Cook would be the least of our worries if he goes there. IMO

waynejr31 said:

PUNCICANE said:

waynejr31 said:

Before this game, Donaldson and Miami Central had not practiced or played a game since October 14th. This was very rare for them as they are usually playing well into December. I'm sure the kid was not in the best of shape and a little rusty that game but I saw nothing alarming about his play on Sunday. He will be playing tackle for UM, there is no doubt in my mind. I also think he is ahead of where Darling was skill wise coming out of High School.

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Have heard Pete say the Cook Jr wants to blaze his own path and that UM has a legit shot. But, now i hear the kid saying things make it seem like he's very firm to FSU... You have any insight as to our chances here?

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I wouldn't bet on him coming here but with the backs that FSU are picking up this year, anything is possible. Eventually he will have to start looking at the numbers and that will be in our favor in 2018 imo. That Laborn kid looked great and if Cam Akers is anywhere near his talent then I believe Cook would be the least of our worries if he goes there. IMO

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How do you think he compares to his brother talent wise?

rokulika said:

We're set at tackle with McDermott and St. Louis imo.

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Lol.

PUNCICANE said:

waynejr31 said:

PUNCICANE said:

waynejr31 said:

Before this game, Donaldson and Miami Central had not practiced or played a game since October 14th. This was very rare for them as they are usually playing well into December. I'm sure the kid was not in the best of shape and a little rusty that game but I saw nothing alarming about his play on Sunday. He will be playing tackle for UM, there is no doubt in my mind. I also think he is ahead of where Darling was skill wise coming out of High School.

Click to expand...

Have heard Pete say the Cook Jr wants to blaze his own path and that UM has a legit shot. But, now i hear the kid saying things make it seem like he's very firm to FSU... You have any insight as to our chances here?

Click to expand...

I wouldn't bet on him coming here but with the backs that FSU are picking up this year, anything is possible. Eventually he will have to start looking at the numbers and that will be in our favor in 2018 imo. That Laborn kid looked great and if Cam Akers is anywhere near his talent then I believe Cook would be the least of our worries if he goes there. IMO

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How do you think he compares to his brother talent wise?

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Sub par if par is Dalvin's level of play at that age. Still a great talent though. I would like to see what he does this year as a senior.

Donaldson has a chance to play early at tackle because we don't have great tackles. He's more ready than Darling coming out and Darling started games at tackle as a true freshman.

I love the fact that he gets here early because the conditioning will be huge for him.

DMoney said:

Donaldson has a chance to play early at tackle because we don't have great tackles. He's more ready than Darling coming out and Darling started games at tackle as a true freshman.

I love the fact that he gets here early because the conditioning will be huge for him.

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He's obviously better suited for RT, pretty obvious off the video he's not ready to step in day 1 at LT, despite what the sunshine pumper tweeted out all fall

DMoney said:

Donaldson has a chance to play early at tackle because we don't have great tackles. He's more ready than Darling coming out and Darling started games at tackle as a true freshman.

I love the fact that he gets here early because the conditioning will be huge for him.

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Going from memory, we basically had two upperclassmen who could play Tackle on that team: Erek Flowers and Jon Feliciano. Flowers had gone down with injury (which he recovered from very fast) at some point in the middle of the season and Feliciano was more of a swing player. Next year, if Odogwu sticks around, we'll have 5 upperclassmen who've either gotten significant time at Tackle (Darling, Mcdermott, Odogwu, St. Louis) or are slated for the position (George Brown).

Add that to the fact he needs work and significant conditioning, and I think you may see him worked in as a RT for an experiment and maybe equally as a RG. This is different than what we've been hearing about his likelihood of playing LT. I hope he slims down, cleans up his kick and becomes a superstar LT because we're desperate for the position. Just probably best to temper expectations.

LuCane said:

DMoney said:

Donaldson has a chance to play early at tackle because we don't have great tackles. He's more ready than Darling coming out and Darling started games at tackle as a true freshman.

I love the fact that he gets here early because the conditioning will be huge for him.

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Going from memory, we basically had two upperclassmen who could play Tackle on that team: Erek Flowers and Jon Feliciano. Flowers had gone down with injury (which he recovered from very fast) at some point in the middle of the season and Feliciano was more of a swing player. Next year, if Odogwu sticks around, we'll have 5 upperclassmen who've either gotten significant time at Tackle (Darling, Mcdermott, Odogwu, St. Louis) or are slated for the position (George Brown).

Add that to the fact he needs work and significant conditioning, and I think you may see him worked in as a RT for an experiment and maybe equally as a RG. This is different than what we've been hearing about his likelihood of playing LT. I hope he slims down, cleans up his kick and becomes a superstar LT because we're desperate for the position. Just probably best to temper expectations.

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St. Louis seems the most capable of taking the next step and helping us at LT next year. And as much as I love Donaldson, I think Odogwu is gonna be on a mission to do big things this offseason.

LuCane said:

Next year, if Odogwu sticks around, we'll have 5 upperclassmen who've either gotten significant time at Tackle (Darling, Mcdermott, Odogwu, St. Louis) or are slated for the position (George Brown).

Add that to the fact he needs work and significant conditioning, and I think you may see him worked in as a RT for an experiment and maybe equally as a RG. This is different than what we've been hearing about his likelihood of playing LT. I hope he slims down, cleans up his kick and becomes a superstar LT because we're desperate for the position. Just probably best to temper expectations.

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But those guys are all flawed and none are great options at LT, as we've discussed. I think every spot should be up for grabs.

McDermott is still a guard IMO and Darling looked much more comfortable at guard than he did as a freshman. Odogwu is a question mark for a few reasons. I'm inclined to keep St. Louis at RT based on his progress.

I have no idea who our best option will be at tackle by the opener, but I'm not counting out Donaldson at this stage given his competition.

To be clear, I'm in no way penciling Donaldson in as our Day One LT.

The safer bet is exactly what you described, a bit of RT and RG. I'm just saying that we need to consider the competition before we put a ceiling on him.

You usually want your most athletic tackle at left tackle since rightvtackle is a bit easier. So with that being said let tyree work at left tackle with George brown working on both sides. Donaldson can play any guard position and right tackle his first year. He could be the left tackle of the future though just not this year. Has to reshape his body alittle. This is the biggest gem of the class. Even bigger than landing a guy like jeudy or someone of his caliber. You need elite talent in the trenches and we have one. Our oline will be good next year. It's a VERY experienced group and one more year of richt and searels and they should be clicking on all cylinders

DMoney said:

LuCane said:

Next year, if Odogwu sticks around, we'll have 5 upperclassmen who've either gotten significant time at Tackle (Darling, Mcdermott, Odogwu, St. Louis) or are slated for the position (George Brown).

Add that to the fact he needs work and significant conditioning, and I think you may see him worked in as a RT for an experiment and maybe equally as a RG. This is different than what we've been hearing about his likelihood of playing LT. I hope he slims down, cleans up his kick and becomes a superstar LT because we're desperate for the position. Just probably best to temper expectations.

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But those guys are all flawed and none are great options at LT, as we've discussed. I think every spot should be up for grabs.

McDermott is still a guard IMO and Darling looked much more comfortable at guard than he did as a freshman. Odogwu is a question mark for a few reasons. I'm inclined to keep St. Louis at RT based on his progress.

I have no idea who our best option will be at tackle by the opener, but I'm not counting out Donaldson at this stage given his competition.

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You know I agree on a wide open competition amongst what looks like a group of Guards and then Brown and St. Louis. I was simply answering to the different situations between Darling's True Frosh year and why it may play out differently this year.

Bluntly, I had only seen little bits and pieces of Donaldson when all of the LT talk was going on. I stayed quiet until I saw enough that made me question whether it's realistic at all. I think most of the other guys - who we agree are basically Guards playing Tackle - have a leg up on him right now for a Tackle spot.

It's a good thing. It means if Donaldson plays LT, he really cleaned up his weight, bend and kick. If not, he'll still likely contribute somewhere along the right side of the line.

brock said:

kingzmountain said:

Some of you guys have a fantasy player in your head that will never materialize. I don't know how you can watch this guy and not feel excited about him being on our team. He's pushing guys around, moving well. All that while he's a little over weight. I see a guy that is going to be an absolute Beast on our line. I'm happy he's enrolling early so we can make him even better by time the season starts. I'm not worrying about who we don't have. I'll roll with who's with us. I trust this coaching staff 100%. @Mico, If we don't get Slaton, Herbert or Telfert how can it be a massive fail when you criticize Donaldson and he's better than all three? I don't understand your logic.

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People love to complain. Donaldson is by far the best lineman in south Florida with the highest upside

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Also he an EE he'll be able to reshape his body and polish his technical issues early

rokulika said:

We're set at tackle with McDermott and St. Louis imo.

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No way. Go rewatch the West Virginia game and focus on McDermott and St.Louis.

Those two looked the worse and missed the most blocks out of anyone on the OL. A few plays Mcdermott didn't block anyone

2017 OL Competition -

Center:

Tyler Gauthier (Fighting for starting spot)
Nick Linder (Fighting for starting spot)
Corey Gaynor (Providing depth/redshirt)

Right Guard:

Trevor Darling
Bar Milo


Left Guard:

KC Mcdermott
Zach Dykstra


Tackle: I don't know who will end up where but the top 2 out of the following will start -

George Brown
Navaughn Donaldson
Tyree St. Louis
Sunny Odogwu

IMO 2017 Starting OL -


LT - Brown
LG - Mcdermott
C - Gauthier
RG - Darling
RT - Donaldson

I agree with the above!

Glad to see everyone is starting to agree with what I've been saying all along about Donaldson. Anybody who thought that he would come in and be a LT his freshman year were kidding themselves. He has incredible athleticism for that 350+ and 6'6 frame. However, right now bending is an issue and he lunges far too often. Technique definitely needs some work but like I said before, clean up the weight and lose about 30+ lbs and work on his pass-pro sets, hand placement, etc. he could make a **** good OT. His feet are pretty **** quick for his size and losing that weight would help even more. Run-blocking is a non-issue. He's a natural mauler and pass-pro is where he'll need the most work. I'd start him at OG along with Darling for the 1st year or up until Odogwu gets hurt. Brown has a long way to go as well. His tape was not that impressive either from high school or the spring game. St. Louis improved throughout the year at RT. Can he translate that LT? We'll see but it certainly would be a blessing. McDermott was an upgrade over Darling but not by much. McDermott has feet slow as dirt and strength just isn't there. For someone his size, he should be a natural mauler but he's soft. Them boys better hit that weight room big time this offseason and get bodies in the right shape or they'll look like **** again.

If McDermott starts anywhere on the line next year the QB is in trouble. Dude is horrible.

Peter Ariz said:

I watched all of his snaps from the game and I'm no offensive line expert, but he looked a bit sloppy. Still expect him to start next season (not sure which spot), but he will benefit from coming in the spring and redistributing his weight.

He also had a great week of practice by all reports.

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When do the ee enroll ?