The Canes wrapped up their final practice before spring break on Friday. The team was in helmets and shoulder pads, but there was more contact than the prior two practices. The IPF was packed with people like Teddy Bridgewater, Mike Tannenbaum, Tommy Streeter, Malik Rosier, Joe Rose, #1 DL Elijah Griffin, #1 TE Elyiss Williams, DT targets Floyd Boucard and Jarquez Carter, CB Chris Ewald, WR Josh Moore and others. Here are my thoughts on some of the standouts with quotes from today’s CanesInSight Podcast.
JoJo Trader: “Bill Parcells had a quote, ‘The dogs bark as puppies.’ Miami has a lot of puppies barking. One name that keeps coming up is JoJo Trader. And when a name keeps coming up, that should tell you something. JoJo Trader has been making plays every single practice and really making it look easy. That’s his style. He makes things look easy. I understand the corners are down, but he's beating everybody that lines up in front of him with his route running and smooth change of direction and acceleration. Doesn't look as fast as he really is.”
“He reminds me a lot of Devonta Smith. Now, I’m not predicting a Heisman for JoJo Trader. This is about style. The ability to move so smooth and look slow when you're running, but yet actually be going fast and separating. He also has the ability, like Smith, to make contested catches despite not being a huge bulky guy. And when I talk about his contested catches, that's really more from high school because he has not had a lot of contested catches here in Greentree. He's been pretty much wide open. You saw today in the one-on-ones. He had a long touchdown and another in skeletons.
Cam Ward and Jacolby George: “Cam Ward, we've been talking about him every practice because he's the real deal. He's been exactly what you want at this early point. Quick decision-making, good decision-making, not a lot of balls thrown into harm's way. If you ask me one thing that really stands out, it's that the ability to throw to somebody who might be covered, but put it in a place where the receiver can make the play.”
“What we're seeing now as the team drills heat up is the ability to extend plays and make plays on the move. Step up in the pocket, go right, go left, keep his eyes downfield and find somebody. He had a really good connection with Jacolby George today. When he gets out of the pocket, him and Jacolby George have a nice connection where Jacolby knows what he's doing, he knows what Jacolby’s doing, and they're able to connect. You saw that multiple times today in team drills. It should be noted that Jacolby George was part of the group that hosted Cam Ward when he came down on his visit. So they've been building that chemistry and now you're starting to see it on the field.”
Elija Lofton: “Like Jojo Trader, you've heard Lofton’s name over multiple practices. Physically, he's short as advertised, very wide, very grown-man in terms of his build. He looks ready to compete right now. They haven't gotten into a lot of the pads popping and the blocking yet. Right now, just running routes one-on-ones. And he keeps getting open. He’s a natural receiver. Remember, this is a guy who also played tailback and scored touchdowns against Chaminade and Central. So you know he can run with the ball. He lines up wide and in practice, he's cooking guys with his routes and his instincts and his ability to pluck the ball. So he's also a natural receiver. And then when the full-contact comes in, he's going to block well, too.”
“So this is a complete football player who looks like he will play early in some kind of role. Special teams? Is he going to play fullback? Is he going to be a tight end? I don't know, but I could see him getting on the field. In fact, I'd be surprised if he doesn't get on the field in some role year one.”
Dylan Day: “Someone who played at a smaller school, very successful school, but a smaller school in Louisiana (Southern Lab in Baton Rouge). And you wonder, ‘How is he going to take the step up in competition?’ He's not a highly ranked guy. I don't think he did a lot of these national camps. Gets here early, didn't talk about him much on prior podcasts, but watching him today, he was making interceptions. He was disrupting the ball. He was everywhere.”
“He's a safety who can play man coverage, or potentially a nickel with tackling skills. He’s played in multiple spots on Greentree. And he did that in high school. You watch his high school film. He's tackling. He's taking kicks to the house. He's doing a little bit of everything for his team. Dylan is not a Kam Kinchens-type centerfielder safety. He’s a guy who will cover you, he'll blitz, he can tackle and he has great instincts. And you saw all that on display today.”
Chris Wheatley-Humphrey: “He continues to show quickness. He's a very talented receiver as well. I’m not saying he's going to be Miami's all-time leading rusher. That's extremely unlikely. But in terms of running style, he is Duke Johnson-esque with his cuts and his ability to jump from gap-to-gap. Just a lot of life in his feet. Needs to bulk up. Duke had that great stiff arm and physicality. I don't know if Wheatley-Humphrey has that right now. But he's taller than I thought and he's gaining weight.”
Judd Anderson: “One of those polarizing players in the class. It doesn't take a genius to see the physical traits when he shows up. Every bit of 6'7". He looks thicker than when he first arrived, and he's gonna gain weight. Smooth in everything, highly coordinated former basketball player, double-double guy. Some of these big guys, they look like they're laboring. Or when they throw, it looks like they're pushing the ball. This guy throws it very easy. Natural release, natural drop, natural ball fakes. The guy is just a very smooth customer. The question with him is going to be processing when the game is being played. He took major steps as a senior, had a great year. But that's going to be the question mark. ‘How can he read defenses and play full speed when people are trying to hit him?’ We won't know that for a while.”
“He’s gotten very limited reps. Remember, you have Cam Ward, Reese Poffenbarger, Jacurri Brown and Emory Williams ahead of him. So his reps have been limited, but he did well in his opportunities today. I'm told he hit Chris Wheatley-Humphrey for a touchdown on the wheel route. It'll come down to his command of the offense. He's supposed to be a smart guy. He's supposed to be a hardworking guy. Physically, the traits are easy to see. Standing alongside all the quarterbacks, he towers over them. Arm strength is similar to all the top guys in that room, if not better, and just the coordination stands out.”
CJ Clark: “He had a pick six. He also had another pass breakup. It’s great to see his athleticism. At NC State, he was more of a nose tackle, so he was stout. That's something that's needed with this defensive tackle room. I think the room is a little small right now. It's going to be improved when you add Josh Horton, who's nicked up, when you add Justin Scott and Artavius Jones. The body types are going to increase. The body types are improving in recruiting. CJ Clark helps bridge that gap because he's strong enough to be a nose tackle in the ACC in more of a two-gap type of role, yet he's athletic enough to do what he's going to do here, which is get upfield and shoot those gaps.”
