2023 2023 Class - Top Targets - Defense

nvlahos

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DE: Grade - A
  1. Reuben Bain COMMIT
  2. Collins Acheampong COMMIT
  3. Jayden Wayne COMMIT
Misses: Damon Wilson (UGA), Samuel M'Pemba (UGA)

Analysis: Landed our top targets. Bain was a huge get. Would've loved to add Wilson, maybe add one more from the portal


DT: Grade - B-
  1. Joshua Horton COMMIT
  2. Branson Deen COMMIT - Portal
  3. Thomas Gore COMMIT - Portal
  4. Portal
Misses: John Walker (UCF), Xzavier McLeod (USCe)

Analysis: Need at least 2 big bodies from the Portal, especially after losing Jackson. Horton looks like a future Stud

LB: Grade - A
  1. Malik Bryant COMMIT
  2. Raul Aguirre COMMIT
  3. Bobby Washington COMMIT
  4. Francisco Mauigoa COMMIT - Portal
  5. Marcellius Pulliam COMMIT
Misses: Staquan Clark (LOU)

Analysis: Only beef with this position is losing Clark. Would've loved to replace Pulliam with Clark. Great class otherwise

CB: Grade - B
  1. Robert Stafford COMMIT
  2. Damari Brown COMMIT
  3. Davonte Brown COMMIT - Portal
  4. Terry Roberts COMMIT - Portal
Misses: Cormani McClain (CO) Edwin Joseph (FSU), Ja'Keem Jackson (UF), Sharif Denson (UF)

Analysis: Would've been nice to steal Jackson or Denson from UF, but they are both in Gaytor territory. Losing Joseph to FSU sucks, and losing the best CB in the country late to Deon is tough to swallow.


S: Grade - B-
  1. Antione Jackson COMMIT
  2. Kaleb Spencer COMMIT
Misses: Conrad Hussey (FSU), Joenel Aguero (UGA), Jayden Bonsu (OSU), Derek Williams (TEX)

Analysis: Swung and missed on a couple of big time targets (Aguero, Bonsu, WIlliams) and then lost Hussey to FSU. Safety room is very light, so IMO we needed to add more here
 
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Even without a full staff Mario has gotten a ton of top targets/prospects on campus

Would love to see some more DT and S offers go out and see who gets prioritized at LB and CB (outside of Cormani)

Should be an awesome year and class to follow with Mario at the helm

I also put Robby Washington at S because I think the WR class will be over crowded and him or Jalen Brown potentially have the highest ceilings as DBs
 
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More DTs or GTFO!
I'll second that......in the 80's and 90's the standout players on our D were the DT''s. Our old D's stuffed the run and forced teams to run wide, which is when we started moving safeties up to OLB's and using LB's as edge rushers because the middle was secured by our DT's.....IIRC they had a tradition of awarding this dirty old green jacket to the outstanding DT each year and that rag would be worn with pride by Jerome, Cortez, Russell, etc......I'll agree with OP, we need DT's above all else.
 
Is Jayvant Brown high on us? I know the Raylen Wilson kid is committed to Michigan right now but was he ever interested in us?
 
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I'll second that......in the 80's and 90's the standout players on our D were the DT''s. Our old D's stuffed the run and forced teams to run wide, which is when we started moving safeties up to OLB's and using LB's as edge rushers because the middle was secured by our DT's.....IIRC they had a tradition of awarding this dirty old green jacket to the outstanding DT each year and that rag would be worn with pride by Jerome, Cortez, Russell, etc......I'll agree with OP, we need DT's above all else.


Yes, but let's not pretend that every one of those DTs back in the day were 5-star blue-chippers.

Russell Maryland was an overweight kid that got (literally) the last scholarship that year, and only because another kid from his HS picked Illinois over UM.

Warren Sapp, while very talented and moderately recruited out of HS, was a position change from TE to DT.

Cortez Kennedy was a JuCo transfer out of Northwest Mississippi Community College.
 
Haha, I thought a bit more about that after I posted it. I suppose I meant, are any kids on commit watch, or even have timelines on their commitments? Lol
Thanks for not completely destroying me on that one @Hegemon hahaha
 
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Oh it would have been deserved! I also tested positive for the Vid yesterday. So thanks. I needed a break!
I had it a month ago myself.

If you lose your ability to taste I highly recommend taking zinc on top of all the other vitamins everyone knows about.

Feel better.
 
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Mario and everybody else knows you have to get the stud OL and DL to build a championship team. Given Spring and fall practices the staff will determine positional recruiting priorities. The season outcome will also be key in determining recruiting needs and if we beat tamu, clemson or both then that will give better leverage with all recruits
 
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I want a 5'10" safety named King Mack.
I See You Reaction GIF by Laff
 
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