Junior Day Surprised Bates

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Peter Ariz

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2014 LB Dillon Bates from Ponte Vedra High School is already one of the top players in the country for his position and holds offers from the likes of Notre Dame, Ohio State, Florida, and Tennessee. He also has a Miami offer and was on campus today for junior day.

"My favorite part of the day was walking around the campus with the coaches and seeing the facilities."

Was there anything that he learned about Miami that he didn't know before?

"I didn't really know how much of a prestigious academic school Miami was."

Another thing that stood out to Bates was the atmosphere amongst the team.

"I was really surprised about Miami and how much of a family feel it has and how welcoming the coaches and staff are. This was a really great trip."

The linebacker said he spoke with Coach Barrow, Coach Carroll, and Coach Golden today.
 
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I read somewhere that this kids dad played at Tennessee. Wonder if will be a legacy kid.
 
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Size? Speed? Anything quantifiable on this guy?

6'3 and 220.

Apparently at some combine he was the only linebacker that was doing well in coverage against WR's and RB's. Lemme see if I can find the quote.
 
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This is from the Army Combine.

"One-on-ones with running backs and linebackers heavily favor the offense, so when Bates got his hands on four of the first five passes he defended, we knew it was going to be a special day for the eventual Combine Defense MVP. "

"Bates, the son of three-time Super Bowl champion and former Cowboys safety Bill Bates, was especially dominant during one-on-one drills, a difficult task for any linebacker against speedy running backs running right at him."


"Bates had an amazing combine working out as a linebacker," Rivals.com national analyst Mike Farrell said.

"You can tell his coverage skills in space from playing safety translate closer to the line of scrimmage, but his instincts are what separate him. He has a feel for the game and for what his opponent is going to do, and he jumps routes and closes on the ball as well as anybody.

"He had a near interception on his first rep, a pick on the second I saw, and after that there were many pass breakups. He has the bloodlines, of course, and maybe that's where the instincts come from, but he also has a great frame, good speed, and a year from now he'll be a good-size linebacker who can cover wideouts."



Sounds like a rich mans Josh Witt. A very rich mans Josh Witt haha.
 
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One-on-ones with running backs and linebackers heavily favor the offense, so when Bates got his hands on four of the first five passes he defended, we knew it was going to be a special day for the eventual Combine Defense MVP. As good as Bates was, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Gates was right on his heels and is an impressive physical specimen
 
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