Kai-Leon Herbert

[bshaw28]

4 4-star guys over 2 years is a much fairer representation of this staff.

Putting up stats inclusive of the 2016 recruiting class when Coach Searels was hired like a month before NSD paints an inaccurate picture. Golden/Scott/Kehoe only had Jawaan Taylor -- a 3* who started every game at OT last year -- committed on the OL, and he decommitted before Richt was hired and ended up a gaytor. The class was in such bad shape Searels settled for bringing in Tre Johnson (who is also gone).

Actually, I don't think there's a single 2016 scholarship OL on the roster. This is a problem, as OL generally take more time to develop and contribute. The 2016 class would be heading into year 3 as Canes and looking to contribute, but there just aren't any of those guys on the team.

We have better depth and talent now, but that talent will need some time to develop. 2017 and 2018 classes were much more promising. Searels & Co brought in four 4* recruits (Donaldson, Herbert, Scaife, Reed) and four 3* recruits (Hillery, Dykstra, Gaynor, Campbell), plus Boulware as a GT (a former 3* with 2 years of eligibility left). 2019 is also looking promising (so long as Neal commits). It just takes a longer to correct recruiting misses on the OL because of the nature of the position.

Side Note: Trevor Darling was a high 4* and a top 10 OT in the country coming out of high school. But he developed into an overweight turnstile incapable of remembering snap counts or staying on his feet. OL is not an easy position to project.

I hear you. And I don't blame Richt/Searels for 2016. What concerns me is OL wasn't more of a priority in 2017 & 2018 after not getting any OL in 2016. We HAD to get more talent than we did.

The end result (whether you think Richt did or didn't do a good job recruiting OL) is we're looking at starting 4 OL from the 2015 class this year.

And that's kind of scary if we we're trying to be a playoff team.

 

[No_Fly_Zone]

I hear you. And I don't blame Richt/Searels for 2016. What concerns me is OL wasn't more of a priority in 2017 & 2018 after not getting any OL in 2016. We HAD to get more talent than we did.

The end result (whether you think Richt did or didn't do a good job recruiting OL) is we're looking at starting 4 OL from the 2015 class this year.

And that's kind of scary if we we're trying to be a playoff team.

Agreed that it is troubling and OL is a unit that needs to show improvement (and, to LCE's point, development under Searels) this year.

As to starting a bunch of 2015 guys, on the one hand, that's sort of what you want at OL (to start a bunch of developed 3rd and 4th year players with size and experience), on the other hand, those are Golden guys and we have no 2016 guys because of the transition.

 

[The Sphinx]

I hear you. And I don't blame Richt/Searels for 2016. What concerns me is OL wasn't more of a priority in 2017 & 2018 after not getting any OL in 2016. We HAD to get more talent than we did.

The end result (whether you think Richt did or didn't do a good job recruiting OL) is we're looking at starting 4 OL from the 2015 class this year.

And that's kind of scary if we we're trying to be a playoff team.

OR -- It's a testament to the dedication of our S&C / Nutrition staff and the players themselves for making incremental improvements and becoming Cane starters. Why don't we give Gauthier, St. Louis, Jones and Mahoney credit for stepping the fvck up and making something of themselves?

Though, I do agree that we need to see drastic improvement from the unit as a whole this season. There is enough talent on the OL to dominate 90% of the teams on our schedule. I'm not giving Searles an out.

 

[The Sphinx]

I'm not ready to write off Herbert as he begins only Year 2 in the program. Can't expect guys to be like Big Vaughn and step in and play heavy minutes in the trenches as a Freshman. That's **** unheard of, and I think we are taking for granted the amazing job he did last year as a true Freshman.

Herbert should be a contributor next season - Year 3. If not, then yeah we may have a problem.

But you have to at least be fair and give trench guys 2 full years before you start tossing around the bust label.

 

[Miami04]

Uhhh... Navaughn?

I just assumed he went without saying. I was talking about everyone else. But you are correct.

 

[Miami04]

It’s their second year in the program dude....

I get that. But as heralded as that class was and the hype they brought in I expected some to at least be contributing by year 2. Excluding Navaughn of course.

 

[Geddy Lee]

I get that. But as heralded as that class was and the hype they brought in I expected some to at least be contributing by year 2. Excluding Navaughn of course.

We all knew Dykstra wouldn’t play here and probably shouldn’t have been a take. He will be passed by younger players, Donaldson obvious starter, Gaynor got some burn last year and will get some this year too, Herbert should have been redshirted last year while he recovered from his shoulder injury. He will be in the rotation in 2019.

 

[Combo]

I get that. But as heralded as that class was and the hype they brought in I expected some to at least be contributing by year 2. Excluding Navaughn of course.

2 of the 5 are contributing. Hillary is a project, but has potential. Herbert's been injured (I do agree that he was overrated a bit out of h.S.). Dykstra I can't say much. If you hit on say, 3 of the 5, that's pretty decent.

 

[Geddy Lee]

We all knew Dykstra wouldn’t play here and probably shouldn’t have been a take. He will be passed by younger players, Donaldson obvious starter, Gaynor got some burn last year and will get some this year too, Herbert should have been redshirted last year while he recovered from his shoulder injury. He will be in the rotation in 2019.

Forgot about Hillary, he will be in the rotation this year maybe. If not this year then def next year.

 

[Geddy Lee]

2 of the 5 are contributing. Hillary is a project, but has potential. Herbert's been injured (I do agree that he was overrated a bit out of h.S.). Dykstra I can't say much. If you hit on say, 3 of the 5, that's pretty decent.

Agreed. Just gotta be patient, o lineman need a couple years to fully develop.

 

[gcane44]

Baga has 4 and 5 stars across the entire D and O line.

Bama largely gets who they want. No denying that.

But the recruiting services automatically bump up whoever Bama targets to 4 stars. So, of course they have 4 and 5 stars across the board

 

[OriginalGatorHater]

Bama largely gets who they want. No denying that.

But the recruiting services automatically bump up whoever Bama targets to 4 stars. So, of course they have 4 and 5 stars across the board

They do get bumps, but even early on in the cycles the vast majority of these kids are 4 and 5 stars.

 

[Tony Perps]

It’s his second year in the program.

 

[Tony Perps]

A pull for all these kids but his performance has nothing to do with his shoulder. At this point it’s his abilities or lack there of

It’s his second year in the program you moron.