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Leonard Taylor Article

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Combo said:
Yup. DT is an extremely difficult place for a true FR to start. Leonard is really good, but I"m not sure he's that good. And we have guys who are (at this point) likely better right now. He may end up better than Nesta, JHH, et al, but right now, it's very unlikely that he is there.
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It’s really a strength issue for young linemen. I’d bet he does a lot of things better than guys already on the roster but is his functional strength at a level where he can take on grown men on the interior line for an entire game? Probably not yet. Use him situationally as a pass rusher and he can still make an impact even as a part time player.
 
DTP said:
Even if he is that big, he’s not starting right away. Even the best true freshman DTs take a little development time. Ed Oliver is the only one I can think of who made an immediate impact and he was a 275 lb tackle playing for a G5 program. Taylor will be in the rotation and hopefully make an impact as an inside pass rusher
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Who was the DT from Clemson we flirted with a little bit? I think he had a very good frosh year. Tyler Davis maybe? and he was a top 50 player if I remember correctly.
 
Oh is it safe to hope the team does well on this board?

don’t mind if I do ...
 

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AUcane said:
This. It is VERY rare for a DT freshman to make an impact as a first year player.

As for DE/DT, he is a future DT here. He may get a look at DE as long as he shows up to camp in good shape and under 280-285. William Joseph started his career at DE and he was in that 270-280 range IIRC as a first or 2nd year guy.
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True, but Bryan Bresee was pretty darn good for Clemson. Taylor has similar accolades coming into college. He does not have to start like Bresee, but it is not unreasonable to expect him to be productive.
 
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Pentagon Cane said:
True, but Bryan Bresee was pretty darn good for Clemson. Taylor has similar accolades coming into college. He does not have to start like Bresee, but it is not unreasonable to expect him to be productive.
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That’s a great comp, PC. If LT is as productive as BB was, we’re in good shape.

hope you and your fam are doing well!
 
Why are people on here insisting on DE? I know we need one but you just don't make guys who are 308 at DE. And the kid is not done growing nor is he in a weight training program either. The kid will get bigger.
 
omaha said:
Why are people on here insisting on DE? I know we need one but you just don't make guys who are 308 at DE. And the kid is not done growing nor is he in a weight training program either. The kid will get bigger.
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I do not think anyone is insisting DE is his future position, but when he was in the 260ish range his senior year he and others on the board said the plan was for him to start at DE, he was good enough to be on the field, but still a little light for DT and we needed more depth at DE than DT. It was more so a plan based on (1) his body at that time; and (2) need for the team.
 
ghost2 said:
Couldn't read the full article, but personally I'd like to see Taylor at 275-280 to start. Keep him at DE where we need the most help right now and slide him inside on 3rd and long a la Rousseau. Get him 10 meaningful snaps/game and increase that as his conditioning improves. Then let him bulk up the right way over the course of a full S&C program year and plug him in for Nesta in 22.
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I say keep Taylor inside at DT and play Elijah Roberts at SDE
 
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If we need him to come in week 1 2 or 3 with no spring and play we are in trouble..UNLESS he absolutely kills right away. DLinemen usually needs a year or 2 at the P5 level
 
Pentagon Cane said:
True, but Bryan Bresee was pretty darn good for Clemson. Taylor has similar accolades coming into college. He does not have to start like Bresee, but it is not unreasonable to expect him to be productive.
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that’s sort of how I feel about someone with his accolades. I don’t expect him to be wrecking people against Alabama, but I’m expecting him to get some playing time during the year. And yes I’m taking into consideration the fact that that’s a very difficult position to have a true impact as a freshman player, so it’s not like I’m expecting an All-American type season out of him either. Just some minutes, possibly more.
 
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Pentagon Cane said:
True, but Bryan Bresee was pretty darn good for Clemson. Taylor has similar accolades coming into college. He does not have to start like Bresee, but it is not unreasonable to expect him to be productive.
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Bresee was the No. 1 player in the country and physically more ready to play interior than Taylor. We're discussing LT playing out of position at DE. Bresee was physically ready to go as a DT. Not saying who'll end up better, just different expectations for them as true frosh.
 
Ethnicsands said:
Bresee was the No. 1 player in the country and physically more ready to play interior than Taylor. We're discussing LT playing out of position at DE. Bresee was physically ready to go as a DT. Not saying who'll end up better, just different expectations for them as true frosh.
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Not only that, but Breese enrolled at Clemson in January as opposed to in June like Taylor will be.
 
Ethnicsands said:
Bresee was the No. 1 player in the country and physically more ready to play interior than Taylor. We're discussing LT playing out of position at DE. Bresee was physically ready to go as a DT. Not saying who'll end up better, just different expectations for them as true frosh.
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wouldnt LT be physically ready to play at DT just like breese? I acknlowdge that coming in jan would have made a big difference to LT.
 
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If the man is ready to play, he’s ready to play. You can speculate all day long. I think he’s got a good shot if his head if focused on football and not poon. He could show up close to ideal playing weight based on some reports.

One thing is for sure...we could really use a dominate force at DT with our subpar play and undersized LBs. Nesta has been a solid player but not dominate. I still won’t believe Ford has come around until I see it. JHH is light to be standing up Bama’s OL. Miller hasn’t shown much other than looking like a potential plug.
 
I fully expect LT to have the same impact Bryan Bresee had at Clemson last year. He has to play. He’s the most talented DLineman on the roster. I’m not saying he starts day 1 but he has to play early and often and by the end of the season I expect him to be splitting first team reps. I don’t care how much he weighs.
 
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