The Defense will maintain & continue to be top 5-10. If you're skeptical just ask yourself, how many of yall thought they were going to be top 5 in 2018 after the 2017 season? If you're being honest, most of yall were panicking all offseason back then too after the 2017 season heading into 2018.
The additions of Chigozie & Trevon Hill will help solidify the DLine with more experience along with Bethel, Patchan & Garvin. Then the emergence of the young guys like Jon Ford, Jordan Miller, Nesta Silvera, Greg Rousseau being developed will put us at a great spot in having one of if not the deepest DL's in the ACC. Plus we got another young beast in Jahfari Harvey who was an EE & will have an immediate Garvin like impact. And have 3 TF DT's who will of course most likely be Redshirted, but one of them may play their way up to getting rotational snaps throughout year.
The LB Corp is strong & the most experienced group in the ACC, yes we've unfortunately had some injuries to the backups, but a LB group of Shaq, Mike Pinckney, Zach McCloud & Rome Finley is the best in the ACC, don't care who disagrees. Sam Brooks even as a TF will be a kid that can get some real snaps & good experience to put him in line to start next year. Pat Joyner finally settling in at LB & no longer at DE is a great fit for him, once fully healthy I think he & Jennings will be solid contributors.
The biggest disagreement & worry from our fans has been the secondary, I've been in the minority on this but I think we'll be a much more athletic & more agressive Secondary particularly in the CB group. I've been saying all offseason Al Jr & DJ Ivey are going to have breakout seasons & shock people with how much they've improved, paired with Bandy who is one of the best CB in the nation (not my biased opinion, PFF graded him as such) gives us an upgraded top 3 at CB from the past in having to relying on FCS/Juco transfer guys like Delaney & Dean. Bethel is coming along & still developing, plus with the young pups Te'Cory Couch & Christian Williams gives us Five 4-star CB's in that group which is the deepest they've been talent wise since 2016.
For everybody worried about TF CB's, look no further than Malek Young's TF season in 2016 (getting a crucial game changing INT in the end zone in the 3rd quarter on the road vs NC St) & Trajan Bandy (having arguably the best play of the season in the pick 6 vs Notre Lame). Rumph has shown he can get the most of his guys & he'll do the same with this group. We got 3-4 Ballhawk corners who can run & cover, I'm not worried one bit about how young or inexperienced they are, top notch talent + top notch coaching= Productivity & big time results.
The Safety group losing Jaquan will definitely miss his instincts & leadership, but I've been high on the Palm Beach duo of Carter & Hall since January, I was one of the only ones who picked them to start & I'm confident they'll do well. I'm the President of the Amari Carter fan club, he will breakout the same way Jaquan & Rome Finley did in their Junior seasons, I don't need any support on this, I'll just sit back & watch it unfold & the rest of yall will be late to the party lol.
And yes Bolden will do well for us this year too, yes he's going to make into camp & yes he'll play. I think people have gotten so wrapped up in 8/24 they've forgotten there's 12 games in a season, as he's gets more acclimated into the Defense he'll gives us great depth throughout the year. Derrick Smith will be very good as well, I'm glad he's back at Safety which is his natural position, he can cover well & is a good tackler.
Robert Knowles is not going to start, never was & never has. If you spent all offseason panicking over it, you simply did so because you wanted to.
And what needs to be noted is the Striker spot has added more depth, obviously Rome Finley has that spot locked as the Hybrid Nickel S/LB, but with the additions of Gil Frierson & Keontra Smith, that position now has a rangy long armed physical freak in Gil & a fast hard hitting instinctual Safety that can cover WR's & hit as well as a LB.
What the Defense lacks in experience they make up for with athleticism & versatility. I think they'll continue to be the strongest side of the ball & continue to be the staple of this team's identity.
