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The Bank (camp edition 8/10)

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Jassid82 said:
I dont think Mesidor will be down with playing inside unless its some "Nascar" like 3rd and long package. He came here specifically to play DE.

So in a perfect world, our 2023 starting DL would be Mesidor-LT-Jackson-Kelly....Man that could be a top 3 DL in the nation if our DL coaches are as good as we all think they are.
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Think you’re more likely to see Agude and Harvey in the place of Kelly until later this season. Either way, if Kelly is as good as we all think and hope, he’ll find his snaps.
 
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NorthEastCane said:
Fortunately there are only two teams on the schedule you can call elite.
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Correct. Which means if they lose those two games they have to be nearly perfect to meet expectations. Another hiccup or two in year one have to be expected. We beat aTm week 3 and the expectations change.
 
DMoney said:
It’s still early, but first impressions can often tell us a lot. Here is some initial buzz from the team’s first four practices:

- The defensive line is nothing like the depleted group we saw in spring. Between the five DL transfers and the return of guys like Jared Harrison-Hunte, Elijah Roberts and Jabari Ishmael, this group can legitimately field three complete units. That deep stable of length and athleticism has given the OL (which is not as deep and is battling injuries) a ton of problems. Akheem Mesidor, Mitchell Agude and Darrell Jackson are three new additions causing chaos.

- We’ve seen NFL defensive ends flash early on Greentree. Greg Rousseau, Jaelen Phillips, Joe Jackson and Jon Garvin come to mind. Nyjalik Kelly is cut from the same cloth. After missing spring, Kelly has come out on fire in camp and looks like a future superstar. Picks, TFLs, sacks- he is the story so far. His bend is elite, which allows him to angle toward the QB even if it looks like he’s blocked. He’s a long 6’4 with the quickness to redirect and the lower-body strength to hold up against the run. He still looks like a kid in the upper body and has major growth potential. Last year, we saw another Broward DE named Dallas Turner make a big impact for a title contender. Kelly can help us right now.

- The injury to Zion Nelson has allowed other players to get reps at LT. The most impressive so far is Jalen Rivers. His combination of IQ and sheer size has allowed him to handle disruptive players like Agude. Rivers is also a people-mover in the run game. He was arguably our best OL last year before his injury (including Zion), and I would not be surprised if the same thing is true this year.

- Our best overall CB may be Te’Cory Couch. He has added mass while maintaining his elite foot quickness and 4.4 speed. He's mostly working nickel. Another DB who is having a great start is James Williams. Everyone focuses on his size, but his IQ is his real superpower. He sniffs things out before they happen and covers so much ground with his length and twitch. Expect him to line up all over the field.

- Thomas Davis is shifting between LB and third-down rusher and showing some serious juice. It’s tough to evaluate LBs until full-contact scrimmages, but he is someone with a chance to see the field. Caleb Johnson (UCLA transfer) is also making an impression with his pure speed.

- By now, everyone has seen pictures of TreVonte’ Citizen looking like an NFL RB. But the real story is his toughness. He's not backing down from anybody and delivers blows in pass protection and at the end of runs. It's hard to judge running ability without full-contact and tackling to the ground. But based on attitude and physical tools, it would not surprise me one bit if Citizen is starting by the end of the year.

- Elijah Arroyo has lost weight and looks athletic like his high school tape. We already saw what he brings to the table as a physical blocker. Put it together, and you have one of the most gifted TEs in the nation.

- Jacolby George and Xavier Restrepo have stood out at WR so far. One guy who has a chance to join that group is Romello Brinson. His twitch and suddenness are obvious and different than the rest. This is the unit to watch in the scrimmages.
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D Money with the fire like always!
 
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Jassid82 said:
I dont think Mesidor will be down with playing inside unless its some "Nascar" like 3rd and long package. He came here specifically to play DE.
So in a perfect world, our 2023 starting DL would be Mesidor-LT-Jackson-Kelly....Man that could be a top 3 DL in the nation if our DL coaches are as good as we all think they are.
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i thought Messidor said in his interview that he prefers to play inside but is playing outside generally over the TE. see the video starting at 3:17

 
@DMoney your analysis of the receivers in addition to what we've been hearing about Isaiah Horton could mean some big things for this group this year. Any notes on Keyshawn Smiff?
 
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What's with the JW linebacker talk? I hate that our beat loves to create controversy and poison kids heads. They sound like idiots when they bring it up. Shows how little they know about the game.

That conversation is always tricky because it usually lacks context. They just want to use edgy buzzwords. Are talking about him playing linebacker in the NFL? Are we talking about an in-the-box stacked linebacker playing an A or B gap? An off the ball outside linebacker like in a 43/42 over hybrid type system; like a nickel? An in-line outside linebacker like in a 34/43under? "Linebacker" is a pretty vague term.

Why don't we focus on keeping him in a role that accentuates his range, smarts and physicality? Does it matter what we call it?
 
WestEndzone said:
What's with the JW linebacker talk? I hate that our beat loves to create controversy and poison kids heads. They sound like idiots when they bring it up. Shows how little they know about the game.

That conversation is always tricky because it usually lacks context. They just want to use edgy buzzwords. Are talking about him playing linebacker in the NFL? Are we talking about an in-the-box stacked linebacker playing an A or B gap? An off the ball outside linebacker like in a 43/42 over hybrid type system; like a nickel? An in-line outside linebacker like in a 34/43under? "Linebacker" is a pretty vague term.

Why don't we focus on keeping him in a role that accentuates his range, smarts and physicality? Does it matter what we call it?
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Exactly. Closest comp is probably Derwin James.
 
WestEndzone said:
What's with the JW linebacker talk? I hate that our beat loves to create controversy and poison kids heads. They sound like idiots when they bring it up. Shows how little they know about the game.

That conversation is always tricky because it usually lacks context. They just want to use edgy buzzwords. Are talking about him playing linebacker in the NFL? Are we talking about an in-the-box stacked linebacker playing an A or B gap? An off the ball outside linebacker like in a 43/42 over hybrid type system; like a nickel? An in-line outside linebacker like in a 34/43under? "Linebacker" is a pretty vague term.

Why don't we focus on keeping him in a role that accentuates his range, smarts and physicality? Does it matter what we call it?
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Think his ultimate college role is far from determined. Forget his NFL role; too much speculation.

But, from what I’m told he’s really bought into Steele and, to me, that means the master of subpackages. Little blitzing, little underneath, little cancelling the opponent’s receiving TE. He’s built like a spider with great footwork. He’s got natural instincts for reading and even anticipating His keys.

These kids have more access to videos and info than ever. They might be coming around - and maybe Zo is helping with this - on how showing out within your skill set will lead you to NFL $$$ just the same, or better, than fitting within ‘traditional’ roles.
 
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SouthParkCane said:
I wanna see or get some info from both teams first scrimmages and then bet. I can tell you this it’s a winnable game unless we play Michigan ball. They don’t scare me like they did a month ago
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Who will be the starting DL? Who are the DBs to look out for?
 
Liberty City El said:
Run Defense should be vastly improved this season.

When you have that much depth & versatility on the DLine that usually translate into having a stout Run Defense.

We’ll get an early test against Southern Miss against Frank Gore Jr & then TAMU will be the ultimate test for that group.

But overall, our Run Defense should elevate greatly this season, at least in the top 20.
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Agreed, my question is who is gonna generate a pass rush? We have a plethora of guys that look like prototypical edges but none that have produced.
 
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Umbra said:
I don't think asking for 10 wins including the bowl is asking much more than winning coastal. Allows for a loss to clemson and A&M and one bad game if we get the bowl game right.
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I would agree, was referring to the regular season. I think a random in conference L is likely. @ VT (probably highest chance) or @UVA, or god forbid @ GT.

I’m optimistic we’ll hold serve at home
 
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