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Three position switches I'd like to see

DMoney

DMoney

D-Moni
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It's not just getting kids on the bus. It's getting them on the right seats of the bus. Here are some moves I'd like to see in spring:

Jalen Harrell to Striker- It's a waste of time to try him at corner. He's not fast enough. Move him to striker and allow him to gain weight. His frame can carry 210+. Best case, you have a tough big guy with man-coverage skills.

Keontra Smith to LB- We need our fastest and most physical players on the field. Striker is about to get crowded with young guys. By comparison, linebacker has no juice. Jennings is G5, Steed and Brooks have injury issues, Huff lacks awareness, Cave is raw and Troutman is small. Smith played plenty of LB in high school and can get to 220 without issue.

Mark Pope to CB- I'm not saying Pope will be a good corner. But I know he's cooked at WR. Rambo is about to take his spot and the young guys need to play. All he's doing is wasting time and stealing reps. At CB, he's at least a 6'0+ athlete with quickness and 10.53 speed. Maybe the desperation brings out the physicality in him like it did for Sam Shields.
 
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McCloud to Graduate Assistant. I think thats his best position with the team. Let the young guys develop.
A new center. We will never get enough push up front with last years starting interior. We need some changes. Gaynor maybe smart but he aint the answer at center. In no way can one of them big guards switch to center, get some reps and still be worse than him.
 
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Sign me up for Keontra at LB. We need explosive LBs who can run around blocks like the Tampa LBs do. I've said it before that Diaz does it backwards - should be converting safeties to LB not DEs to LB.

The Keontra Smith I saw in the Duke game would be the best LB on the roster.

Pope is too soft to play defense though. It's one thing to get bodied at the catch point as a WR and the ball falls incomplete...it's another to be a DB and give up big play after big play even when you're in position. A soft WR can still contribute when he's wide open.
 
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DMoney said:
It's not just getting kids on the bus. It's getting them on the right seats of the bus. Here are some moves I'd like to see in spring:

Mark Pope to CB- I'm not saying Pope will be a good corner. But I know he's cooked at WR. Rambo is about to take his spot and the young guys need to play. All he's doing is wasting time and stealing reps. At CB, he's at least a 6'0+ athlete with quickness and 10.53 speed. Maybe the desperation brings out the physicality in him like it did for Sam Shields.
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Need you to cite the original take on this (me)

Me in 2019(!!)

Mark Pope
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needs to go beg someone to go play DB. You're 6'0", barely 180lbs, and have provided barely register-able contributions to this team so far through the age of 20. Go play DB where what little size you have may be an asset. Walk into whoever coach's office and don't leave until they switch you over.
Click to expand...

Prophetic.
 
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DMoney said:
It's not just getting kids on the bus. It's getting them on the right seats of the bus. Here are some moves I'd like to see in spring:

Jalen Harrell to Striker- It's a waste of time to try him at corner. He's not fast enough. Move him to striker and allow him to gain weight. His frame can carry 210+. Best case, you have a tough big guy with man-coverage skills.

Keontra Smith to LB- We need our fastest and most physical players on the field. Striker is about to get crowded with young guys. By comparison, linebacker has no juice. Jennings is G5, Steed and Brooks have injury issues, Huff lacks awareness, Cave is raw and Troutman is small. Smith played plenty of LB in high school and can get to 220 without issue.

Mark Pope to CB- I'm not saying Pope will be a good corner. But I know he's cooked at WR. Rambo is about to take his spot and the young guys need to play. All he's doing is wasting time and stealing reps. At CB, he's at least a 6'0+ athlete with quickness and 10.53 speed. Maybe the desperation brings out the physicality in him like it did for Sam Shields.
Click to expand...
I am in complete agreement regarding the 1st 2. Keontra Smith at LB would change the dynamic on defense in a very positive way. Smith has speed, toughness, good coverage ability, excellent awareness and a great nose for the football. This move is a no brainer.

Jalen Harrell to Striker is just common sense given his skill set. A move to CB would be a complete waste of time and to me indicative of very questionable personnel management. Like you said, Harrell lacks the requisite speed to effectively play the position.
 
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