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Way Too Early 2021 Depth Chart Analysis

+7 HS
Spartan13's picture
January 12, 2021 at 12:33am
109 Comments

Not gonna go too into what just happened but time to turn the page. Gonna go over each position with predictions on improvements

  • QB-CJ Stroud- He was #2 behind Fields and was a top 10 player according to 247. Elite talent and the focus will be more on throwing the ball as he is a bit less of a runner than Fields. McCord is a great prospect but Stroud will have a year of development on him. 
  • RB(mess)-Master Teague, Crowley, Miyan Williams. The freshman coming in are what the RB room needs to be. The guys coming back arent high end talents. Good enough to win the B1G with this group but not a title contending group.
  • WR-Garrett Wilson-#1 receiver next year and will be in contention to be a first rounder. 
  • WR-Julian Flemming/Jameson Williams-Expect these two to split reps opposite Wilson and both be on the field in 4 receiver sets. 
  • Slot-JSN-Will replace Wilson who moves out wide. Really solid player hopefully is able to take a step athletically. 
  • TE-Jeremy Ruckert-I expect him to return and be the best TE in the country. With Farrel gone he will be able to play every snap and should never come off the field. Could be the best tight end in the country and school history. 
  • OT-NPF-Will be back, OL normally start multiple years and after only playing 8 games wont leave early. Will be a first rounder next year. I expect him to stay at RT to build on last year.
  • OT-Paris Johnson-Forms the best OT duo in the country. PJ is a future first rounder.
  • OG-Matt Jones-Played a bit at the end of the year and competed to start all season. Was solid, isnt an elite player but should be a good guard.
  • OG-Enokk Vemahi-This is probably the most questionable position on offense. We havent really seen Vemahi or anybody else here and Dawand Jones at 6'9" may lack the quickness to play inside. 
  • C-Harry Miller-Had his struggles but should come back much improved with a full offseason of development. Not a crazy thought that Josh Myers could come back after he had a bad year. I think he would make himself money having a full season at guard, but would also understand if he left after 2 seasons starting. 

Offense-2020's offense was up and down all year so its hard to say if it will be better or worse. CJ Stroud has the potential to be one of the best QBs in the country and between his talent and Day's track record I trust he will be great. Receiver is loaded and with Ruckert back at TE the pass catchers will be ridiculous. The OL should be very good again with two incredible OTs with solid players in the middle. The IOL's development will be important to watch, its good but not great. RB is the biggest weakness again but I doubt we go back to the transfer portal with the freshman coming in. The returning players are all fine players, Marcus Crowley is the only one with potential to be high level. The true freshman RBs may be a year away from changing the dynamic of this room. I think the offense could be a year away from being elite. 

  • DE-Tyreke Smith/JJB-Jonathon Cooper is the only one gone from this group and it should take a big step forward. Smith showed he is likely the best of the group and JJB can hopefully continue to add weight. Smith can turn into an early round draft pick with a good year.
  • DE-Zach Harrison/Tyler Friday-Harrison has a ridiculously high ceiling that hopefully another offseason can bring him closer to. Tyler Friday has a high floor. This is a really deep DE rotation. 
  • NT-Tommy Togiai-Really need to hope this happens, after starting one year hopefully he comes back to have a dominant full senior season. 
  • DT-Taron Vincent-Finally he gets an offseason to be healthy and develop before coming into a starting role. This DL could be crazy good if Vincent is good. 
  • OLB-Dallas Gant/Kvaughn Pope-Seems to be the next two up, should be about the same level as the previous group
  • MLB-Teradja Mitchell-Seems to be next up, should be about the same level as Tuff Borland. 
  • Secondary-Replace Shaun Wade with Cam Brown and everything else is the same. Lejond Cavozos developing would be a plus. 

Defense really needs to take a step forward. The secondary was very bad and the DL took a big step back from 2019. The DL has the pieces to return to being the best in the country but the secondary is a serious problem. The talent really isnt there to expect any major steps forward. The coaching also needs to be improved. Coombs refused to play nickel the entire season and with poor players in the secondary the cover-3 look was exploited by every QB with a pulse. The Coombs+Mattison duo didnt have a good year. I am very worried about the defense going into '21 and think it will once again be abused by a playoff caliber team. Once again I think the defense is a year away from being elite. 

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