Hi guys- Haven't posted in a bit but was looking and have yet to see a decent breakdown of our roster construction post signing day (I know, I'm impatient). Quick breakdown... Offense QB: Mertz, Lagway, Miller (?) - (A) - Call me crazy, but I haven't felt this confident about our QB situation, both present and future, since the Leak/Tebow. That said we are a couple injuries away from tragedy here with no depth. RB: Johnson, Webb, Carroll (?), Daniels, Baugh- (B+) - No one is going to say losing ETN isn't a big loss, but personally feel we are in a decent position to absorb that and will give some younger guys opportunity to play. If 'Trell goes pro though, we are in deep trouble, although I hope ETN's decision to leave is reflective that Johnson is staying... WR: Tre Wilson, Kahleil Jackson, Dike, Burke, Fraziers, Mizell, Jean, Hawkins, Abrams (B) - YOUNG room, but behind Tre, one with a ton to prove. Hopefully he takes the step we all project and becomes a superstar, but behind him are a lot of question marks. If Dike can bounce back to his former form from two seasons ago at Wisconsin with Mertz, He's a guy who can contribute and take some pressure off Tre. A lot of decent recruits here, so hope we see somebody step up so we have a true three to four guys who can separate and not just run cardio out there, but who is anyone's guess. I personally would love to see a big push for a transfer here *if* a proven difference making commodity can be swayed (Evan Stewart?). The pitch should be easy- the snaps are there, and Mertz/Lagway is an enticing QB room...(yes yes, its all money, I know...). TE: Boardingham, Hansen, Livingston, Amir Jackson (C+) - pretty much everything that can be said about the WRs can be said about the TE room. Young, Boardingham has flashed, but needs to be developed. OT: Barber, Crenshaw Dickson, Waites, Caden Jones, George, Fletcher Westphal, Mike Williams (C) - RT was bad last year and George looked like he was on skates most of the time. This area needs improvement and development. Jones, Westphal, and Williams have the size to give some hope for better days ahead. If Tarquin comes back to give us a final year, I will feel a lot better here. OG: Mazzccua, Leonard, Harris, Kearney, Christian Williams, Mascoll, Portnjagin (C-) - If Mazzccua returns, we really just need one of Harris or Kearney to step up and overtake Leonard (or push him for snaps/improvement). If Mazzccua is gone, I sure hope our two OL coaching method means we see some serious improvement here, if not, 5-7 may be the best we can hope for. OC: Slaughter, Kingsley, depth probably listed above (A) - A bright spot, just need to develop some youth under as these guys will be gone before long. Defense DT: Cam Jackson, Joey Slackman, Caleb Banks, Des Watson, Jamari Lyons, Gavin Hill, Brien Taylor, Michai Boireau (B+) - Losing McClellan stings a bit as he was a young guy who flashed, but if Slackman is as advertised, he should be an immediate upgrade. Jackson looked like he was alone out there at times last year, so a potential 1-2 bunch will be a difference maker. After missing out on Amaris Williams and Nasir Johnson down the stretch, we will need to add some serious impact players in next years class to shore up the future. Edge: Tyreak Sapp, Justus Boone, Kelby Collins, Kamran James, LJ McCray, TJ Searcy, Jack Pyburn (B-) - Another very young room (sensing a theme?) - can't sugar coat it, the loss of Princely is tough to swallow. That said, there is a lot to like about the future here, and McCray has the pedigree to be a factor here very soon. If a Princely type pops in the portal and is interested, you take him, but part of me wants to see what Sapp, Collins, and James can do in an expanded role. LB: Shemar James, Derek Wingo, Scooby Williams, Mannie Nunnery, Aaron Chiles, Myles Graham, Jaden Robinson (B) - Here is hoping Scooby takes a big step forward because outside of Shemar, we spent way too much time last season out of position, or missing tackles, or both. Chiles and Graham are the future, but you can't count on true freshman to make an immediate impact in the middle of an SEC defense. We have a proud history of dominant MLBs and I think there may be a couple in this group who will get there. CB: Marshall, Hill, Moore, Kimber, Dijon Johnson, Ja'Keem Jackson, Sharif Denson, Pouncey, Teddy Foster (TBD) - If Marshall goes pro, we are in trouble here. While he hasn't been the generational player many hoped when he signed, he is an SEC caliber CB1 and future NFL player. After him, assuming Hill is gone, we have a lot of questions. If Moore can stay healthy, he should be a guy we can count on, but he has had a tough time staying on the field. New DB coach Will Harris is going to need to land some difference makers in this next class to get back to being in the discussion of DBU. S: Jordan Castell, Bridges (?), Bryce Thornton, Aaron Gates, RJ Moten, Dakota Mitchell, Ja'Markis Weston, Josiah Davis (B) - Castell may be my favorite player on the team, as a guy who came in, was asked to do way more than you'd expect from a 3 star, barely top 100 guy in the state of FL...and all he did was deliver the second best PFF grade on our defense to Princely while playing the most snaps on the entire defense. That said, with Mitchell gone, Kamari turning out to be fools gold, and Filsaime flipped...who starts opposite him? A difference making safety is at the top of my portal wish list, although perhaps that's where Billy sees Bridges from Oregon fitting in. STs: (F) Watching the season, I am not sure we have them. They're certainly not special anyway- too many errors. Hope we have a coach here soon. (Joking aside, Smack and Crawshaw are both good, it is just everything else STs that I am frustrated with) Just my two cents, would love to hear your thoughts. I know there was a lot of doomsday sentiment out there with the decommits yesterday, but I feel we shored up some positions of need. Here's to Billy living in the portal for he next couple of months- given our schedule next year, we need all the help we can get!
Kingsley has declared for the NFL draft, so he's gone. You gave a really good breakdown, IMO. Lots of returning players, but will they improve enough to win more games than they lose with that brutal schedule we're facing? Time will tell, and I sure hope so, but I have doubts.
And with a warm welcome back like that, who would want to miss out? Joking aside, I posted semi regularly on recruiting stuff years ago. Then had two kids so my free time went to zero. Not sure when the counter got reset.
Welcome back, nice post. Agree with most of your stuff. We do need to see who back a guard for spring. I like the young talent there, so I'm not as concerned if the vets are gone. Would need some depth from the portal if Mazz and Leonard are both gone. Adding BCD at OT was important. Needing improvement from the vets and Jones needs to be ready to play. If we don't get that then another vet OT should be added. Love the the young talent at edge, but need a good vet ot two from the portal... Greenard.2 would be perfect. Really like the DT room with adding Slackman. I thought Lyons had a very good RFR year. Agree on the QBs. A nice Sr, a 5 star freshman and a reasonable 3rd stringer. That's an excellent arraignment.
We should be hitting the Portal HARD, there isn't a position that we don't need improvements with and there is a lot of talent out there.
Good post. Keep it up. I think we'll see a good bit of portal in and out still. PWO QB Kessler signed this AM. Miller to the portal? Seeing it all in one place reinforces how it is going to take 2 more years of strength, maturity, and experience for this young group to be a top threat, but with some great progress and wins on the journey. Two more excellent classes and transfers to have quality starters and depth at all positions. It takes a lot of time to get back to reload mode. 2025 could be a solid year. Next year is a meat grinder. Players who make it through will be stronger for it.
Portal needs to be a priority. We must have saved some NIL $$$ from a few of these top recruits not committing. Go and throw money at 4-5 portal guys
I'd say you were a bit optimistic in some of your grading: QB - B (would make it a B+ due to Lagway upside but dinged due to lack of depth) RB - B WR - B- (Tre could be a star but no other proven playmakers) TE - C (production has been lacking but does have potential) OT - C- (Crenshaw Dickson needs to produce or back to ill-fitting OTs) OG - C- (don't see difference makers here, maybe can move an OT inside?) C - C (Eggy gone, Slaughter ok, need Kearney to make a leap) DT - B (starters good but depth is shaky) Edge - B (actually higher on our young DEs & getting Boone back) LB - C+ (only James has been consistent, need Scooby & backups to step up) CB - C (guys haven't produced or catch INTs, Moore can't stay healthy & Kimber avoids contact) S - C- (young and lack depth, Mitchell isn't on roster & Weston at LB) STs - F! (not because of the players, worst ST coaching I've even seen at UF?) Need difference makers in the portal at almost every position. Coaching needs to quickly improve or we're going to have another poor season with our brutal schedule.
Doesn’t look like we are far off, you’re just one of those Russian judges that docks everyone a half a grade (kidding). If there is a time for optimism, the week before Christmas with a potentially program altering QB signed, is it! Consider me a stocking half full kinda guy.
I am really not concerned about Princely leaving. Thought he was in for too many plays and often disappeared. We are getting Boone back and I remain really high on Collins The guy I am looking forward to seeing much more of is Searcy, who seems to have a nose for the football and wonder if he could play linebacker.
My priority list: 1. OL (tackle or interior, doesn't matter, just another starting caliber player) 2. CB (again, really need someone capable of competing for a starting role) 3. LB (doesn't need to be a starter, but we could use some quality depth) Honestly, we just need a lot of our young guys to step up. I think our RB room is GREAT, even without Etienne. Very happy with our QBs. I think one of Jean or Mizell can and will be an impact wideout. As far as the DL is concerned, we're very unproven, but there's a ton of potential there. Just need these guys to take that leap and we'll be OK.
I agree with the OP assessment, with one caveat. QB room has 2 excellent QBs, but is dangerously thin. Looks like a walk on will be QB3. That should never happen at a P5 school. So an A for quality, but a D for depth...
The schedule will factor into wins and losses. Hopefully the majority of our schedule doesn’t end up being in tge top 10. It’s going to be rough.
I am assuming that. Maybe he will. But we haven't heard a peep since his injury. It's been about a year now, right? If he is here, that is a better situation. I agree.
