Depth Chart Changes
So now that we know just about all of the fresh faces that are going to be coming into the program, who do you think is going to make an immediate impact on the team? It may be too early to speculate, as spring practice hasn't even started but speculation's always fun.
My money's on both JC's (Caleb and Coleman) to become involved in the offense in some way, whether in major roles or not, too early to tell. On defense, most will probably just be used for depth than anything else, but could Donaldven Manning maybe fight for a position in the secondary?
Interested to hear ya'lls opinions.
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i think jc will definitely be #
i think jc will definitely be a pretty big part of the offense this year...i would love to see them get caleb out there too so he can get a head start for the 2013 push.
That I may serve..
I agree. Would also like to #
I agree. Would also like to see some of the young defensive talent see some action... Maybe against a lesser opponent when the game has gone out of reach.
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Gotta think Drew Harris has a #
Gotta think Drew Harris has a solid shot. I know Holmes and Coleman are already in the program but nobody's handled a snap in a game yet. A lot of RBs on the roster come fall, should be some good competition.
Seems like the depth at receiver this fall may keep Caleb in a redshirt. The top 3 are set-Davis, Coles, Dyrel, and Demitri Knowles has made a quite an impression during his redshirt year. If Caleb can challeng him or Fuller, who aint shown much so far, then maybe he'll play.
It was a catch!!!
i think frank has learned his #
i think frank has learned his lesson (hopefully!!) with redshirting top talent. he knows that you only have a short time with these guys...i don't think he'll redshirt caleb. especially since we have alot of questions going into 2013 at the wr spot..
That I may serve..
Red shriting #
Don't forget. Michael Vick redshirted. If you are not getting a load of NFL caliber recruits (ala Alabama) you need to develop (redshirt) some guys in order to have enough depth. Some guys might need development to play at a high level in college (they are not quite ready). The 4 or 5 stars almost always get to play early because they are good enough. I ask, as a DL if Nick Saban offered you a redshirt at Alabama versus you starting at VT, most guys would still pick bama.
bringing vick into the #
bringing vick into the equation solidifies my point...he was redshirted and left early to the nfl...had he played right away..that's another year we would have had him. my point is not for getting these guys committed, it's getting the most out of them once they are committed..
That I may serve..
Caleb and the Redshirt #
Blue Collar- do you know by any chance if Caleb had any reluctance about red shirting? I haven't seen much on his preferences but I figured one big reason he came to VT is that we put WR's and (if he has to make the switch) DB's in the NFL; however, I was unsure about Caleb's desires.
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sorry to leave ya hangin, #
sorry to leave ya hangin, havent been on the site in a couple days. . . but yeah i havent seen anything on that either. i did a quick search and came across a thread on a wvu board complaining about all the prospects decommiting or picking other schools so that was pretty funny.
alot of articles seem to think he will redshirt but i found no quote from him
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It was a catch!!!
Immediate needs #
Our biggest needs right now are at RB, WR, S, K and depth in the OL. I dont think it beyond the staff to evaluate Coleman, Harris, or Mangus for immediate impact. losing both DW and Oglesby gives opportunity for playing time as a Freshman. As well, Beamer likes to have 6 WR's at the ready. Obviously D.J Coles, Davis, and STRAIGHTBURNER will occupy the top 3. So again Id say its a toss up as to who fills the rest of the depth chart.
In terms of the P,K situation we still have Branthover and Weiss. Nonetheless this AA Abbott could be HUGE. I watched some film on him and he's a stud. His leg is both strong and hits the ball with speed allowing for distance and hang time. Oh yea, he PK's as well. I think we undervalue the contribution of these guys too much and was therefore extremely excited to see this kid choose VT even as a WALK ON.
Some are hesitent about our O-line with 4 seniors leaving. I get that. Nonetheless we have a good group who have all received playing time. I see us RS any of these OL recruits to bulk up.
Lastly, out of any I see Caleb as the one not already enrolled who can start right away. French has said time andd time again that he wishes to see him return the ball and I cant agree more.
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A couple points... #
1. Drew Harris had surgery to repair an ACL. He may need the redshirt to fully recover. If not, I would love to see him out there but I would rather have him healthy for 2-3 years than 80 percent next year.
2. Joel Caleb was a HS QB. He may need the year to just learn the basics of the position. He'll probably be a wait & see as far as whether he plays or not.
As far as the new guys who will make an impact next year, my money would be on the 2 guys who enrolled early (Coleman and Manning). Both have the opportunity with the depth chart being thin at both spots and both kids being very talented.
my take #
- that manning MAY not redshirt but secondary is deep enough so i think he will
- i do NOT think that jc will redshirt. he'll get a full spring to get ready and he brings a unique skillset/talent to the field that the other rb's do not have
- i would be baffled if harris didn't redshirt .. they have the luxury of giving him an extra season to recover so they should
- it wouldn't surprise me either way if joel caleb was or was not redshirted .. personally, i don't think we should redshirt him. kids got skills and could probably make an impact with special offensive sets and special teams.
a few other that i think will redshirt but may not -- mangus and edmunds .. edmunds is so good that they say it's gonna be hard to keep him off the field .. and if they decide to move mangus to WR, he'll redshirt
How is the secondary deep? #
How many snaps has the 2-deep in the secondary played? Exum is a starter at rover, but who is the #2? Boye will likely start at FS, but pretty much has no experience and no established #2. Bonner will be one CB and Fuller could be the other, if someone can step up and play whip. Jarrett has the most experience as back up, but getting burned play after play against Clemson in the ACCCG isn't very assuring. No other CB has experience.
If Fuller ends up at whip, and Manning beats out Jarrett, he could be the starter. Even if Fuller plays corner, he could wind up playing nickle. The only way Manning would redshirt is if Fuller moves back to CB, Jarrett and Farrow get in the 2-deep, and nobody gets injured.
I feel like Fuller will move #
I feel like Fuller will move back to CB, but then again that depends on how JGW bounces back from his injury. Chris Hill and Bonner both got some decent snaps later in the season after Foster moved Fuller to whip for Georgia Tech and UNC. However when Hosely went out in the ACCCG and Bonner came in, it was rough going for him against Watkins.
We should have a contest, whoever can correctly predict the depth chart for the first game gets tacos.
Marcus Davis & Joel Caleb #
Marcus was a QB turned WR. Although we was first tried out as a QB, he was pretty quickly turned into a WR. However, for all the raw talent he has, it has taken him a long while to learn the position. And to be honest, Marcus Davis could be a much better WR. He still needs to work on a few things: adjusting to the ball on deep routes, coming back to the ball on out and in routes, and getting the ball at the highest point. If he puts it all together this season, he'll be an NFL receiver.
My point is this, Caleb could make a quick transition, or he may be more like Marcus. We don't really know until the Fall, and I think there's a good chance he'll redshirt. F Beamer has made a point of getting WR ready players that can play early. That's why Beamer is really high on Irick and Stanford.
Good points but... #
I have made this comparison many times over the last several months. However, as signing day got closer, I started to compare the players. As talented as MD7 is -and I think he will be a very good WR if he works on some of the little things- I don't think he is quite as good as Caleb at the same point. Rivals and some of the larger programs across the nation tend to agree. Caleb was a Rivals top 100 player, #7 at his position and a top 3 player in the state by every recruiting service and would have probably been #1 by all of them if he did not get injured. Also, Caleb had offers from schools like Florida, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Ohio State and on and on. Marcus Davis had some quality offers but nowhere near the list of Caleb. Davis was a 3 star and not even ranked in the top 10 in the state by Rivals. Add to it that Caleb will almsot surely work as a WR from the start, and the evidence is there that he will get his chance much earlier than MD7. He may redshirt but I would be a little surprised if he did.
Caleb #
still hasn't played 1 game as a wide receiver. Maybe he's a natural. Maybe not. Projecting him as the #7 athlete does not mean he'll be an instant star at WR. No scout, no coach, nobody knows his ability to play WR. Can he run a route? Does he have soft hands? Can he adjust to the ball? Does he catch the ball at the highest point? Can he find the soft spot in a zone? If you have any video evidence of these attributes, please share them. If not, how do you know he'll be good at them?
Also, rivals rankings are crap. Here are the top 20 VT receivers by career yards and their ranking (if recruited post 2002):
1. Boykin 3star (2884 yds)
2. Coale 2star (2658)
7. Morgan 3star (1817)
8. Royal 4star (1778)
13. Clowney 2star (1373)
14. Harper 3star (1338)
20. Hyman 2star (1142)
4stars not on the list:
Dyrell Roberts and DJ Coles. Roberts currently has 965 yds. Coles currently at 635 yds. Marcus Davis (a 3star recruit) is at 874 yds.
Roberts and Davis were recruited as athletes, but both played some WR in high school. All others were WRs.
Great points.. #
I did not say I thought Caleb would be a great WR, I just think he has too much athletic ability to keep off of the field. My guess is he could only be the 5th WR at best this year if he doesn't redshirt OR he doesn't end up as a safety instead! I think we will see him more in ST and a handful of offensive plays here and there. I am just saying comparing him and Marcus Davis at the same point, is somewhat tough to do. By most accounts, Caleb is much more ready to play as a freshman.
And I agree the star system rarely means much and Rivals isn't always correct. In fact, I have said numerous times that Thomas Smith has the chance to be a very good WR from this class if he doesn't switch to TE. He's a true route runner with a huge frame to throw at. However, Rivals isn't alone in saying Caleb is one of the best, if not the best players in the state. I'm willing to bet if he didn't get hurt he would not have dropped from his preseason #1 spot. On top of it, Virginia Tech rarely misses on the top player they land from the state. Rivals has state rankings back to 2003 and here are the names that are in the top three that Tech has landed: Chris Ellis, Xavier Adibi, Sean Glennon, Victor Harris, Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Williams and David Wilson. The only one over this time that didn't work out was Kent Hicks. So, while the star system may inaccurately say some of the lower ranked guys aren't as good, it does a decent job at predicting the top few.
From what I saw #
on Caleb's film, he is one hell of an athlete. He definitely has vision and burst. VT's bubble screen game definitely will improve with him. Here's hoping he does pick up all the attributes to be a great receiver, and if he's able to contribute next year, the better. I hope he does do well, but the next great VT WR may or may not be Caleb. We just don't know. It may be some walk-on ex-Marine...
True #
I think this class has a few very good potential WRs. I really like the upside from all of the true WRs.
Also, we are all assuming Caleb will be a WR but I am not sold 100% yet that he doesn't end up as a safety. I bet we give him the chance to work as a WR because that's what he wants but that doesn't mean he stays there. From much of what I have read and seen on film, he is one heck of a defensive player and a very good tackler/hitter. I am sure he gets some early looks at WR but if he doesn't pick things up quickly, he may redshirt and work as a safety. Remember, Logan wanted to be a TE but we all see how that worked out!
Top ten versus the rest #
I agree that Rivals probably does well with predicting the top talent. Very similar to the ranking polls of teams. At the end of the day you really do know who should be in the top five to 10. Even though the top recruiting classes don't always equate to wins and top ten rankings they are usually pretty good predictors. It is all about statistics. Like the stock market, past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. But Blue Chips are likely to perform well. What can't be predicted is the star performer that is undervalued.
I think what makes a difference for VT is we recruit guys that are highly motivated and we do a good job developing them. This is a reflection of CFB's personality. We do a good job of consistently having competitive winning teams ranking in the 10-15 range. Ocassionaly we have a year or two where we are as good as top 5. This doesn't mean we can always match up against teams like Alabama or LSU. But with some luck we will have a great year when it all comes together. We are much better than most teams. To do that year after year says something. We are knocking at the door but we need to break it down.
Don't forget #
WR's need to know how to block well downfield....something Davis has struggled with at times. Danny Coale was one of the best I've seen at that. Caleb will need to learn it too.
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i'd say #
it's 50/50 .. like i said, i wouldn't be surprised either way if caleb did or didn't RS. i think there's a great chance that jc will not redshirt (75% or more that he won't) .. and i think there may be a fairly decent chance that manning doesn't .. depending on how he's looking.