Pro Football Focus analyzed the Belk Bowl. Anthony Shegog and Mook Reynolds had the second and third highest defensive grades for the Hokies, and this caught my eye.
Despite being down 24-0, the Hokies' pass defense wasn't playing badly all game. The CB duo of Mook Reynolds and Anthony Shegog were unbelievable, combining to allow three catches on nine targets for 27 yards, an interception, and a pass break-up. They got great production off the edge from Trevon Hill, who finished the game with a sack and an addition five hurries, frequently forcing Austin Allen off of his game. And then there was the play of safety Terrell Edmunds; he made six solo run stops on the day in what was a very impressive bowl outing.
Do you guys think Bud finds a way to get Shegog and Mook on the field at the same time next season, or will Shegog still be the "whip" and Mook the "nickle"?
Comments
I'm no expert by any means, but Shegog may fit at safety with Chuck Clark leaving (or Bud may shuffle some guys to keep Shegog at CB).
Any chance of Adonis Alexander moving to WR? He is crazy athletic and seems to have good ball skills--I am basing this on how effortlessly he scooped up that ball on the weird muffed punt thing (see: "no expert by any means").
We have like 14 receivers going into 2017 season.
No.
I'd like to see AA at free. He's probably #1 in line to be a corner if we need one, but if he can adapt to FS, I'd think that his size and coverage skills would have NFL scouts drooling about his potential at the back end.
Mook grew leaps and bounds this year in my uneducated opinion. He arrives at the ball with bad intentions a lot.
He's all over the place, and often the right place at the right time with the right attitude.
Maybe move Mook to free safety, or rover and move Terrell Edmunds to free safety, and let Shegog handle whip duties. Greg Stroman and Adonis Alexander will have a stranglehold on right corner and left corner, and I think one of the younger guys (i.e. Khalil Ladler, Curtis Williams, etc.) can play nickel if need be. Shegog looks athletic enough to handle coverage duties in some situations though.
EDIT: This is assuming Brandon Facyson is not back next season, which I'm anticipating. If he is, then I definitely see Mook moving to either free safety or rover.
Not that Terrell wouldn't be a playmaker at FS but that dude is poised to break out and will be All-ACC and AA soon. He's become a heck of a player. Would hate to move him now as he is such a great ROV and getting better each game.
Agree with Adonis going to FS, assuming young CBs are ready. That seems to be the most logical to get best guys on the field, and with experience too. Plus, our FS would have the ability to man-up when needed.
No idea how likely, but if we get Devon Hunter, that may warrant consideration of moving Terrell over to FS, assuming Devon can play right away.
Terrell has much better range IMO, but he is also the bigger hitter so I can see why he could be left at rover.
Foster finds a way. Between shegog, Reynolds, ladler, Tyree Rodger's, I think we have something going there in the secondary. I've always thought mook would be more of a pure corner
Just by his reaction and ability to defeat blocks and make plays, Mook reminds me a lot of Kyle Fuller and some Macho Harris. He does not miss many tackles in space and he plays his leverage very well.