Signing day analysis: Linebackers
(Editor's note: For six years, Dave Childers
has provided a position by position analysis beginning the day after National
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Signing Day. In a multipart series, he breaks down the class for RebelSports.net.
A look has been provided for quarterbacks, tight ends running backs, and wide
receivers (see links below) and today the linebackers are
reviewed. In the coming days, the series will look at the offensive line, defensive line and
defensive backs.)
The skinny …
In 2009, Ole Miss had some major re-building to
do at the linebacker position with the loss of the Ashlee Palmer and the late
Tony Fein. Rebel defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Tyrone Nix met
that challenge head on thanks to the emergence of Allen Walker and the the
all-SEC play of Patrick Trahan. Nix will have to do some more re-building
this fall with the loss of Trahan and the versatile Lamar Brumfield, who could
play any of the linebacker positions. While Trahan will be sorely missed,
it's not quite the challenge it was two years ago and Nix has a bevy of talent
on hand and in-bound to reshuffle his linebacker corps.
Returning starters include middle linebacker
Jonathan Cornell, who returns for a fifth year thanks to a season ending injury
suffered early enough in his sophomore year for him to be granted a medical
redshirt, and Walker, who will also be a fifth year senior. Also returning
are two sophomores - Joel Kight and D.T. Shackelford - who saw extensive action
in their true freshmen seasons last fall. Both those players are potential
SEC stars and Shackelford was on track for several major post season honors
before he injured an ankle and missed playing time and never seem to be full
speed the remainder of the season. Beyond those four, jockeying for
playing time should be interesting, but there's no lack of candidates.
Sophomore Jason Jones (6-foot-2, 220) offers good size, while redshirt freshman
Alex Williams (6-foot-4, 205) may have some work left to do physically before
he'll be a factor. Williams wasn't helped along by missing most of last
season with a broken leg.
Three new names figure to be in the mix
immediately. First there's Mike Marry, a tackling machine from Dexter
McCluster's hometown of Largo, FL., who enrolled this semester after signing in
2009 and taking a grayshirt season (delayed enrollment). Marry hit the field
during Cotton Bowl practices (conducted on campus) and struck such an imposing
physique (6-foot-4 range, 240 pounds) that there was immediate speculation that
he might be moved to defensive end. Also expected to join the roster next
fall are two serious prospects in Clarence Jackson and Ralph Williams.
They need to take care of academics, but both are in the 6-foot-1 or 2 area and
around 220 pounds that indicate not a lot of time will be required to get them
ready physically for SEC play.
The ones that got away ... While it may
sound unreasonable, there really wasn't a significant linebacker that Ole Miss
targeted or recruited hard that it didn't get. The staff looked at others
and extended some soft offers to prospects like Michael Taylor, Nigel Terrell
and Quayshawn Neely, but in the end, didn't seriously recruit those prospects.
They targeted Jackson early and received an commitment last May and then waited
until they made sure they had room for Williams and plucked him off Tennessee's
commitment on signing day.
Overall assessment ... Linebacker was a
strength for Ole Miss last season and figures to be equally as good in 2010. The
Rebels will miss the play of Trahan, a potential NFL player, but has
youth with talent and experience in Shackelford and Kight who are clearly ready
for an expanded role. Walker and Cornell offer senior experience and
leadership and a group of youngsters that includes Marry, Jackson and Williams are
talented enough to keep Ole Miss' linebacker corps among the best in the SEC for
years to come.
Grade: A
The signees…
Clarence Jackson, LB, 6-2, 220, Atlanta (North Clayton HS), GA. A
SuperPrep All-Region pick and rated the No. 66 player in Georgia ...
Named to the PrepStar and SuperPrep preseason
All-Region teams ... Listed as the No. 16 athlete in the country by
ESPN.com ... Earned first team All-Region 4-4A and Player of the Year
honors from the league's coaches as a junior and senior ... Named first team
Class 4A All-State by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
as a senior and listed as the No. 50 player in Georgia by the paper ... Rated
the No. 73 player in Georgia and the No. 74 LB in the nation by
Rivals.com ... Ranked the No. 56 player in Georgia and the No. 85 LB in
the country by Scout.com ... Rushed for 1,954 yards and 31 TD's
as a senior ... Ran for 1,800 yards and 32 TD's as a junior ... Posted 58
tackles and 15 QB sacks on defense during junior season ... Also played
basketball in high school ... Coached in high school by Rodney Hackeney.
Ralph Williams, LB, 6-1, 220, Miami (Southridge), FL. A SuperPrep
All-Region pick and rated the No. 60 player in Florida ... Named to the
PrepStar and SuperPrep preseason All-Region teams ...
Ranked the No. 66 player in Florida by the Orlando Sentinel ... Listed as the
No. 39 LB in the nation and the No. 92 player in Florida by Scout.com
... Earned second team All-Dade honors from the Miami Herald
as a senior ... Named Class 2A first team All-State by the Florida
Sports Writers Association as a junior ... Recorded 89 tackles and 18
QB sacks as a senior ... Posted 81 tackles and 18 QB sacks as a junior ...
Coached in high school by Pat Burrows.
Previously signed and enrolled ...
LB, 6-3, 225, Clearwater, Fla. (Largo) --
A PrepStar and SuperPrep All-Region
selection ... Rated the No. 34 LB in the nation and the No. 78 player in Florida
by Rivals.com ...
Listed as the No. 28 LB in the country by Scout.com ...
Earned first team All-Suncoast honors from the St.
Petersburg Times as junior and a
senior... Also named the Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and senior by
the St. Petersburg Times ...
Earned second team All-State honors from theFlorida Sports Writers Association as
a senior .... Totaled 100 tackles and seven QB sacks as a senior ... Posted 152
tackles, four QB sacks, three interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble
recovered as a junior ... Coached in high school by Rick Rodriguez.
Post-signing day analysis: Quarterbacks |
Running backs |
Wide receivers