Love Bill's Ready to Report articles. I thought I'd go over the class since a majority are showing up next month.
QB: Becht showed up in January and by some accounts is already up to 2nd on the depth chart. He's mobile, has a quick release, and can wing it. I'm guessing he's had access to some pretty good trainers in FL before he got to Ames. IMO the staff will hope to keep him to 4 games or under, but if there's any injury to Dekkers, I think he'll play.
RB: Norton made some waves this spring before getting dinged up. He's the bigger back that we've been missing. It wouldn't surprise me if they try to keep the RS on him, but it also wouldn't surprise me if he ended up starting games late in the season. Kind of depends on how the other guys do and what injuries we see.
WR: Gaines has already cemented himself in the two deep IMO. He's really good at getting in and out of breaks, getting open, run after catch. Maybe not top level speed. I think if Hutchinson wouldn't have come back, he might be starting this fall. As it is, he'll get snaps and be in line to start in 2023. Essex is the big WR that we routinely go after. Probably well over 200 lbs already. He'll likely RS and be ready to compete next year. Adams is the speed guy. I would guess that he's top 5 fastest on the team the day he shows up if not #1. Something we really haven't had at M.
TE: Keller is one of the highest rated TE's we've signed. He's going to be good. Like Kolar good. I doubt that he's ready this year to contribute, but you never know. Burkle is the Soehner type TE that should allow us to play more 3 TE sets like we did in 2020 if we want to.
OL: I think that Hasert is the best OL Campbell has signed here so far. Or at least second to Downing. OL's usually take a year or two to develop, so I don't expect to see him this season. But I do think that he'll play sooner than later. It's my opinion that Deyo is an interior OL and he's going to be a good one. He just has a lot of power. If he really wants to play DL, I would think that they'll let him start there. Maybe it's possible that he sticks there and redshirts if Orange is getting snaps. The JUCO Neal seems like a good addition and since he has 3 to play, he has time to develop if he doesn't start right away. Seems like the staff is still after another JUCO OL, so that's something to keep an eye on.
DL: By all accounts, Orange is a freak. He just needs to drop some weight. I would expect that they get a good start on that this summer and I think that he'll play this fall. It's possible that they keep him to 4 games, but with the way the transfer portal is now, if a player can help you, you play them.
DE: Ezeogu has the size and athleticism, he just needs to put on weight. This class would have been even better with a pass rusher like R Mason Thomas. But he flipped to OU and we signed Hamann as his replacement. That kid seems like an effort player. Maybe he'll be great...I've always thought stealing a recruit from NDSU would be a good strategy if you miss out on your top guys. We'll see. I don't think that either of these DEs have the bulk to help us this year, but there are a lot of guys in front of them anyway.
LB: Best position group of the class IMO. We're already seeing them showing up in the two deep. This was a home run group before they grabbed NJCDPOY Ellis. I'm excited to see what they can do.
CB: Crosby and Williams. I'm not sure what to think of these two. They have good size, but not highly rated and didn't have much for offers. Pretty much under the radar guys. There's a chance they surprise, but who knows? It would be really nice if one of them makes a push. They're still after the JUCO from IWCC, so they might not be done here.
S: I think that they got two really good ones in Howard and Cooper. Howard is college ready and has played against high level competition. Cooper probably needs to put on some weight, but he is crazy athletic. I would bet that one of these two is starting in 2023 after Johnson leaves. The two late JUCOs...at worst they are depth players that can help with special teams. At best, one of them starts in McDonald's spot. Probably somewhere in between where one of them shows up in the two deep.
K/P: I think Perkins in the P from Day 1. Gilbert, who knows. I doubt that he beats out the walk-ons for KO and possibly long FGs. But if he's accurate enough, I could see him kicking short FGs and XPs.
QB: Becht showed up in January and by some accounts is already up to 2nd on the depth chart. He's mobile, has a quick release, and can wing it. I'm guessing he's had access to some pretty good trainers in FL before he got to Ames. IMO the staff will hope to keep him to 4 games or under, but if there's any injury to Dekkers, I think he'll play.
RB: Norton made some waves this spring before getting dinged up. He's the bigger back that we've been missing. It wouldn't surprise me if they try to keep the RS on him, but it also wouldn't surprise me if he ended up starting games late in the season. Kind of depends on how the other guys do and what injuries we see.
WR: Gaines has already cemented himself in the two deep IMO. He's really good at getting in and out of breaks, getting open, run after catch. Maybe not top level speed. I think if Hutchinson wouldn't have come back, he might be starting this fall. As it is, he'll get snaps and be in line to start in 2023. Essex is the big WR that we routinely go after. Probably well over 200 lbs already. He'll likely RS and be ready to compete next year. Adams is the speed guy. I would guess that he's top 5 fastest on the team the day he shows up if not #1. Something we really haven't had at M.
TE: Keller is one of the highest rated TE's we've signed. He's going to be good. Like Kolar good. I doubt that he's ready this year to contribute, but you never know. Burkle is the Soehner type TE that should allow us to play more 3 TE sets like we did in 2020 if we want to.
OL: I think that Hasert is the best OL Campbell has signed here so far. Or at least second to Downing. OL's usually take a year or two to develop, so I don't expect to see him this season. But I do think that he'll play sooner than later. It's my opinion that Deyo is an interior OL and he's going to be a good one. He just has a lot of power. If he really wants to play DL, I would think that they'll let him start there. Maybe it's possible that he sticks there and redshirts if Orange is getting snaps. The JUCO Neal seems like a good addition and since he has 3 to play, he has time to develop if he doesn't start right away. Seems like the staff is still after another JUCO OL, so that's something to keep an eye on.
DL: By all accounts, Orange is a freak. He just needs to drop some weight. I would expect that they get a good start on that this summer and I think that he'll play this fall. It's possible that they keep him to 4 games, but with the way the transfer portal is now, if a player can help you, you play them.
DE: Ezeogu has the size and athleticism, he just needs to put on weight. This class would have been even better with a pass rusher like R Mason Thomas. But he flipped to OU and we signed Hamann as his replacement. That kid seems like an effort player. Maybe he'll be great...I've always thought stealing a recruit from NDSU would be a good strategy if you miss out on your top guys. We'll see. I don't think that either of these DEs have the bulk to help us this year, but there are a lot of guys in front of them anyway.
LB: Best position group of the class IMO. We're already seeing them showing up in the two deep. This was a home run group before they grabbed NJCDPOY Ellis. I'm excited to see what they can do.
CB: Crosby and Williams. I'm not sure what to think of these two. They have good size, but not highly rated and didn't have much for offers. Pretty much under the radar guys. There's a chance they surprise, but who knows? It would be really nice if one of them makes a push. They're still after the JUCO from IWCC, so they might not be done here.
S: I think that they got two really good ones in Howard and Cooper. Howard is college ready and has played against high level competition. Cooper probably needs to put on some weight, but he is crazy athletic. I would bet that one of these two is starting in 2023 after Johnson leaves. The two late JUCOs...at worst they are depth players that can help with special teams. At best, one of them starts in McDonald's spot. Probably somewhere in between where one of them shows up in the two deep.
K/P: I think Perkins in the P from Day 1. Gilbert, who knows. I doubt that he beats out the walk-ons for KO and possibly long FGs. But if he's accurate enough, I could see him kicking short FGs and XPs.
