Thoughts from today’s scrimmage/game:
-The offensive line was split up with Jeff Lebby saying that’d be the plan (with every position) so guys could play alongside teammates they maybe hadn’t seen as many reps with this spring. It also helps prevent any attempts at depth chart projections, I suppose (lol). Anyways, the Maroon team OL for the first snap was as follows: Luke Work (LT), Trevor Mayberry (LG), Carson Lee (C), Canon Boone (RG) and Saquon Miles (RT). Meanwhile, the White OL consisted of Jakheem Shumpert (LT), Jacoby Jackson (LG), Kolby Keenum (C), Wesley Davis (RG) and Jimothy Lewis (RT).
-Call it a hunch, but I still believe the current projected lineup on the OL includes Work (LT), Jackson (LG), Lee (C), Boone (RG) and Lewis (RT). Work and Lewis received praise from Lebby following the game, but depth behind those two at tackle remains a concern. Miles is an above-average mover with intriguing physical traits, but both he and Shumpert were overpowered on multiple occasions today and looked like they were still thinking too much. Obviously, this is all a work in progress, but I’m not sure either will be ready enough to even be OT3 come the fall. More competition is needed from the transfer portal, and another IOL would also be useful for competition purposes. I still think the right interior guy could push for a starting job, but I’m moreso worried about the depth. I do want to point out that building an OL requires time and chemistry, so mixing all of them up today could be a contributing factor for some of the struggles. That said, Lebby has mentioned it being a problem all spring, so I’ll take his word for it.
-State’s defensive front isn’t a finished product by any means, but it does seem lightyears ahead of where it was a season ago. A lot of SEC caliber bodies with a good mix of skillsets. The two most impressive today were probably Jamil Burroughs and Deonte Anderson. Despite being 330, Burroughs is still a guy they’re letting play over a tackle in those three-man fronts like he did some at Alabama. I had wondered if he still had the athleticism and movement to handle that type of responsibility at his size, but he moved extremely well and was fairly disruptive in both three and four-man fronts (playing over a guard in the four-down looks). I was a big fan of his potential at Alabama, and surprisingly, I didn’t see a guy who was rusty after not playing in 2024. He’s trending towards being a significant part of State’s defense this season.
-Anderson was another pleasant surprise along the DL. I mean, he’s played almost 700 snaps with five starts over the past two seasons, so I guess it wasn’t overly surprising, but his power profile really jumped out at me today. I saw him blow Shumpert into the backfield on one run early on, and then he did the same to Jacoby Jackson on a third-and-long before shedding the block and touching KaMario Taylor down for a sack. Now sitting at 6-3, 280, Anderson is a perfect hybrid end for both three and four-man fronts. Going into today, I would’ve told you Trevion Williams was my top candidate for a breakout season along that defensive line. After today, I might lean Anderson. I don’t necessarily think his skillset is going to result in a high number of pressures or sacks, but I do think he can be a strong complementary piece to the pass rush with surprisingly effective pocket collapsing ability.
-Lebby mentioned four names at off-ball linebacker following the scrimmage: Jalen Smith, Zakari Tillman, Nic Mitchell and Derion Gullette. He talked about how they can run four-deep at that position, which is a noticeable difference compared to a season ago. And from what I saw today, I believe him. Smith had a game-high 5.5 tackles, but they all flashed with their speed, size and athleticism. I’d probably view Gullette as LB4 amongst that group because he’s still in need of some development, but they’re all going to contribute in a major way this fall.
-Safety Isaac Smith continued to work with the linebackers in warmups, but he’s moreso going to be a versatile chess piece who’s likely going to move all over the place in this defense. He is manning that Star nickel position, after all. Coleman Hutzler’s background at Alabama saw that position essentially become a hybrid nickel DB/strong-side LB replacement. So you need a guy who has some man-to-man cover traits for the slot, but you also need a strong box player who can mix things up and sometimes even come up and set the edge against the run. Guys such as Smith (and Tony Mitchell) provide that combination, especially now that he’s 220. I even noticed that he was lining up as a true 4-3 strong-side LB some today, so don’t be surprised when he’s used in a variety of roles this upcoming season. You’re even going to see him screaming off the edge some, I’d imagine. Should probably expect more negative yardage plays from him too.
-KaMario Taylor is special. There’s no other way to put it. I knew he was a premier athlete with rare rushing ability, and I also knew he had excellent arm talent, but I wasn’t expecting him to be this far along as far as managing and commanding the offense. He never looked overwhelmed to me, and he threw with anticipation and timing that allowed his receivers to have post-catch opportunities. He continued to work as QB3 behind veteran Blake Shapen and Florida State transfer Luke Kromenhoek, so I don’t want anyone to get too carried away with his 2025 outlook just yet, but this was as good of a start as fans could’ve hoped for. He’s the real deal, folks.
-Tony Mitchell was another one who impressed me. I hadn’t heard much about him this spring, so I was wondering how he was coming along and if it’d take him some time to work into a contributing role. But on Saturday, he made multiple plays in the backfield. On two separate occasions, he aggressively triggered downhill while working through would-be perimeter blocking attempts from tight end Seydou Traore and wide receiver Thomas Cheatham. Both resulted in tackles for loss. In addition to those plays, he also added a sack late. More than looked the part physically. I think he’s going to be a critical piece working at safety and in the slot. Both former Alabama defenders stood out today.
-The three receivers who impressed me the most today: Ayden Williams, Ricky Johnson and Anthony Evans. Not saying they’ll be the three starters, but I expect all of them to be a part of the rotation this fall. The length and playmaking ability from Williams and Johnson could really complement what Evans is expected to give the offense in the slot. Brenen Thompson’s vertical prowess was on full display too (especially early), but Shapen couldn’t quite connect with him (wind may have been a factor on some of those vertical shots). Williams stood out the most, even making a spectacular catch downfield that was overturned due to a penalty.
-Moving Stonka Burnside to the defensive side of the football was definitely the move. Just looks and moves like a safety. Has the athleticism to be effective in coverage, but he works downhill like he played special teams — with some authority. Can’t wait to see what he develops into.
-The RB room is jaw-dropping. Obviously, the trio of Davon Booth, Johnnie Daniels and transfer Fluff Bothwell are the headliners and will receive most (if not close to all) of the workload this fall, but freshman Kolin Johnson has generated some buzz this spring and Xavier Guyten made enough plays today where you have to think he’ll factor in somewhere. Bare minimum, this room is 3-4 deep with Johnson having a chance to make it five deep.
-Kicking game is a concern.
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