Marquan McCall was the most highly-ranked, heralded player in Kentucky's 2018 signing class. He probably isn't expected to make the biggest immediate impact out of the Wildcats' true freshmen now in Lexington, but long term his potential is enormous.
One reason for that: McCall himself is enormous.
UK's official roster lists the true freshman, once the top-ranked 2018 football prospect in the state of Michigan, at 6'3 and 368 pounds.
Sorted by weight, the true freshman McCall, who goes by the nickname "Bully", is already the biggest player on Kentucky's team, checking in at a single pound more than the 6'9 Nick Lewis.
Being big alone won't earn stars for a recruit, but when you can move and push the line of scrimmage the way McCall can, that helps. That's how you get a nickname like "Bully." And when you could project as a star offensive guard or interior defensive linemen, that versatility impacts your prospect hype in a big way.
Kentucky's coaching staff wasn't always sure whether McCall would be an offensive or a defensive lineman.
So far, defensive line coach Derrick LeBlanc has won the argument in the staff's tug-of-war when it comes to McCall's future.
“Yeah, I went to bat for him a little bit," LeBlanc told Cats Illustrated. "I went to watch him play in high school and he’s a real big guy who can move. I feel like I can make him into a great defensive linemen."
It helps that Mark Stoops seemed to like the idea of McCall on defense.
“He’s one of those guys that for that big body he’s got that quick twitch. He’s very, very strong and very sudden. Can’t wait to actually see him in pads," he said. "He’s one of those guys that I think will impress. You can just tell he’s got that explosiveness that you’re looking for at that position with that size.”
Steven Clinkscale was McCall's primary recruiter but position coaches inevitably get involved in evaluation and building relationships. LeBlanc saw some qualities in McCall that he believes could translate into a big-time defensive lineman.
McCall's size was important in that determination, particularly given Kentucky's defensive scheme.
"I think that’s a big part of it," LeBlanc said, referring to McCall's size as a factor in him landing on defense. "There aren’t a whole lot of guys who are that big who are able to move. I think sometimes your best athletes on the offensive line are able to play on defense, especially in our scheme where you have to be able to anchor down. Maybe some of those guys are on offense.”
Oak Park head coach Greg Carter told the Detroit Free Press back in September of 2017, when McCall was coming back from a knee injury, that he's got the motor, tenacity and quickness - to go along with the size - to be a star in college, regardless of which side of the ball he would play on.
"“He has a lot of athleticism and he works extremely hard. It isn’t hard to coach him at all, the issue is calming him down a little bit. He blocks and blocks and blocks, sometimes through the whistle," Carter told the newspaper.
Offensive line coach John Schlarman had also been involved with McCall during Kentucky's courtship while he was still a prospect. It wasn't until later, towards Signing Day, when the UK staff apparently made the decision to let McCall start on the defensive side of the football.
It's also worth noting that McCall could conceivably still get a look on the offensive side. But "for now," as the staff has said in the past, he's "starting out" on defense. LeBlanc sounds happy to be on the winning side of that friendly argument.
One reason for that: McCall himself is enormous.
UK's official roster lists the true freshman, once the top-ranked 2018 football prospect in the state of Michigan, at 6'3 and 368 pounds.
Sorted by weight, the true freshman McCall, who goes by the nickname "Bully", is already the biggest player on Kentucky's team, checking in at a single pound more than the 6'9 Nick Lewis.
Being big alone won't earn stars for a recruit, but when you can move and push the line of scrimmage the way McCall can, that helps. That's how you get a nickname like "Bully." And when you could project as a star offensive guard or interior defensive linemen, that versatility impacts your prospect hype in a big way.
Kentucky's coaching staff wasn't always sure whether McCall would be an offensive or a defensive lineman.
So far, defensive line coach Derrick LeBlanc has won the argument in the staff's tug-of-war when it comes to McCall's future.
“Yeah, I went to bat for him a little bit," LeBlanc told Cats Illustrated. "I went to watch him play in high school and he’s a real big guy who can move. I feel like I can make him into a great defensive linemen."
It helps that Mark Stoops seemed to like the idea of McCall on defense.
“He’s one of those guys that for that big body he’s got that quick twitch. He’s very, very strong and very sudden. Can’t wait to actually see him in pads," he said. "He’s one of those guys that I think will impress. You can just tell he’s got that explosiveness that you’re looking for at that position with that size.”
Steven Clinkscale was McCall's primary recruiter but position coaches inevitably get involved in evaluation and building relationships. LeBlanc saw some qualities in McCall that he believes could translate into a big-time defensive lineman.
McCall's size was important in that determination, particularly given Kentucky's defensive scheme.
"I think that’s a big part of it," LeBlanc said, referring to McCall's size as a factor in him landing on defense. "There aren’t a whole lot of guys who are that big who are able to move. I think sometimes your best athletes on the offensive line are able to play on defense, especially in our scheme where you have to be able to anchor down. Maybe some of those guys are on offense.”
Oak Park head coach Greg Carter told the Detroit Free Press back in September of 2017, when McCall was coming back from a knee injury, that he's got the motor, tenacity and quickness - to go along with the size - to be a star in college, regardless of which side of the ball he would play on.
"“He has a lot of athleticism and he works extremely hard. It isn’t hard to coach him at all, the issue is calming him down a little bit. He blocks and blocks and blocks, sometimes through the whistle," Carter told the newspaper.
Offensive line coach John Schlarman had also been involved with McCall during Kentucky's courtship while he was still a prospect. It wasn't until later, towards Signing Day, when the UK staff apparently made the decision to let McCall start on the defensive side of the football.
It's also worth noting that McCall could conceivably still get a look on the offensive side. But "for now," as the staff has said in the past, he's "starting out" on defense. LeBlanc sounds happy to be on the winning side of that friendly argument.
