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EDGE rusher from USC Trojans committed to UK

A little short for that position in a 3-4 defense, but if he can get to the QB, who cares!!!

We need players that can put pressure on the QB, because the kids we have brought in lately haven’t been able to do it!! Would say that’s why they all left.

Hope this kid can help shore up that position.
 
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I like his recruiting profile but wonder how many bad habits he learned playing for a Lincoln Riley defense? Riley’s teams play little to no defense.
 
"Greene appeared in all 12 games this season for USC after taking a redshirt in 2023 as a freshman. He totaled 15 tackles, including three tackles for loss and a sack. Greene turned in one of his biggest games against Rutgers. That night, he had three tackles, two for loss, and a sack to lead USC to the victory." (from KSR)

This does not seem like a player who is an upgrade on the ones we currently have?
 
"Greene appeared in all 12 games this season for USC after taking a redshirt in 2023 as a freshman. He totaled 15 tackles, including three tackles for loss and a sack. Greene turned in one of his biggest games against Rutgers. That night, he had three tackles, two for loss, and a sack to lead USC to the victory." (from KSR)

This does not seem like a player who is an upgrade on the ones we currently have?
Fearbry would be more productive but probably not Matthews. Greene's pretty quick but lack of height is a concern. Doesn't look like an upgrade.
 
I don't think I've ever seen a 6-1/255 lb. JACK before. This guy seems like a tweener that is too small to play end and lacks the explosiveness to play JACK. I'm just not sure what position we're gonna plug him in at. He seems like a decent player but would probably be better suited to playing SDE on a small ball 4-3 defensive line like we saw for so many years in the Big 12.
 
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This is what is so hard....

1. Fearby has only played 2 years....so he's still young....but to play all year and not register a single sack and only 14 tackles....not production no matter how you slice it.
2. Sam Greene about the same age as Fearby ....had 15 tackles and 1 sack.

So not like one is really any more productive. All in all, Stoops like desperate and taking bodies to fill out the roster. But his biggest indictment is he has failed to develop kids at UK on both sides of the ball the last few years. Why we aren't ready for Fearby to take the Jack spot after JJ moves on, why we are needing to take Marshall transfer at the Will LB vs getting Afari/Javont Bryant/Grant Godfrey, etc...ready for interior LBer spots.

What the sam hell is going on with our coaching and development is a major league problem all over the staff to me. Re-cycling transfer portals that aren't overly productive vs. develop our kids.....this all is just nauseating to see after climbing from being bottom class to middle class....now we are back in basement. ugh!!!!
 
I don't think I've ever seen a 6-1/255 lb. JACK before. This guy seems like a tweener that is too small to play end and lacks the explosiveness to play JACK. I'm just not sure what position we're gonna plug him in at. He seems like a decent player but would probably be better suited to playing SDE on a small ball 4-3 defensive line like we saw for so many years in the Big 12.
One of my favorite Cardinals was Elvis Dummervil, he was about that same exact size.
 
I don't think I've ever seen a 6-1/255 lb. JACK before. This guy seems like a tweener that is too small to play end
I think all listed sizes are inflated so he’s prob closer to 6’0’’ and 240. He needs more time in a S&C program to be 255 at his age or else he’s a freak.

But as far as historical comps go…Based on going to spring scrimmage a lot prior to 2020 I’d say this puts him similar to Denzil Ware and Jason Hatcher. Remember Mister Cobble?!?

Boogie Watson was probably 6’2’’. He moved to SAM after Josh Allen left. If we are talking true 6’2’’ then probably also Josh Paschal as a FR before he put on weight.

This is the OLB who is on the boundary side and comes off for nickel packages. The position is in the field on standard downs facing 12 or 21 personnel. Strength and explosion are more important than lateral quickness or length. You’re another ILB type who defends C Gap on the side with less defenders more often than not. You got to be able to defend a TE in space occasionally. You got to be able to scrape a TE and delay his route while then beating a OT if there’s a play action called on first and ten.

Doesn’t mean he’s going to be good or bad though.
 
Look, the kid might not pan out, but take a gander at some numbers from the past. I doubt that Boogie Watson, Josh Allen or Denzil Ware had better RS Frosh numbers. And if they did, they were on short handed teams that had to play 19 year olds the majority of snaps.

And this guy is more Denzil Ware than Boogie: it took Boogie until his last year to weigh 245ish. Denzil was a thick kid at about 6’ 2” from day one. I think D. Ware was a D-end, and was more than serviceable.
 
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Personally, I'd rather have 4+ of this size player rushing the passer than having 2 or more 300 lbs trying to get to the QB. Many of our opponents seem to have a 'rush' personnel in this size range. IIRC, South Carolina's DEs that lined up in our backfield most of the game are in the 250-260 range. They did OK.
 
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South Carolina's DEs that lined up in our backfield most of the game are in the 250-260 range. They did OK.

Boogie Watson collected most of his sacks under 235 pounds.

Josh Hines-Allen was over 260 pounds only in his 4th season.
 
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