Good luck to the kid. Hopefully he lands at another good program and does well. We have a crowded and young LB group, so maybe we can better use the scholly at another position. Both trenches(OL and DL) will need more depth with early departures.
Jayden McDonald Transfer
- Thread starter Hawkfan7314
- Start date
Sorry if this has been posted here but didn’t Jayden join the Iowa team in the winter of 2018? Or am I confusing him with another Georgia recruit.
I'm hoping all this love is warranted at season's end. I'm interested in who the two best of KF's era may be. Who is better than Hodge, Greenway, Jewell, etc.
If we have two better than these guys, I believe we've got a top 5-10 defense and will win the West and challenge for much more.
Better than these: https://www.hawkeyenation.com/football/howe-ranking-top-linebackers-kirk-ferentz-era ? Forgive me, but there's been A LOT of improvement from last year if true.
I really hoped McDonald would be a force for us. Wishing him the best. Moving on.
If we have two better than these guys, I believe we've got a top 5-10 defense and will win the West and challenge for much more.
Better than these: https://www.hawkeyenation.com/football/howe-ranking-top-linebackers-kirk-ferentz-era ? Forgive me, but there's been A LOT of improvement from last year if true.
I really hoped McDonald would be a force for us. Wishing him the best. Moving on.
That is an exciting "share" ... but I'm going to assume it's hyperbole until I start seeing higher level play from our LBs.Hearing the reason he's leaving is because there are two other guys who have a chance to be up there with some of the best LB's in KF's era. We have rich people problems
For as impressed as I was with our D last year .... that DL did a lot to cover-up some of our deficiencies at LB and CB last year. I assume that our LB play ought to be a lot better in '19 ... the question is ... how much better?
Of course, following the 2014 season we were underwhelmed by our LB play too ... but both Jewell and Niemann seemed promising. Now both of those guys are earning NFL paychecks ... so who's seeming promising these days?
Hope he sticks with the Hawks and tries to rotate in and out at the Cash position as a linebacker/safety. We need as much athleticism on the field as possible.
No doubt.
It would not surprise me if Jacobs and Campbell are the best players mentioned so far, and this makes sense as to why McDonald may be leaving. If he was going to start/play as someone else mentioned prior to injury, I don't believe 6 guys have passed him now without chance of catching them. But, if the newcomers are better, I may consider moving on.
I have no idea who might have the chops to be the next all-timer. I do know that Benson had been receiving the exact same kind of praise that Josey was at comparable times of his career. That obviously guarantees nothing ... but it does suggest that the young man has a tremendous nose for the ball. When guys like that finally get to hit the field for the Hawks ... it usually results in positive outcomes.
I know that Dillon Doyle is an exceedingly smart kid who absolutely bleeds the black and gold. Coach Bell is always talking about how that sort of intangible can motivate guys to play like supermen ... so who knows?
As for Campbell and Jacobs ... both guys have talent. However, the unique tangible that they have that traditionally Iowa LBs don't is that they have pretty impressive length (pretty tall and long-limbed).
A source I know who follows high school football really closely and is respectable says Campbell was an animal and Doyle was really overrated IN HIGH SCHOOL. Obviously, lots can and does happen at the next level. I root for all.
But, ghost, we're on the same page concerning linebacker play as of last year. How much fun will this year be if the reports of top level play are accurate?
But, ghost, we're on the same page concerning linebacker play as of last year. How much fun will this year be if the reports of top level play are accurate?
I don't mean to be rude ... but McDonald doesn't have a chance in hell to play the CASH spot. The CASH spot is more like a slot-cb position ... but with the added responsibility of being even more active in run-support. There's no way that he'd have CB-caliber cover skills.
Where McDonald COULD find himself as an eventual contributor is at the new edge-defender spot. That position still keeps the door open for him at LB spots in the NFL ... but it also opens the door for edge-defender spots too.
I agree with the sentiment that he should stick around. Opportunity is still ripe for the taking!
Enough positivity has been coming out about the LB room that I expect that where there's smoke there is fire.
I'm just curious to see how quickly the promise translates to production on the field.
Lastly, for as critical as I might be of the LB play that we saw on the field last year ... that group may also have impressed me the most by how unselfishly they worked together as a unit. Jones got pulled in the first game ... no problem. Hockaday, Welch, and Niemann suffer injuries at various times through the season ... no problem. You can't script the adversity that that room faced last year ... and that was also with them entering the '18 season being historically inexperienced!
Last edited:
Doesn't surprise me. Lot of LBs and not many spots now that they are using the cash position a lot.
I think the kid is a good talent. Unfortunately for him, he was injured immediately and been playing catch up ever since.
I saw Campbell play a lot in high school both football and basketball. The kid is an absolute stud and I hope it transfers while at Iowa.
Best Iowa HS LB I've seen in person since Angerer
If he sticks around and grinds it out, Iowa is one P5 place where he will get the opportunities and if history is any indicator he will be nearly certain to get significant playing time at the very least as a senior. The number of first time starter or major contributor as a senior at LB is pretty high at Iowa under KF -- history bears this out.
McDonald is a 6’ 235 pound beast that would be prime for that hybrid position in my view as DB/Linebacker.
It's a different sort of hybrid spot. It really doesn't have a whole lot of LB to it (at least not in the traditional sense). As Phil is on record stating ... he looks more for corner-types to man the spot. Not coincidentally, that is why the top guys who've worked at the CASH spot are DJ Johnson, Hankins, and Ojemudia.
Also, when Hooker took the spot ... you have to remember that his early path to playing time for the Hawks was as a nickel back.
McDonald is closer to a hybrid edge player than CASH. He’s a downhill speed and power guy. He’s not a lateral agility, play in space guy which is what the CASH is now.
disagree. McDonald would be targeted by opposing OCs if he was somehow forced to play the cash hybrid.
We’re still over by a few schollies. Need a few more guys to move on, honestly.
Playing time at LB is going to be very limited for the next 3 years. Colbert will start at WLB thru 2021. Niemann or Doyle will start at MLB thru 2022. Other than injuries and edge defender reps. Yes we need a lot of LBs to play special teams but guys arent going to stay here to just play special teams. Just like I said with QB if a guy doesn't see a good chance of starting at least 2 years they are probably going to transfer. Unless of course they're are a walk on, legacy or die hard hawk fan.
Niemann is a JR ... if he wins a starting LB spot, it will be vacated following the '20 season.
Also, Colbert seems to have his gaze ultimately fixed upon the MIKE spot. I wouldn't be surprised if he slid over there after Welch graduates. Then, Niemann could potentially take over the WILL spot full time in '20.
I'll be curious if any of the younger guys can make a move and at least force Wallace to institute a rotation.
Given that Lee is more explosive than he is fast ... I could see him reaching 270ish pretty quick without losing a step. That still puts him in a position to exactly be the sort of D-lineman that Bell wants. He wants guys to play any given spot on our D-line.
Even assuming that he shifts back to the edge ... it still really helps our depth on the DL.
Homesickness is only exacerbated when crap isn’t going your way. Colbert Benson Doyle Campbell and Jacobs in your position group is kind of overwhelming. All within a year of you, and all just as talented. I don’t blame the kid.
I agree wholeheartedly ... but he came to the Hawks because he saw a "fit" and he liked the family atmosphere of the program. If he can be receptive to the "hybrid" edge-defender spot ... I don't see how the Hawks can't STILL be a great "fit" for him.
I remember when Dezman Moses transferred from Iowa because he ultimately got moved to DE ... and he had always seen himself at LB. When he transferred to Tulane ... he STILL played at DE! Of course, as I write this ... I just remembered that Kaz was our DL coach at the time ... so maybe I know why he left. Had we NOT had a POS coaching the DL ... then it probably would have been best had Moses still remained at Iowa. Regardless, he still did okay for himself.
Anyhow, McDonald's situation reminds me of Moses ...
Hooker was 6’ and 205 at Iowa playing the cash position. McDonald’s current size is what an NFL team wants their safety to play at.
Safeties are still considered to be out-matched by many (if not most) WRs in coverage. CBs are renown as the "cover-guys." You don't want a safety at the CASH spot ... you want more of a CB-type.
It just so happened that Amani Hooker was a CB-type guy ... who also happened to be a jack of all trades ... and he could play, CB, FS, SS, and ultimately the CASH spot!
McDonald’s current size is what an NFL team wants their safety to play at...……..
NO
Good point. There have been some LBs that move up to DE with success at Iowa. Obviously Roth is the obvious one, but I'm also thinking about Howard Hodges.
I'm not recalling any Georgia recruit who came early. Maybe you're thinking of Jacobs (LB from Ohio) who came early just this past year?
As for Jayden, he was not an early enrollee.
I see ... you were lumping those guys together.
Given how Wallace seems receptive to rotate guys ... maybe more LBs will get interwoven into the defensive gameplans.
No one knows yet. If Jacobs shows here as he goes through the program, he may be at a spot next year where he has to play. He has the athleticism Iowa LB's don't usually have. Things are going to be very competitive in the room, and if the "edge-type" players that Iowa might start using this year (Jones and Joe Evans) are successful more PT could open up there.
But Iowa has a lot of options going forward.
The nfl do not want 230 pound safeties. The NFL want speed which is why undersized linebackers like Devin Bush Devin White got chosen so early.
yeah asking McDonald to play in space like that, covering guys is not going to be successful for he or the team. The Cash position works because they are taking a guy who has been a traditional defensive back who has enough strength/tackling to work through traffic like a LB, but still enough ability to move in space to cover as needed.
Joe Evans taking a leap at the hybrid edge rusher position might have went into his consideration too. Being passed up (speculation) by a walk-on would be frustrating. Have to think Jacobs and Campbell are both getting looks there too.
In all, you still have to expect competition at a place like Iowa.
Similar threads
