ADVERTISEMENT

Jayden Montgomery Commits. 2022 Linebacker

Larry Station 5-11 230, Bob Diaco 5-11 220, Buster Hoinkes 5-10 225, Brad Quast 6-0 235, Seth Benson 6-0 230. Some of these guys played for Hayden not Kirk. 😎❤️🏈
Buster Hoinkes? That was 50 years ago, and he hardly played, due to injury.
 
Not sure why everyone things he is automatically a FB. They don't need to offer guys to get a FB. He will get every chance at LB and might be the only one they take in this class.
I thought at first a Safety, but that was before I watched his video. The kid reacts well, hits hard and has good speed, so yeah, I think he stays at LB.
 
giphy.gif
 
  • Like
Reactions: HawkinK.C.1
I thought at first a Safety, but that was before I watched his video. The kid reacts well, hits hard and has good speed, so yeah, I think he stays at LB.
I think he’s extremely polished. Knows exactly where to be on the field and has a great burst when he locks onto the ball carrier. I bet he’s been coached up by his dad since he first put a helmet on. I bet this kid starts at linebacker for us before it’s all said and done.
 
No way. MLB all the way.
I agree. Nick Bunicotti, Zach Thomas, Mike Singletary, Tom Jackson were all pro and all in the 5-10/5-11 range. Height is really not a factor for a LB. Smarts, study, ability to read the play, striking power, and toughness are the factors that count. Throw in a dash of nastiness for good measure. 😎❤️🏈
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BEAVERDALEHAWK
Leroy Smith was the best pass rushing defensive end in Iowa history. In 1991 he had 18 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. I believe he was a 6'2" 220 pound end. Not short by any means, but undersized as an end.
 
Leroy Smith was the best pass rushing defensive end in Iowa history. In 1991 he had 18 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. I believe he was a 6'2" 220 pound end. Not short by any means, but undersized as an end.
also that is 30 years ago, times have changed kids are bigger and stronger, it is possible but it seems he will have to get way bigger to be effective at linebacker but it is a wait and see
 
  • Like
Reactions: desihawk
Leroy Smith was the best pass rushing defensive end in Iowa history. In 1991 he had 18 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. I believe he was a 6'2" 220 pound end. Not short by any means, but undersized as an end.
Leroy came to Iowa from New Jersey as a running back. But, the room was crowded with Nick Bell, Tony Stewart, etc. He moved to rush end and became an All American. Only 6-0 214. 😎❤️🏈
 
also that is 30 years ago, times have changed kids are bigger and stronger, it is possible but it seems he will have to get way bigger to be effective at linebacker but it is a wait and see
Stronger maybe. Bigger? The offensive tackles in the 90's were not small. He was going up against big individuals and winning with speed and strength. Hell, John Alt played tackle for Iowa in the early 80's. He was 6'8", over 300 pounds and wasn't abnormal for a tackle at that time. Now if you want to compare versus the 60's & 70's, I'll listen.
 
Stronger maybe. Bigger? The offensive tackles in the 90's were not small. He was going up against big individuals and winning with speed and strength. Hell, John Alt played tackle for Iowa in the early 80's. He was 6'8", over 300 pounds and wasn't abnormal for a tackle at that time. Now if you want to compare versus the 60's & 70's, I'll listen.
I tried to find some data for all of D1 college football but couldn't get a good quick summary but did find that the average O line weight for Alabama was 271 lbs in 1993 and 310 lbs in 2013, i think trends are probably similar across D1.
 
I agree. Nick Bunicotti, Zach Thomas, Mike Singletary, Tom Jackson were all pro and all in the 5-10/5-11 range. Height is really not a factor for a LB. Smarts, study, ability to read the play, striking power, and toughness are the factors that count. Throw in a dash of nastiness for good measure. 😎❤️🏈
Nick Buoniconti III is even shorter than his dad. It'd be pushing it to call him 5'9".
 
I agree. Nick Bunicotti, Zach Thomas, Mike Singletary, Tom Jackson were all pro and all in the 5-10/5-11 range. Height is really not a factor for a LB. Smarts, study, ability to read the play, striking power, and toughness are the factors that count. Throw in a dash of nastiness for good measure. 😎❤️🏈

One of, if not the best “small” Lber to ever play in the NFL, Sam Mills, was 5’9 and played 13 years, plus 3 in the USFL
 
  • Like
Reactions: Torg and BBHawk
Leroy Smith was the best pass rushing defensive end in Iowa history. In 1991 he had 18 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. I believe he was a 6'2" 220 pound end. Not short by any means, but undersized as an end.
Larry came to Iowa from New Jersey as an RB. That move to edge rusher was a stroke of genius.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Torg
And Smith was listed at 208. While I LOVED Leroy Smith, I agree, Tippett was the better, more complete player.
I said that I thought Leroy was the best "pass rush" end. No argument from me on Andre Tippett being the best.
 
Leroy came to Iowa from New Jersey as a running back. But, the room was crowded with Nick Bell, Tony Stewart, etc. He moved to rush end and became an All American. Only 6-0 214. 😎❤️🏈
Some guy named Tippet may argue with you.
 
Andre Tippett played DE at Iowa, but was an OLB in the NFL. While Fry's defense was classified as a 5-2, making it seem unusual, it operated similar to more standard 3-4 defenses. DE's like Tippett would sometimes engage in pass coverage.
 
Andre Tippett played DE at Iowa, but was an OLB in the NFL. While Fry's defense was classified as a 5-2, making it seem unusual, it operated similar to more standard 3-4 defenses. DE's like Tippett would sometimes engage in pass coverage.
More like 4-3, but yes, Tippett and some of the other DEs engaged in coverage. Tippett was quite adept at it, which is probably made him an attractive draft choice as a LB
 
  • Wow
Reactions: shoot_the_three
The 3-4 was on trend when the sainted John Hayden Fry and Billy B arrived on campus. Either end could drop or rush on passing downs. That defense confused a lot of opponents.
 
I watched the 1991 #1 FSU v #3 Michigan highlights on YouTube awhile back. It surprised me how much smaller the OL were compared to today’s players. Nowadays, if we sign a HS junior OL prospect listed at 270 people consider that undersized and he’d need 2 years to be physically ready.

In the game from 1991 the lines went:
Michigan, 298, 286, 269, 289, 325
FSU: 272, 284, 250, 272, 272

I get that there are optimum sized players for each position but the list of “undersized” players that went on to be NFL stars is long, that list for college players is even longer. Seems there’s always a hang up about 31” arms for OL, or 5’11 LB, or a RB that ran a 4.45 instead of a 4.39. If they can play, they’ll play.
 
Last edited:
I watched the 1991 #1 FSU v #3 Michigan highlights on YouTube awhile back. It surprised me how much smaller the OL were compared to today’s players.
The size increase of line players over the past couple of decades is remarkable. It's a testament to advances in training and diet, I think, and dedicated athletes have taken advantage of all the resources available to them.

It's kind of amazing when you think about it. Muhammad Ali weighed in at 6ft3 and 210 lbs. when won the heavyweight boxing title over Sonny Liston 6ft1 218 lbs in 1964. Both would be considered undersized LBs today. Iowa LB recruit Ben Kueter, for example, played his junior year of high school football at 6ft3 and 220lbs - 16 years old and already bigger than Sonny Liston!
 
The size increase of line players over the past couple of decades is remarkable. It's a testament to advances in training and diet, I think, and dedicated athletes have taken advantage of all the resources available to them.

It's kind of amazing when you think about it. Muhammad Ali weighed in at 6ft3 and 210 lbs. when won the heavyweight boxing title over Sonny Liston 6ft1 218 lbs in 1964. Both would be considered undersized LBs today. Iowa LB recruit Ben Kueter, for example, played his junior year of high school football at 6ft3 and 220lbs - 16 years old and already bigger than Sonny Liston!
Both Liston and Ali are small for "heavyweight" nowadays. Fury has weighed as much as 273 for fights. Butterbean would no longer be a "joke" in the division.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nu2u and cmhawks99
ADVERTISEMENT