Defense seemed to be ahead of the offense from a passing standpoint, against the run they were solid as well. 2nd team struggled to stop offense at the goaline. Again, like the offense, stars like Desmond/Josey were held out a lot given opportunity for some young guys.
Defensive End: No Reiff, McKnight, Schulte,
1. Parker Hesse: Looks the part a little better this year (last year I thought he looked like a LB out there...was from a size standpoint). Didn't do anything significant but was taken out for youth reps too.
2. Matt Nelson: Tall and starting to add the needed thickness.
3. Anthony Nelson: Loved what I seen out of him. Looks like Erik Hansen in a helmet (long and skinny...too skinny). But he gets after it and uses his length well (maybe better than Matt N). He just needs to put on the pounds but I think he has a role as a pass rusher. This is our worst position so obviously all 3 of our guys are probably playing bigger roles than they should.
4. Sam Brincks: Has the size to play...his biggest advantage holding off the rest.
5. Garrett Jansen: Great motor but seems out of position. I was under the assumption he was brought into to play the Matt Kroul role, but for now he is on the outside. Much like Hesse, he will give us everything he has but doesn't have the physical gifts. At best pushes for #4 this season.
6. Chauncey Gholston: Skinny and could use a redshirt. But he has the tools that guys like Jansen/Brincks/even Hesse don't have. His best play....he pursued our RB 20 yards down field for a big hit. Next season he emerges.
7. Brandon Simon: Whereas Gholston looks like the lengthy pass rusher he is in the Hesse bulldog role. Good motor.
---Where is Brady Reiff? I don't want to assume, but I don't know if I've ever seen him play.
Would have loved to see where McKnight is as he passes the eyeball test. Again though, I think this is a position where we are just waiting (impatiently) for guys to be ready for the field. Jansen/Gholston/McKnight just aren't physically. Brincks is.
Defensive Tackle: No Hulett, Slater, Giese
1. Jaleel Johnson....so powerful, he disrupts a lot.
2. Faith Ekakitie/Nathan Bazata....maybe I just happened to catch the wrong rotations but of all the DT's Faith got the most reps (makes sense if they know what they got from Johnson/Bazata)
4. Daniel Gaffey...with Hulett out (casted foot on a cart) Gaffey got the 2's reps. Probably a formality...see next point.
5. Cedric Lattimore!!!! Very, very, very, excited about him. I hoped they would move him inside and he looks like #4 right now. Body looks ready to play and with Johnson/Faith being seniors I think he may play. He lived in the backfield against the 2's.
6. Dallas Jacobus: Looked similar to past walkon DT's. Short/fiery.
--Depth is concerning here with 3 guys down right now. I think Lattimore plays, got to get Hulett/Slater healthy. I agree with another poster though...we really need to hit on more DT targets in recruiting.
Linebackers: No Niemann, Hockaday, Sobotka, Nick Wilson????
MIKE: Jewell, Garbutt, Taylor/Bohr: Jewell was limited today so tons of valuable reps for Garbutt. I liked what I seen...very athletic looking LB that needs to continue to put on needed weight for MLB. Looks like a WILL right now, but with Bower/Hockaday capable he is probably #6 right now. Big time special teamer (kickoff/KR). Taylor got barked at by Wallace for his calls a bit.
WILL: Mends, Jones, Welch/Wade: Thought I seen Hockaday earlier but not during scrimmage for sure. Mends packs a punch, just hope he don't get ate up by bigger OL. Amani Jones is impressive and drew praise from coaches. Very similar to Taylor but Taylor got the MIKE reps and Jones played more WILL. Welch impressed me with his pursuit. Wade looked like a runningback (similar to Garbutt last year) and needs a RS.
OLB: Bower, Ward, Niemann: Bower looked good and he is so valuable as that next man in. Watch out for him in that WILL competition too. At first I thought we were in some sort of Nickle/Dime situation but I think Kevin Ward was getting looks at LEO with the 2s. I liked him there and we've done it before big safeties (Jermire Roberts/Chris Brevi) and could be valuable in that role. Niemann impressed as he seems more ready to play than his brother did at that point.
----Where is Nick Wilson? I thought he was impressing as the backup, Ferentz never mentioned him being hurt, and now Ward moves down????
Cornerback: No Mabin, limited Ojemudia
1. Desmond King: Much like other stars, was limited but man is he fun to watch!
2. Without Mabin, Josh Jackson got the start away from King. Had an INT in the endzone and is physical with the WRs. Valuable player for us!
3. With Ojemudia limited (saw him early but not late) Manny Rugamba was playing some with the 1s, and all the 2/3 reps. We have no corners so both he and Boswell got all 2/3 reps. He will play this year and is going to be a good one.
4. Cedric Boswell: got picked on a few times and won some/lost some. both he and Rugamba are indicative of our recent recruiting...these guys look better than a lot of guys that used to play a lot or even start! If everyone is healthy he is #6, is that high enough to take RS off? Any type of injury and he has to I think.
Safety
SS: Taylor, Gair, Hooker: We know what we got with Taylor. He is a tazmanian devil. Gair is a great backup to have at both spots. Hooker is one to watch with the RS as he was on some special team stuff and maybe that type of guy this season.
FS: Snyder, Gervase, Grimm/Milani: All walkons. Snyder is a stud and will be a fan favorite. He hits like a truck and I believe he is a huge film rat. There will not be a drop off here. Gervase/Milani didn't do much to catch my eye. Eric Grimm was surprising to see him here as I believe he WAS a LB....has good size.
Punter
Missed the beginning of the scrimmage and didn't see them at all.
Defensive End: No Reiff, McKnight, Schulte,
1. Parker Hesse: Looks the part a little better this year (last year I thought he looked like a LB out there...was from a size standpoint). Didn't do anything significant but was taken out for youth reps too.
2. Matt Nelson: Tall and starting to add the needed thickness.
3. Anthony Nelson: Loved what I seen out of him. Looks like Erik Hansen in a helmet (long and skinny...too skinny). But he gets after it and uses his length well (maybe better than Matt N). He just needs to put on the pounds but I think he has a role as a pass rusher. This is our worst position so obviously all 3 of our guys are probably playing bigger roles than they should.
4. Sam Brincks: Has the size to play...his biggest advantage holding off the rest.
5. Garrett Jansen: Great motor but seems out of position. I was under the assumption he was brought into to play the Matt Kroul role, but for now he is on the outside. Much like Hesse, he will give us everything he has but doesn't have the physical gifts. At best pushes for #4 this season.
6. Chauncey Gholston: Skinny and could use a redshirt. But he has the tools that guys like Jansen/Brincks/even Hesse don't have. His best play....he pursued our RB 20 yards down field for a big hit. Next season he emerges.
7. Brandon Simon: Whereas Gholston looks like the lengthy pass rusher he is in the Hesse bulldog role. Good motor.
---Where is Brady Reiff? I don't want to assume, but I don't know if I've ever seen him play.
Would have loved to see where McKnight is as he passes the eyeball test. Again though, I think this is a position where we are just waiting (impatiently) for guys to be ready for the field. Jansen/Gholston/McKnight just aren't physically. Brincks is.
Defensive Tackle: No Hulett, Slater, Giese
1. Jaleel Johnson....so powerful, he disrupts a lot.
2. Faith Ekakitie/Nathan Bazata....maybe I just happened to catch the wrong rotations but of all the DT's Faith got the most reps (makes sense if they know what they got from Johnson/Bazata)
4. Daniel Gaffey...with Hulett out (casted foot on a cart) Gaffey got the 2's reps. Probably a formality...see next point.
5. Cedric Lattimore!!!! Very, very, very, excited about him. I hoped they would move him inside and he looks like #4 right now. Body looks ready to play and with Johnson/Faith being seniors I think he may play. He lived in the backfield against the 2's.
6. Dallas Jacobus: Looked similar to past walkon DT's. Short/fiery.
--Depth is concerning here with 3 guys down right now. I think Lattimore plays, got to get Hulett/Slater healthy. I agree with another poster though...we really need to hit on more DT targets in recruiting.
Linebackers: No Niemann, Hockaday, Sobotka, Nick Wilson????
MIKE: Jewell, Garbutt, Taylor/Bohr: Jewell was limited today so tons of valuable reps for Garbutt. I liked what I seen...very athletic looking LB that needs to continue to put on needed weight for MLB. Looks like a WILL right now, but with Bower/Hockaday capable he is probably #6 right now. Big time special teamer (kickoff/KR). Taylor got barked at by Wallace for his calls a bit.
WILL: Mends, Jones, Welch/Wade: Thought I seen Hockaday earlier but not during scrimmage for sure. Mends packs a punch, just hope he don't get ate up by bigger OL. Amani Jones is impressive and drew praise from coaches. Very similar to Taylor but Taylor got the MIKE reps and Jones played more WILL. Welch impressed me with his pursuit. Wade looked like a runningback (similar to Garbutt last year) and needs a RS.
OLB: Bower, Ward, Niemann: Bower looked good and he is so valuable as that next man in. Watch out for him in that WILL competition too. At first I thought we were in some sort of Nickle/Dime situation but I think Kevin Ward was getting looks at LEO with the 2s. I liked him there and we've done it before big safeties (Jermire Roberts/Chris Brevi) and could be valuable in that role. Niemann impressed as he seems more ready to play than his brother did at that point.
----Where is Nick Wilson? I thought he was impressing as the backup, Ferentz never mentioned him being hurt, and now Ward moves down????
Cornerback: No Mabin, limited Ojemudia
1. Desmond King: Much like other stars, was limited but man is he fun to watch!
2. Without Mabin, Josh Jackson got the start away from King. Had an INT in the endzone and is physical with the WRs. Valuable player for us!
3. With Ojemudia limited (saw him early but not late) Manny Rugamba was playing some with the 1s, and all the 2/3 reps. We have no corners so both he and Boswell got all 2/3 reps. He will play this year and is going to be a good one.
4. Cedric Boswell: got picked on a few times and won some/lost some. both he and Rugamba are indicative of our recent recruiting...these guys look better than a lot of guys that used to play a lot or even start! If everyone is healthy he is #6, is that high enough to take RS off? Any type of injury and he has to I think.
Safety
SS: Taylor, Gair, Hooker: We know what we got with Taylor. He is a tazmanian devil. Gair is a great backup to have at both spots. Hooker is one to watch with the RS as he was on some special team stuff and maybe that type of guy this season.
FS: Snyder, Gervase, Grimm/Milani: All walkons. Snyder is a stud and will be a fan favorite. He hits like a truck and I believe he is a huge film rat. There will not be a drop off here. Gervase/Milani didn't do much to catch my eye. Eric Grimm was surprising to see him here as I believe he WAS a LB....has good size.
Punter
Missed the beginning of the scrimmage and didn't see them at all.
