Yeah, next year's schedule will be tougher ... Five tough road games ...
Watching Fant block makes me wonder if that will knock down his draft status enough to encourage him to come back for his SR year. However, that said, his raw tangibles might be alluring enough to make some NFL programs still like him as a 1st rounder.
Surely a tough away schedule ... but if you're a top-notch program and are really focused for those away games ... the match-ups ultimately still matter more than the venue.
Banwart is a darn fine player ... and I think that he'll be an excellent C for us in '19. Levi Paulsen likes locks down one OG spot and Landan likely continues to be a frequent contributor rotating at OG. Kallenberger likely finds himself among our top 5 on the OL next year ... so he probably slides to the inside and grabs a starting spot at OG.
I honestly believe that the in '19 the O is poised to take more steps forward ... and that will be a very exciting development!
Based on his TD production and his pedigree from Iowa ... that wouldn't surprise one bit.
Lastly, there are the considerations of our D heading into the '19 season. Part of the transition on the DL from '18 to '19 reminds me a little bit of our transition from '01 to '02. After '01 we lost Pickens, Montgomery, and Kampman ... that's one heck of a transition! From '01 to '02, Cole slide to the interior from DE to DT ... Hodges went from a productive back-up DE to an excellent starter. Babs entered as the starting DE opposite to Hodges. And guys like Roth, Clauss, and DRob rounded out our depth on the DL.
I tend to agree. Both are NFL starter caliber but Hockenson's clutch pass catching and blocking skills give him an edge IMO. That said, Fant isn't done developing and as ghost of homer stated, pro teams will envy his potential.
Montgomery has been dinged up and is not putting up nearly the results as last season so will be interesting to see if he sticks around or not. I don't think Butler will leave early. ISU game next year is definitely winnable ... but always tough on the road in this series.
I tend to think RB is a position that should leave early if they can- shortest career longevity in the NFL
Yep. Five years ago, Jamaal Charles and Matt Forte were 2nd and 3rd in rushing yards at age 27 and 28. One year later, DeMarco Murray lead the league at age 26.
I see Anthony being a little bit more in the same boat as Adrian Clayborn. He could find himself in a position to leave early ... but I don't think that he will. For Clayborn ... I think he really enjoyed the life of a college athlete ... and he loved the team. A lot is similar for Anthony ... but for him, since he's also a legacy guy ... I think there is a little extra meaning for him to don the Black and Gold. For a lot of guys ... I think that it is a tough thing to give up. In the college game ... while it still can be a grind ... it's still "just a game." When the guys get to the pros ... it's just a job then.
That's an interesting question about the MIKE spot. My impression is that we'll have had enough guys who have seen quality reps ... that through next spring and fall camp ... there will be a heated competition for the top spot there. I could see Wade, Welch, and Jones competing as upperclassmen ... and having guys like Doyle and McDonald make the competition interesting as underclassmen.
If you look at LEO ... I anticipate that the Hawks should be solid there between Niemann, Benson, and Jestin Jacobs. Wade will obviously remain in the picture there ... but I can also see him sliding over to ILB to compete for the MIKE spot in '19.
It will be interesting to see how this LB group unfolds over the next year.
What's great is that there should be really nice competition at each spot. When that happens ... not only do you benefit by having depth ... but it also pushes everybody's development forward. Also, I think that the lesson the LB room learned by Hockaday's emergence is that no player is "thrown away" ... that each guy can bring value to the unit. Behind the power of that message ... I'm still willing to put money on Amani Jones re-emerging at MIKE. However, it's reassuring to know that we have other quality guys who will be able to execute at a high level if he doesn't get the job done!
Yep. Next year's LB group might be the deepest and most experienced group we have had under KF.
What has permitted that has been the tremendous team-first attitude of the guys in the LB room. I hope that they can carry over that attitude ... even after they gain experience (i.e. hopefully no complacency or entitlement creeps in). Given what we saw transpiring with Rugamba ... not every unit has enjoyed that same sort of spirit and level of competition. Hopefully the young DBs can learn from the example of the LB unit.
