How do we look at DT next year?

[BMF]

I can't recall off the top of my head. There have been many. Easley and Floyd both bumped around. Joe Cohen did. Trattou did and he was too small to be a DE even. Not many are good at it. That's why I mentioned Bullard and Ray Mac, though both were better at SDE and neither were good as NTs, as Ce Ce has unfortunately been forced to play.

Roster management, especially at DT and on the OL, has been a disaster here for a long, long time.

I have no problem w/ a DE moving inside (or a DT moving outside) here and there. All teams do it. It just seems we're doing it out of necessity since we don't really have anyone else to plug in. I'm sure Jefferson would prefer to never line up inside (like Bullard)....but we need him apparently.

I'm just concerned about the DT spot next year. If Polite comes back over 280 I'll be very happy. He played mostly DE this year, so I imagine he'll follow in Jefferson's footsteps in that outside/inside role. I have no clue how Ancrum will be (or if he'll be heavy enough to play DT). Riles is key as he's well over 300 and gives us a big body, a true NG type player. Clark & Bryan are serviceable SEC DT's, so I'm not concerned about them.....just their health (as we've seen a ton of injuries to our D starters the last 2 years). Riles, Clark, Bryan, Polite, Jefferson, Ancrum, Campbell and another freshman gives us the bodies....but are they "SEC" ready??

 

[gatorgrad'02]

Trattou did and he was too small to be a DE even.

Yet he's been able to stick around in the NFL for five seasons.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

He was playing LB at first and has now put on 20 lbs.

 

[alcoholica]

Easley and Bullard played both positions. Fowler would line up standing in the middle just off the line as a pass rusher, just to mix things up and mover around.

 

[gatorgrad'02]

He was playing LB at first and has now put on 20 lbs.

He's gained a full 3 lbs since the 2011 draft...

http://m.espn.com/nfl/draftcard?playerId=26245&src=desktop

http://m.espn.com/nfl/playerinfo?playerId=14673

And I can't find a single roster from either the Giants or Vikings from 2011 through 2016 that doesn't list him as anything but a defensive end.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/177114-scouting-report-justin-trattou-olb-florida

Most teams worked him out as LB, but you are right he has played end when he has played. Spent much time on practice squad and special teams first.

Scouting report says it all, too small for DE, yet we even played him at DT some.

He has put on lot of weight since his UF days, just as many have (ie Humphreys). S&C has been confounding for a long time.
Trattou at Florida:

Trattou now:

3 pounds you say?

BTW, my driver's license says I haven't put on any weight recently either.

 

[TN G8tr]

We can sure use some depth there. With this season and all the injuries we need the depth. These guys playing so much is probably more of a reason for injury as well. Hopefully Shannon will have some sort of an impact there.

 

[gatorgrad'02]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/177114-scouting-report-justin-trattou-olb-florida

Most teams worked him out as LB, but you are right he has played end when he has played. Spent much time on practice squad and special teams first.

Scouting report says it all, too small for DE, yet we even played him at DT some.

He has put on lot of weight since his UF days, just as many have (ie Humphreys). S&C has been confounding for a long time.
Trattou at Florida:

Trattou now:

3 pounds you say?

BTW, my driver's license says I haven't put on any weight recently either.

A Sporting News "scout" and pictures in pads ... weak ... I expect better from you.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

In pads? You can't see his lower body and gut and realize dude is larger? You can't even see how much thicker he is up top despite the pads? Whatever, bro.

If that disappoints you, I'm sorry to tell you there is much, much worse to come.

 

[gatorgrad'02]

In pads? You can't see his lower body and gut and realize dude is larger? You can't even see how much thicker he is up top despite the pads? Whatever, bro.

If that disappoints you, I'm sorry to tell you there is much, much worse to come.

Thanks. I'll be sure to lower my expectations of you.

 

[Alumni Guy]

Trattou is one of those players who hung around the league much longer than I expected. Big Ups for J.T.

 

[Bernardo de la Paz]

If we sign the players we are favored to sign that would make next season's DTs:

4* Tedarrell Slaton Fr 6-4 360
3* Tyrone Truesdell Fr 6-3 325
3* Kyree Campbell Jr? 6-4 320
4 * Khairi Clark R-So 6-2 319
3* Antonio Riles R-Jr 6-4 313
3* Taven Bryan R-So 6-5 293
3* Jachai Polite Fr 6-2 271

That would give us 7 DTs all of which will probably either be 300 or just below in the fall. It could be better, but it's not what I would call a glaring weakness either.

Campbell went to a prep school instead of JUCO because he didn't want to waste two years of eligibility. The competition he played against this year was almost certainly weaker than what he saw in high school so he's basically a true freshman.

So of the 7 guys, you've got 3 true freshmen, a redshirt senior who hasn't even practiced at DT since his redshirt year, a true sophomore who will probably still be a bit undersized, and 2 quality SEC DTs neither of whom is a sure fire NFL draft pick.

That's not as bad as the 6 scholarship offensive linemen that Mac inherited when he started here, but it's below average for the DT position in the SEC. I'd call it a glaring weakness.

 

[GatorJ]

Campbell went to a prep school instead of JUCO because he didn't want to waste two years of eligibility. The competition he played against this year was almost certainly weaker than what he saw in high school so he's basically a true freshman.

So of the 7 guys, you've got 3 true freshmen, a redshirt senior who hasn't even practiced at DT since his redshirt year, a true sophomore who will probably still be a bit undersized, and 2 quality SEC DTs neither of whom is a sure fire NFL draft pick.

That's not as bad as the 6 scholarship offensive linemen that Mac inherited when he started here, but it's below average for the DT position in the SEC. I'd call it a glaring weakness.

It's an out right travesty.