The Great JUCO DE-bate 2015

[HuskerFowler]

We definitely need a JUCO end. Can't count on Moss or Gregory coming back. Gregory is projected to go third overall already. Imagine how good we would be if Gregory and Moss came back. WOW.

 

By the time we hear on Moss it will be Dec/Jan and to late to get in a spring enrolled DE which is what we would need to help replace Gregory. We need one even if he just provides some adequate depth which looks like the case with Keels thus far. We need one to come in next spring IMO, and I think we take a JUCO DE no matter what.

[Warrior10]

We definitely need a JUCO end. Can't count on Moss or Gregory coming back. Gregory is projected to go third overall already. Imagine how good we would be if Gregory and Moss came back. WOW.

 

By the time we hear on Moss it will be Dec/Jan and to late to get in a spring enrolled DE which is what we would need to help replace Gregory. We need one even if he just provides some adequate depth which looks like the case with Keels thus far. We need one to come in next spring IMO, and I think we take a JUCO DE no matter what.

Agree here. However I think we should be picky with JUCO DE's...

[HuskerFowler]

Ya I don't think we should take one to take one, but IMO we need one. If Moss comes back it's a bonus, and ya never know we could get lucky and find another Gregory, Or David. In fact the staff has recruited Jucos very we'll with few misses so they'll get what they need. Especially when Gregory blows up again this year. The" this can be you" sales pitch should work.

[Warrior10]

Ya I don't think we should take one to take one, but IMO we need one. If Moss comes back it's a bonus, and ya never know we could get lucky and find another Gregory, Or David. In fact the staff has recruited Jucos very we'll with few misses so they'll get what they need. Especially when Gregory blows up again this year. The" this can be you" sales pitch should work.

Agree, I trust the staff 100% with JUCO's. I hoped Keels would be further along, but that's probably just due to being spoiled by RG44.

[dylan]

I don't think we have enough room in this class to take a juco just for depth, but sure, stud jucos are always welcome.

[SouthLincoln Husker]

I don't think we have enough room in this class to take a juco just for depth, but sure, stud jucos are always welcome.

I agree 100%, class size is the biggest issue! But another stud like Gregory is always welcome.

[Thanks_Tom RR]

I don't think we have enough room in this class to take a juco just for depth, but sure, stud jucos are always welcome.

Alright, I pulled this list from a post from Mav and modified it to reflect how I could see the 2015 class wrapping up, assuming we get ~18 commits:

 

 

QB - 1 (Dillman committed)

RB - 1 (Bussey committed)

WR - 2 (Tears committed)

TE - 1

OT - 2 (Gaylord committed)

OG - 2 (Decker committed)

DT - 2 (C. Davis and K. Davis committed)

DE - 2 (Neal committed)

LB - 2

CB/S - 3 (Lee and Anderson committed)

 

I am basing this breakdown off of the depth chart and eligibility of our roster and what positions we have offered in the last month (TE, LB, DE, OT, S, CB, OG, WR). If you look just at our DE offers in April, we have 5, 2 of which came after Neal's commitment (Porter Gustin and Darrell Taylor). Just with that, I feel good saying the coaches are looking to pick up one more DE in this class.

 

More toward your comment, Bo has been ahead of the curve with his JUCO picks, so I don't see Nebraska taking a JUCO just to fill depth. Still, picking up a JUCO will give us a better chance at adding a game-ready DE than another HS recruit, IMO. Now, I don't want to take away from HS players, but if Bo sees a JUCO he likes enough to offer, I would see that as evidence he sees an immediate contributor.

[HuskerFowler]

I would bet we take one JUCO and one more HS. I also think we will end up at 19-20. Our DE depth is terrible. Depends how they see the Davis Twins. If they see Carlos outside and like the development of Natter or the early prospects of King and Wills they may take only one more HS. Hard to tell what they want but I'm guessing they will wait till fall camp or a few games in before they decide if they really need one. Of course that assuming they don't really really like someone they find in the next few weeks eval period or over the summer.

 

We need DE very badly and Neal is the definition of a project so it's hard to see him helping the depth situation anytime soon....although I love his upside we need help sooner than later. I'm hoping/thinking King can help sooner. Heard he's gained a lot of weight already.

[dylan]

I agree with most of that. I think we'll take one more HS DE unless the coaches find a game changer or find that guys aren't developing come fall.

[HuskerPowerVA]

I will hate if Gregory leaves, but if he has a monster year and is drafted high, that will only help our recruiting of both JUCO and freshmen.

[StPaulHusker]

I will hate if Gregory leaves, but if he has a monster year and is drafted high, that will only help our recruiting of both JUCO and freshmen.

I like your optimism but we had a DT go #2 in the draft was an all world collegiate player and it didn't exactly help us reel in the big fish.

[dylan]

Chase Rome, Kevin Williams, Todd Peat, Vincent Valentine, Maliek Collins, Peyton Newell and the Davis twins (all of whom had some damn good other offers), might disagree with you on the Suh effect.

 

Just because some of the early ones on that list didn't pan out for whatever reasons (behavior and injuries) doesn't mean that they weren't impressive recruits at the time or that we struck out on capitalizing on the best DT the game has seen.

[HUSKER FREAK]

Chase Rome, Kevin Williams, Todd Peat, Vincent Valentine, Maliek Collins, Peyton Newell and the Davis twins (all of whom had some damn good other offers), might disagree with you on the Suh effect.

 

Just because some of the early ones on that list didn't pan out for whatever reasons (behavior and injuries) doesn't mean that they weren't impressive recruits at the time or that we struck out on capitalizing on the best DT the game has seen.

Definitely agree with this. And, it is still making an impact. Gregory getting drafted early in the first round next year will surely suck, but will also help ALOT with recruiting.

[Haspula]

 

If Moss's status is in doubt, I think you want a game-ready JUCO here in case the freshman class doesn't pan out (even if it's a stop-gap player). If it isn't in doubt, I think we need to score a really heavy-hitting recruit (even if it's a freshman). This isn't to say less heralded recruits don't work out - as we all know, they can - but it does seem like shaky ground if we go through two recruiting cycles and end up with 4 DEs who fall into the less recruited/projection category. That could easily result in depth issues and more in '15 and '16.

I looked up my 4 prospects up on 247 and Scout (Rivals and ESPN do not have most/any of the JUCO rated yet):

 

247

Takkarist McKinley - #12 Overall; #2 SDE; :star :star

Larry Jefferson - #30 Overall; #2 WDE; :star

Anthony Fotu - #48 Overall; #5 DT; :star

Timmy Hamilton - #54 Overall; #9 SDE; :star

 

Scout (Overall ranking; DE ranking)

Anthony Fotu - #11 Overall; #3 DE; :star :star

Takkarist McKinley - #24 Overall; #5 DE; :star

Larry Jefferson - #29 Overall; #9 DE; :star

Timmy Hamilton - NR

 

If you are looking just at stars, these guys, as a group, all are rated within the top 10 DE for both services (except Hamilton which is not rated by Scout yet), varying between 2-4 stars. Most of the other guys in the top 10 would not make my list for the simple reasons that they look like "locks" for other programs and/or I do not see the speed and athleticism in their films that is apparent in Randy Gregory's JUCO film.

 

Was looking at the Larry Jefferson guy. 6'5 230, he is close to randy's speed (4.5 40 yard dash on 247) and his film isn't that bad: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3091856/highlights/133711375

[C N Red]

I think McMullen should get a better look this year. Last year it seemed like every time he was in the game he make plays. Was always around the ball. I'd like to see a long look for him.