Scouting Ohio State's Early Enrollees

6:14PM Jan 11, 2022

Speakers:

Tom Orr

Tony Gerdeman

Keywords:

big

play

year

field

game

safeties

ryan

spring

quarterback

denzel

defense

ohio state

talking

starting

cj

season

redshirt

linebacker

class

position

Hello, everybody. Welcome to the Buckeye weekly podcast. I am Tony Gerdeman. Here, as always, with Tom or Tom, how's it going?

Tony, this feels like the really the first show of next season like we are sort of in that weird transitional period where we're sort of wrapping up 2021 and talking about NFL draft, get declarations and, you know, guys who may transfer coaching staff changes, all that kind of stuff. But this is the first one where it's like, ah, entirely new people who have never played at Ohio State before never been on campus at Ohio State before are now on campus. It's like we're officially like turning the page to 2022.

Yeah, classes are starting at Ohio State. So we're going to take a look at the early enrollees this year, which I believe from what we've been able to track down there are 11 of them. This year that will take place take part in spring and winter workouts and really get the leg up on contributing next season. I should wrote this downtown like look at all the guys look at. I'll go to Denzel Burke. treyvion Henderson these guys who enrolled early and played huge parts in the season. I didn't Marvin Harrison and Meg Booker were both in early J Rod was as well. But the sooner you get in unless your name is Quinn yours, the sooner you will be able to contribute and especially at the skill positions. So it was you saw what happened. I mean, just the example of Denzel Burke versus Jordan Hancock and Jalen Johnson now Jaylen Johnson was hurt. But like Denzel Berg versus Jordan Hancock, Hancock didn't enroll until the summer, Denzel Burke was here in January. And one guy started the other guy played five or six games, and you'd never really saw much of them unless it was a blowout. So that gives you an idea. But I do wonder, I kind of feel like Denzel Burke would have started anyway, like if he enrolled in like, I don't know, August 1, like the way he played and the the the aggression and the competency head. But I'm not going to go against my argument that there are enrolling early upstyle.

I have the guys who showed up last summer, I think jtt Molo was the only one who really played a lot last year. I mean, it's, that's hard. I mean, think about it, think back to when you were starting college, like that is a tough transition, you're going you know, you're living away from home for the first time, you're, you know, kind of you're on your own for the first time, you're adjusting to new classes and having to, you know, do a lot of stuff yourself that you didn't have to do. And then you're also leveling up in football at the same time. And you have, you know, you show up in June and you go through some workouts and stuff, but you only have that fall camp in August to sort of get ready for the season. And really only have the first week or two of that fall camp before they really start you know, setting it you know, get getting the lineup set not gonna there's not a lot of time to make an impact. And then once the season starts, there's you know, it's harder to kind of jump guys in the middle of season. So being in in the in the spring, definitely makes a difference. Like you said a man and Mecca Ibuka, Marvin Harrison, treyvion, Henderson, Denzel Berkeley, all those guys who were the true freshmen who are really contributing a lot. Those guys tie like Williams, I think was in last spring, I believe, you know, so not all of those guys that you kind of saw a lot last spring are the ones who really made an impact during the fall and a lot of the guys who came in later, Andre Turrentine Mike Hall, some of those guys didn't play as you know, didn't get on the field as much didn't play as much a lot of them redshirted in 2021. So, you know, it's a, it is not for everyone, but if you can do it, it is a big deal. It is a big leg up in terms of getting your career started.

Yeah, unless you're a complete freak, like JT Tumalo can show of like the Friday before the game and start two weeks later. I mean, that's, that's an impressive dude. And so let's discuss we'll run down these 11 guys and like there's been nothing from Ohio State yet that these guys have enrolled. But these are the the 11 that we can track down and feel pretty good about. Start with Devin Brown, a quarterback. Obviously, I think he's going to redshirt you don't need that. You hope you don't need that third quarterback. But I again I said this on the last show. I like the fact that he came to Ohio State to compete. The he's he knows who's here. He knows that. It's there's going to be people coming after him. And so I like the skill set. And this is another example of Ryan day. Being able to at the last minute like I wonder if this dude ever studied for exams during the week or if he just waited until the night before because he can cram quarterbacks better than anybody like oh, oh, I don't have any quarterbacks. Let me let me see. Oh, there he is. Come on to Justin fields. Oh when yours wants to leave Okay, let me let me get cool get the best quarterback on the West Coast please please come here. Devin brown like this guy is it's hard to have quarterback concerns as long as Ryan day is in town.

Yeah it just you know quarterback and wide receiver, the two spots right now it just feels like it's just, you know, pump them off an assembly line. And it makes sense because what is the common thread there between those guys? Well, if you're a starter, very likely you're going to be a first round pick. Like that's just kind of how it is. Now you can start with Ryan day and then your first round pick at work for Dwayne Haskins. It worked for Justin fields. CJ Stroud is very much on that same track, you go to the you go to the Heisman ceremony, you're a Heisman finalist. You probably are a first round NFL draft pick. And then you move on and even some of the guys who've been under Ryan day tutelage for a few years if you're not the guy, he's a good person to learn from for a couple years and then you go somewhere else and you can be successful there. I mean, that's that's uh, you know, that is that has worked out for some guys as well. Not for everyone but for for some guys, that's that's been an option. So yeah, it is. You know, it is a very easy thing for Ryan day to sell come to Ohio State. You're going to you know, if you're the best guy you're going to play, you're going to put up insane numbers, breaks bunch of school records and then get drafted in the NFL in the first round. Like that's, that's a pretty easy thing to sell. Yeah, it's

not difficult. You mentioned receivers. So let's go there now. Kayla Burton out of Lake Travis in Texas, the number nine wide receiver in a nation another guy who is very much like Garrett Wilson Jaxon Smith-Njigba is six foot 100 and whatever and is not the biggest guy but just gets open moves the chains can probably play multiple positions and is just productive. And so he'll be in this winter the spring he's already I saw a tweet from OSU like he's already moving in. Obviously classes are starting but another guy time to I don't think bread shirts, I don't know where he ends up. As a receiver i I always wonder like Brian Hartline, do you have? Do you know where everybody's gonna be? And of course, he'd probably say no, even though if he did have a complete idea of where everybody's going to be.

You know, I think you bring guys in with the idea that this guy might be an outside guy, this guy might be a slot guy. But I mean, as we saw with Garrett Wilson, like they're willing to move people around, Garrett Wilson, started outside, moved inside, went back outside, it, just kind of, you know, who are your three best guys. And depending on who the three best guys are, the guy who's the best slot guy of those three is going to be the guy who plays in slot and then the other two guys are going to play outside. And he I think he's get He's certainly getting away from bringing someone in specifically to be the slot guy. Because then you're kind of boxed in if it's just, it's like well, if there's another good slot guy, then there's not a space for you if you can only play in the slot so they're going to use we've used the position was basketball analogy before it's kind of the position was basketball where it's like well whoever the three best guys are, then we'll just figure out the figure out the spot on the field. I don't have a great sense. I mean, a lot of these guys are kind of in that same basic physical mold where it's not you know, you're not bringing in the six five guy and also the five nine guy there's a lot of guys and just that six foot six to mold where it's like yeah, you can play inside you can play outside like whatever. So yeah, those two guys coming in early though Caleb Burton and Keon Gray's those are guys who I think it is not gonna be super easy to get on the field. This is going to be a you know, yet again, it will be a very competitive wide receiver room coming into the spring and going into the fall. But you're in that discussion to get in that rotation because as we saw with mechag book and Marvin Harrison, even if it takes a little while, all of a sudden by the end of the year, you're ready to play.

Yeah, and with Keon Gray's like to me, he is the only sure fire outside receiver to me like I don't think he's gonna play inside whereas I could see the other three playing inside at some point. So you think he's kind of like the Z with Jaden Ballard? Is that is that Julian Fleming? Is that going to be a mecca? Buka or is that or even Jaxon Smith-Njigba So like, where is key on Grey's and all this? And like I could see him being a richer guy just because there's so many different so many guys in front of him. However, if you go to the position less basketball thing then it's you just find your top six and you play them but they haven't really been playing six now. Will they get there this year? I think they they've got a top four. And you've you better play a top four or else you're probably gonna lose somebody. Is is Jaden Ballard going to be ready to be that number five guy and you know I've seen people asking about Kamryn Babb at this point. You know, I don't know that you can expect him to be a part of a rotation If he's on the team, if he's playing special teams, that's great. You just don't know how, how the knees have held up, like, he's captain, he's going to grad school, he's done all that everything, right. But all these other guys coming in are healthy, and they've been healthy and they have all of their just advanced athletically. So is there room for a sixth guy, like, either of these guys or Kojo? antwi or Caleb Brown, like, you're gonna have to, or it's just gonna be one of those things where there's, there's enough, you don't need a sixth guy. But you can play each of these guys for games, and, you know, filter them through

a, I think it may end up being that because you're not going to need I mean, these are all guys who are talented enough that they could come in and play. And if you know, if you were playing at Illinois, all of these guys are starting receivers this year, like these are all big 10 caliber receivers right now. So you don't you know, but but Ohio State is very famously not in Illinois, it's a little harder to get on the field at Ohio State than it is in Illinois, or Indiana, or wherever else you want to compare him to in the big 10. I don't, I don't expect you're gonna burn a ton of red shirts there. But you know, maybe you can be strategic about it, where you're you're giving guys, you know, you're not just playing the guy in a game to play a guy in the game you're playing guy in the game when he can get four or five targets really be a part of the game. gameplan a little bit more. The big question here in terms of how many of these guys get on the field to me? You mentioned the top four. The big question to me is that number five guys, Jaden is Jaden Ballard. You know, we didn't see a whole heck of a lot of him in 2021. They like him. He's a very talented receiver. I mean, we have, you know, he was a Maslen wide receiver, who were number nine and ran a lot of deep routes. So you know, the complex that gets thrown on him all the time. And it's like, yeah, if he can turn into Devin Smith, like Yeah, that's a that's a guy they'd really like to have. He needed a year to grow and develop a little bit. And so what is he gonna look like this spring, this is, you know, every we put together the list of like the guys who this is a very big spring for this guy. This is a very big spring for Jaden Ballard because even though it's only his second year, there's a lot of talent coming behind him. And these are, you know, these are guys who could be immediate impact players in a lot of cases. If you get passed by them, it's gonna be hard to pass them again. But you know, with you having a year Headstart. So, you know, this is this is a very, very big spring for Jaden Ballard, I am very, very interested to see how you know how he looks this spring, as you know, because we, you know, we don't get to watch a whole lot of practice at this point. And so we really haven't seen anything from him since almost the summer. So you know, I am going to be very, very interested to see what he what he looks like with a full season of development and other you know, you're in the winter conditioning program and then go into spring. Where is he? Is he kind of pushing those top four guys? Or is he getting pushed from the guys who are behind him?

Yeah, and people who have seen him will rave about his athleticism and just the raw ability that is being refined in one catch this year, for four yards. I'm not gonna be surprised at all to start hearing hearing him as the guy who is really coming on getting stronger, just being more impressive in the offseason workouts to where you think, oh, like he's ready to blossom. But again, it's hard to blossom when you're the fourth or fifth guy just ask Jameson Williams, who was the third guy and 2020 2020 2020 and then only got caught like, I don't know, 12 passes or something and had to leave because it wasn't enough. And then the third guy this year for Ohio State catches I don't know, like 65 passes, whatever. You know, it's neither here nor there time. Neither here nor there. But let's let's move to Titan. Bennett Christian because this is interesting to me. I don't think cage Stover is going back to office. No. And that position is wide open integration making the decision to enroll early might be the wisest of any of these early enrollees. Because he's going to have an opportunity to get in on the ground floor. compete head to head with Joe Royer Sam Hart, gee, Scott, Mitch Rossi, these guys to to convince the coaches that to not only convince coaches that you can play but also to learn and to get stronger, and to become a better blocker because obviously he's going to have to block to play well, you're going to be the best blocker. He's already like, he's like six, six to 40 He's only going to get bigger. He's probably getting bigger right now just you know, even heading into college to where he might, he might be that number two tight end. And it could grow into that number one tight end sooner than later. If the development of the other guys doesn't step up. Now we heard really good things. about Joe earlier in the bowl practice which I think also allowed them to move Kate Stover without much concern but that's going to need to continue. But I really liked this decision by Christian to come in early and they had two titans in this class they ended with just one and he's got a really big opportunity to be a like a major point of the Ohio State offense and maybe not not a major point but have a major role

not have a lot of footballs thrown right if that's what you're suggesting. Yeah, but ya know, he's he's someone who this is as wide open an opportunities you're going to get because Jeremy Ruckert off the NFL, Cade Stover It definitely sounds like is sticking on defense, whether that's a defensive end linebacker we'll see. But, you know, gee, Scott is someone who they're very high on but he's still you know, he's not necessarily going to be the big blocking tight end like right, Bennett Christian may have the opportunity to be, you know, number one or number two in terms of like the blocking guy, unless you want to count Mitch Rossi in there, which, you know, maybe maybe you're counting Mitch Rossi in there, too. But, you know, Royer Royer, I think would come into 2022 as the number one guy to me, I think that's what I'm expecting. And then if, you know, if, gee, Scott is gonna be more like, you know, split him out and you know, flex him out kind of tight, tight end rather than hand in that they're tight end, that leaves things wide open medic Christian to be kind of an immediate contributor. So yeah, I'm, this is, you know, he is not the biggest name, he was one of the lower rated players in the class. But he also is someone who might have not the easiest path of field but one of the more clear paths to the field to at least contribute this fall, where he's someone I would not necessarily expect to redshirt this year, even though he is like I said, he wasn't you know, as a three star guy. He is not the you know, the guy who's got his name up on the marquee in the in the, you know, as they're, you know, revealing the recruiting class, but he may be someone who has a relatively clear path to the field to be at least a contributor this fall.

Yeah, he is the second lowest rated prospect in the class only ahead of every Henry. But then a Christian is also just He's the number 378 player in the composite, the number 18 Titan, so it's not like we're talking about somebody in 100. It's like, yeah, this would be several Big Ten's top two or three recruits several big 10 teams. And it is interesting that he is a three star and yet, could very well be one of the top Titans for the Buckeyes. Next year and really, really good size, really good attitude. And when a Titan comes to Ohio State to play tight end, kind of tells you that I'm not looking for at passes. I like to block I'm okay being physical. And so that's where he is. Let's move to George Fitzpatrick, the offensive tackle out of Colorado. We know Iowa State does. great luck out in Colorado with their offensive lineman. So, George Fitzpatrick coming in early. The number 26 tackle in the nation anytime an offensive lineman comes in who isn't Parris Johnson, it just expect that they're going to redshirt like Dawand Jones, not red shirting was one of the bigger shocks of the last few years for Ohio State and especially when it looked like he was only going to play because of his ability to block extra points and field goals. And then he just kept getting better and better. And like you know what, we're not we're not going to redshirt him. But you see guys like Nicholas Petit-Frere redshirted, and some of the other guys offensive line is just kind of assumed, and I'm going to assume the same thing for George Fitzpatrick, who, when we talk about who is going to be that tackle and 2023. I don't know that anybody is saying him? Maybe we should. But I'm not gonna be I'm not there yet.

Well, he's someone who is six, six, Marc Givler was down at the All American game and got to see him in person. Yes, he is a legitimate six, six, like sometimes those six six guys are listed at 6x. And they're really like, Yeah, I'm not really looking up at this person that much. So I don't think you're actually 6x Fitzpatrick is a legitimate six, six, which is, you know, you kind of need that as a tackle. But he's at 274 Like, you're not playing tackle in the big 10 at 274 pounds, I'm very sorry, but it is not 1985 anymore. So he's gonna need at least a year to kind of bulk up and, you know, work on you know, you start you start developing your technique and all that kind of stuff. He someone who Mark thinks could legitimately be a tackle that is, you know, he's not someone who's definitely kicking inside the guard. He's got the tackle frame, and now it's just, you know, put him in the program and now, you know, set set the timer for 18 months to 30 months or so, and then we'll see we'll see where we are sometime. Summer of 2023 or summer of 2024. And see where see where it goes from there. But you kind of you have the ingredients. Now you have to see how the you know how the recipe all comes out at this point. That's that just kind of how offensive linemen are.

And but given the the need coming around the bend pretty quickly, you might want to go with an instapot rather than a crock. You don't have all day we didn't like 90 minutes.

Yeah, yeah, you definitely you definitely have you know, he's someone that the conversation we just had about Bennett Christian where it's like, you know, not necessarily the highest rated player in the class, but there may be a path to the field there. The path to field is not this year, because he's not going to be ready physically, he's, you know, you got to spend a year bulking up a little bit more. But when the path to the field is there potentially in 23, maybe, then you've got you know that there is a path there. And you know, at that point, maybe he's more physically ready and we'll kind of we'll kind of see at that point.

Let's move to Kayden curry, a defensive lineman out of Greenwood, Indiana center Grove High School, who I remember when I went to see him in 2020 he was listed I think at six five to 50 as a defensive tackle. And I got there and the first thing I noticed was like this dude is not 652 150 pounds I would have I bought him as a carnival barker. And if I were the carnival barker, I didn't eyeball it. But I would have said he's probably like 60 to 40 and then you watch him play and he's just better than everybody it's like I don't care doesn't matter. Doesn't matter if he's 622 42 622 60 Right now 24/7 Listen to 632 50 I'll give him six two and a half maybe he's grown but I don't care because he's he's relentless he gets into the backfield. He's one of these guys that is he's all effort but he's also really talented and when you put those two together sighs You know on the defensive line they can make up for it and again if he's playing defensive end which it looks like he will be yeah I'm okay with that. He showed the quickness he showed enough speed because that was also my concern. He's a defensive tackle in high school last year. How does that kid he can he actually rushed the passer from the outside from the edge but it takes twice as long to get there as it does because I'm telling you when he was playing defensive tackle center Grove split seconds he's past the garden center he splits them and a quarterback is like Thanks guys and has to bail out. So what when you're then coming from the outside it takes longer it's there are more ways to deal with them. And I wanted to see how he held up and he's still doing just fine so I I'm really not going to put much doubt on him I don't know what it means for this year because they do have quite a few defensive ends assuming Zach Harrison is back and then they could do some different things. But I could see him playing as much as Jack Sawyer

maybe yeah, he's someone who I think has the opportunity to be on the field immediately or at least be in the rotation immediately he might not have the highest upside of any of the guys in this class but he might be kind of the most college ready of any of the defensive ends that bringing in so he's he's someone who I think could push to get on the field this fall and you know starting is probably not realistic because you've got you know, we'll see they the guys who may or may not come back there's still a couple of those up in the air but you have a lot of you have a lot of talent in that in that defensive end room. So you're not you know there is not an immediate like boy you walk onto campus you're the number two guy like me you might you might walk on campus and earn your way up to being the number five guy or the number six guy potentially but if you're the number five guard number six guy like okay that's that's pretty good you are jumping guys who are probably ahead of you You know guys who are you know have been at Ohio State for a few years he's someone who I expect to see on the field this fall maybe he Red Shirts maybe but you know he again he's someone who I think if you're going to red shirt I'm like give make the most of those four games don't just you know play him for two snaps against who's the terrible team they're playing at a conference this year? Oh Notre Dame That's right. No, I'm kidding. Kidding kidding. Getting getting I forgot which Mac team they have on the schedule this fall might be Bowling Green. But you know, whoever you know, you whoever the Mac team is like you're not necessarily just playing him for four snaps against that team and three snaps against, you know, Rutgers or whatever, make the most of it. But I do I think he he's someone who has an opportunity to not redshirt potentially, you know, he could he could be the guy out of this class who who's who plays six seven games if if things break right?

Yeah, and when I say plays as much as Jack Sorry, I'm talking Jack sorry as a freshman not Jack Sawyer. Yes, as a sophomore, just everybody knows because I'm sure people would respond. that. Let's talk about game powers. Because he might be a for me, he's probably a redshirt candidate to figure out what exactly he's going to be kind of like maybe a Cade Stover, where was he going to grow into? And then also, if he is a linebacker they don't really have a spot for him necessarily because, like, are they still trying to figure out what this defense does now if if he comes in and they're like, Oh, he's one of these playmakers like Jim Knowles sees him and he's like I got something for him. That would be an incredible sign of just the potential there but for me I think the probably Redshirts he's a bigger linebacker, you've got Mitchell Melton, you probably have probably a no to Tay you've and again, I'm still still trying to figure out what this defense is gonna look like the outside linebacker situation, the amount they trade him like Kourt Williams, who knows? But I'm, if I'm going to say yea or nay on a red shirt for game powers. I'm probably going to say Richard, because I don't know what else to do with him right now. But I asked him what to do with the defense.

Yeah, and and he, there's, there's just, there's so many variables here with powers. It's like, what does this body do? You know, is he and Mickey Marotti may have an answer on this. That we don't know yet. But, you know, a lot of times we've talked to Mick in the past. And it's like you just you know, he's looking at certain stuff and going if you know, if this guy has this traits, you know, these physical traits, like, okay, I can he can hold more weight.

I mean,

we'll see. We'll see what what he thinks about gay powers when gay power gets in. But, you know, you've got the physical development powers you also have just the defense like, what does he does he have what the traits are looking for as a linebacker, or is he a Leo? I mean, I feel like Leo is the bucket that we just throw everyone in. And, you know, I'm not we haven't talked to Knowles yet, but my suspicion is you can't actually play 15 guys at Leo at once. So I mean, at some point, like you can't throw everyone in that bucket all at the same time. So it is it is he's a little bit of a mystery where he's a good athlete, he is the he is the proverbial coach's kid who you know is going to come in and be you know mentally ready to play wherever he's asked to play so I'm yeah I'm he is of all the people on this list I think outside of you know, outside of safety where it's just kind of like everything is just the the gift of the guy looking at the camera going like that with the question marks around him that's that's just me trying to figure out the safety depth chart for this year but yeah, outside of though that spot gay powers is kind of the most like Yeah, I mean, there's there's a lot of things that could impact where he ends up that we have no idea right now.

So why don't they make the entire plane out of the Leo position?

Hmm, you might have some problems in pass coverage, but you would really create some you know, maybe you can make a fort with pass rush I mean, that's, it's it's intriguing. I am I find your ideas intriguing and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

I was just looking up Ryan Shay's years 2011 stats as a true freshman. Why? Because let's talk about

the CJ Hicks time now. Ryan cheesier

56 tackles as a true freshman in 2011 didn't really become a major focus of the defense until the game's eight through the last forage, whatever that accounts do. 56 tackles those last four games 40 tackles. That's where like he started taking over. I when I watch CJ Stroud or see CJ Hicks, I see quite a bit of Ryan chase here. I don't know that I see that happening next year. But what is how established are the linebacker positions, I think is Steele chambers. I think Steele chambers will have more competition next next year than he did this year and that competition this year was just to Roger Mitchell and a day he didn't provide much competition because Steele chambers came in and took the job but CJs for me I think he's a guy you put on special teams let him do some stuff there that would get his feet wet find some snaps for him on defense here and there I I do wonder you know how like Larry Johnson likes to put guys let's get some freshmen Cimarron here can Well Jim knows do that for CJ X like I want to let's make some easy plays for him go get quarterback just you know, easy stuff point and click Go get quarterback here. Go get the ball. Just I don't know eight times a game like not just a blitzes, but like a plays a game to see what he can do.

Yeah, he's someone who I would be very surprised if CJ Hicks redshirted because he does fit the mold of like he is the specialty assassin guy, so you're playing him on kick returns or punt coverage or whatever it is so, okay, if you're going to do that now you know he's not red shirting so now he's you know now you might as well find find something for him to do on the defense and in he's he's someone he's a smart kid. So I think I don't think he's gonna have a terrible time picking up the defense. And you know there is an opportunity in that linebacker room. Do not expect him to start everyone is going to you know, he will be the guy who lots of people are throwing around, could CJ Hicks start like we're going to over under 12 and a half people who ask us on listener question shows will CJ Hicks start again this year over under 12 and a half,

I'm going to go over because I'll have lagged in all you're asking at about nine times.

And it's going to be you know, maybe like maybe towards the end of the year, maybe he is not going to be handicapped somewhere walking out of campus and starting with first game. I don't think that's a reasonable thing to expect with. You know, there are other linebackers on the team. And it's a new defense. And he's coming in as a true freshman. And I mean, like he's, you know, he is going to be a very, very, very good player at Ohio State. He's not going to start day one, I don't think so. But he's, he's someone who I'm with you. Like, if you're going to play him on special teams, you might as well see what he can do on defense and work him in on defense and put him in some situations to succeed and gradually become more of a contributor as the year goes along. I think I think that's a very smart way to use him this year. And I have a feeling that that is how they are going to use him.

Because if he's behind Steele chambers for like, two years or maybe longer like that's kind of a waste of landing the number one linebacker in the class. But we'll see let's let's just just lump all three of these next guys together in the defensive backfield, Ryan Turner Jr brown corners chi Stokes as the safety for me, like if I if you're asking me which these three guys in my thinking makes the biggest contribution next year, it's really hard for me not to compare Ryan Turner to Denzel Burke. And I don't know if that's just because of their similar rankings and maybe being under the radar. But I think Ryan Turner I just maybe maybe it's the idea of the similarities of Denzel Birkin, like who you lose all of these five star guys and then it's still Oh, but don't forget about this one guy right here and and he ends up playing the most I don't know that any of these guys will play more than four games next year and probably redshirting them all unless somebody just is too good to keep up field but you figure get DUNS number, you've got Cameron Brown, probably of legend, Cavazos, JK Johnson, Jordan Hancock, I don't think there's a need for another corner to to lose a year of eligibility. I think those two guys Brett shirt. Chi Stokes? I mean, we've already talked about how many safeties there are like, if he's one of the four or five best, sure. But I don't. I don't maybe he will be because let's let's not pretend like the safeties are all that outstanding, like, the very well could be. But I know Bill Greene is really high on chi Stokes. So that'll be a guy that I'll be interested in paying attention to this spring in this winter as we hear stuff about these guys, but I'm going to assume that the quarter is richer, and then I'll, I'll reserve judgment on Kai Stokes for now.

Yeah, I think I'm gonna vote present on this and not not a thumbs up or thumbs down on any of these guys. Like, I think a red shirt is a default position on pretty much all these guys give me give, like I said, given the depth ahead of them, there's no reason to rush them. Unless they give you a reason to put them on the field. Give them a year. Let them work on to refine their technique a little bit. Please don't don't officially know who's coaching the corners who's coaching the safeties this year, you may have a whole different, you know, a whole different coaching staff back there, you may bring in, you know, bring Kerry Coombs back that's a little bit up in the air right now. There again, this is you're asking a lot for guys to come on campus. Learn a new defense while everyone else is learning the defense because you don't have no we talked on yesterday's show about Tanner McAllister kind of being able to teach some of the other safeties you don't have that in the corner room because all the all the veteran corners still have to learn from you know, whoever the new new quarter coaches or if it's Kerry Coombs again, but you're still learning you're still learning the the Knowles defense and some of the you know, all that concepts. You're not gonna lean on the older guys, because the older guys are gonna be learning too. So this is going to be I think, a tougher year to get on the field right away as a young guy. So yeah, I would sort of default to all of those guys red shirt and then if one of them doesn't well, then that'll really tell me something about that guy.

Yeah, well, said. Tom, anything else before we call it a day?

I think we're, I think we're out of early enrollee freshmen. So I think we're done.

I think we are done, Tom. So want to thank everybody for tuning in. That's it. Yeah. Tom, is it officially now the 20? When we say, this season last season, what now? Would we say this season? Are we talking 2022?

I think we're talking two, I think we're talking 2022. I think we have officially turned the page in there. There will still be some looks back and yeah, and some changes to be made and all that kind of stuff. But I think I think officially this season is now this upcoming season

is one of my ultimate pet peeves, and we'll get out of here. But when coaches are talking during spring about next season, and they say next season, I'm like, Whoa, that is way out. I can understand doing it in January. You cannot even sign a February but in the spring you cannot be taught I don't understand what they're talking about next season. That's, I don't I don't like that. I should. My one goal in lifetime is for all coaches to get all coaches to in unison, not necessarily in unison. But in solidarity say this season when discussing football past spring.

Definitely the biggest problem facing college football right now. So yes, if we can just get that one solved. Did they give a Nobel Prize for college football if they do I know who I'm nominating

Nobel Prize for semantics sibm Alright, that will do it for this show. Thank you guys for tuning in. And we will talk to you later.