Early predictions for 8-AA 2014

[UpperCumberlandMan]

Ely has the size to play D1-A, if Gill can get looked at by smaller D1s at 6'1 Ely should be just fine playing D1 at 6'3. My son says that it seemed like Gill was getting letters almost everyday before practice, and he would hear Gill and Coach Trapp talking about when coaches would come visit him during school. He never seemed sure he was going to play though, said he might go just for academics because of the struggle of being a student athlete. I think if you are getting offers you should play thats just me. There was a lot of talk of him going and playing in the Ivy league and was getting tons of interest from all of them, I guess its hard to find a good lineman that is really good in the classroom LOL. I don't know what happened to that either. I can get my son to ask him though.

here is my take, for that its worth have done this a few years as a ga MTSU, on area kids. York 6'1 180, Creekbauhm 6'0 215 were the two best players over all in the district. But, at 6'1 180 say 4.58 speed.....there are are hundreds of kids like that out there. You take a kid in the 4.4 range or under, as long as he is above 5"7, you got something. You got a skill kid about a 4.6 or higher, he better have size. All schools want size and speed guys first, then just speed, last just size. 6"0-6"1 180 that runs 4.6, probably 150 kids fit that in the Atlanta area alone. York and Creekbauhm don't have top level speed at their postions ( York as FS or WR), plus being a tad undersized hurts. Gill has the height but barely, little to heavy, but not the speed for D-1. There are tons of big kids out there that don't move well. Why I think Ely is getting the most looks, he has the size, 6"2 1/2 at 17y/o, 295 and can move good for his size. Its hard to find big guys that can still move. At MTSU, most are interior d-line in mid 90's were 280-310 4.9-5.1 guys. Occassionally you see a 5.3 or higher kid make d-1 as a noise, Like Mt McCullers at UT, but you better be 6'6 350 like he was. I think Manning falls into that tweener stage. 4.6 kid is a little slow for a 5'10 180 lb running back. That good speed fot a lb, but frame to small. Could play db, but doesn't look to have fluidness or hip flexability for that. Basically, if your not super fast....to play d-1 you better have everything else going for you. 2 or more knocks against you, your left out. Makes it even harder coming from 3a/4a level, cause stats at that level verse poor competition don't mean much to recruiters. Edited January 23, 2014 by UpperCumberlandMan

[DCTIGERFAN]

There was not a single player in 8aa last season that has any business playing D1 ball.

[Antwan]

There was not a single player in 8aa last season that has any business playing D1 ball.

Agreed...very few all time.

[UpperCumberlandMan]

There was not a single player in 8aa last season that has any business playing D1 ball.

agree, but the closest one is Ely. 6"3 295 5.1 40, accourdin to prepstar. He has to have uipside come from a program that had 10 wins and 3 years going into this past year. Maybe if he had played at Beech for 4 years against better competition, who knows.

[Antwan]

agree, but the closest one is Ely. 6"3 295 5.1 40, accourdin to prepstar. He has to have uipside come from a program that had 10 wins and 3 years going into this past year. Maybe if he had played at Beech for 4 years against better competition, who knows.

If he was good enough he would get offers. That's just reality.

[DCTIGERFAN]

agree, but the closest one is Ely. 6"3 295 5.1 40, accourdin to prepstar. He has to have uipside come from a program that had 10 wins and 3 years going into this past year. Maybe if he had played at Beech for 4 years against better competition, who knows.

Like Antwan said if you have D1 talent you will get D1 offers. It doesn't matter if you are playing 6a ball or 2a, you will get noticed.

[UpperCumberlandMan]

Not always. Frank Omiyale from TTU played 8 years in the NFL out of Tech. Pretty sure he was missed by some d-1 schools. Chad Evitts from Trousdale, went to Steelers camp, he could have played at some d-1 schools. Like I said, lots based off scouting camps, and sounds like Ely didn't attend many if any. It happens. We had lots at MTSU, mostly from small schools that could have played up.Talked directly to some folks from UH last night, looks like Ely is solid with W&M. Vandy has called about preffered walk on, AppSt, ArkSt, WKU all still looking to possible offer seeing how things go on signing day with other kids. The guy that was telling me said AppSt was the strongest possibility. But sounds like he is solid for W&M and most likey stays with them.

Edited January 24, 2014 by UpperCumberlandMan

[UpperCumberlandMan]

Quals will be very good in 2014 at qb for LA. He is a leader and pretty darn good athlete.

[Antwan]

Not always. Frank Omiyale from TTU played 8 years in the NFL out of Tech. Pretty sure he was missed by some d-1 schools. Chad Evitts from Trousdale, went to Steelers camp, he could have played at some d-1 schools. Like I said, lots based off scouting camps, and sounds like Ely didn't attend many if any. It happens. We had lots at MTSU, mostly from small schools that could have played up.Talked directly to some folks from UH last night, looks like Ely is solid with W&M. Vandy has called about preffered walk on, AppSt, ArkSt, WKU all still looking to possible offer seeing how things go on signing day with other kids. The guy that was telling me said AppSt was the strongest possibility. But sounds like he is solid for W&M and most likey stays with them.

That's great if he can go to W&M. It's a great school. They are a decent FCS team as is Appy...although neither were in top 25 last season. Arkansas State & WKU are now FBS schools of course. I doubt he will go to either. If he does go there...kinda curious why local FCS schools aren't recruiting him...ala OVC schools. Don't get me wrong...to go anywhere on scholarship is great.

 

You may have thought several could have played up...but if that were true MTSU would have been better than they were if you did play there. What years were you there....again?

[45forty]

Not always. Frank Omiyale from TTU played 8 years in the NFL out of Tech. Pretty sure he was missed by some d-1 schools. Chad Evitts from Trousdale, went to Steelers camp, he could have played at some d-1 schools. Like I said, lots based off scouting camps, and sounds like Ely didn't attend many if any. It happens. We had lots at MTSU, mostly from small schools that could have played up.Talked directly to some folks from UH last night, looks like Ely is solid with W&M. Vandy has called about preffered walk on, AppSt, ArkSt, WKU all still looking to possible offer seeing how things go on signing day with other kids. The guy that was telling me said AppSt was the strongest possibility. But sounds like he is solid for W&M and most likey stays with them.

Omiyale committed to Vandy but it fell through.  That's how he ended up a TTU.  Evitts started his career there as a walk on and worked his way into being a great player(not to mention he was just a true football player).  There were several others that went on to be signed as free agents in NFL while those guys were there that didn't make the cut.  The major difference between FBS and FCS players is size.  The speed is typically there.  Lineman that run 5.1 forties play at both levels.  The difference is FCS guys are usually 6'3" and FBS guys are usually 6'6".  If there is a guy that is 6'6" at the FCS level he usually is too clumsy or too slow to play.  That's why he was passed over by the bigger schools.

[DCTIGERFAN]

Quals will be very good in 2014 at qb for LA. He is a leader and pretty darn good athlete.

What makes you think he will be so good? I am not saying otherwise because I don't know, I have never seen him play.

[Antwan]

What makes you think he will be so good? I am not saying otherwise because I don't know, I have never seen him play.

He asked another buddy.