While the evaluation period technically runs through the end of May, we've already started to see reports of new offers as the coaches get an "eyes on" evaluation of the next tier of the Big Board. With that, thought I would do another run-through of the board as it stands today with quick evaluations of the prospects and my view of our chances with each. For the most part, I've excluded guys with whom I don't think we have any realistic shot (i.e. Camilo Eifler, Javon McKinley, Austin Mack, etc.).
Note further that this list could grow daily as we hear of more offers -- just today, we are seeing reports of offers to Jacob Buccigrossi and others. This time of year is very fluid and we should see a relative flurry of new offers toward the end of May/beginning of June. But it was a slow day before the Memorial Day wekeend, so you get this post now. Sorry.
As always, click on the players' names to see tape that's available (the gray-on-white in the new format doesn't give much contrast, so thought I'd point that out). With that, we're off...
(Apparently the new boards have a character limit, so I'm splitting this into offense and defense on separate posts)
Quarterback: Doesn't appear that much has changed at this position. I think we have a pretty good shot with either Joshua Jackson or Anthony Brown, but neither seem to be in much of a hurry. Brown is probably the "higher ceiling" prospect while Jackson is a "higher floor" prospect, but I would be happy with either as this year's QB. It will be interesting to see how long the coaches wait on those two before moving on to guys like Aidan Smith, Steven Frank, or someone who's not even our our collective radar. A program like Northwestern needs a high-quality QB in each and every class. Hope we can find one.
Running Back: Another position where not a ton has changed. Jeremy Larkin still looks like the top guy, but I get the feeling he's waiting to see if any "big fish" offer, which is a shame because I think he would be a great fit in NU's zone-based spread run game. Tre Bryant and AJ Taylor are two guys from Missouri that fit the same mold. We probably have a better shot with Bryant than Taylor (who's got some pretty serious offers, but is also being recruited by TJ Green), but both are very good-looking RB prospects -- Bryant's more physical style or Taylor's more slashing style have both been proven to work in spread run games. We can (and have been) pretty picky about RB offers with Jackson, Anderson, and Moten providing a very nice core of young talent at the position.
Superback: We can also be pretty picky here with Taylor and Dickerson around for years to come. Dickeron looks like he can handle in-line blocking duties, so the coaches seem to have focused on more Dunsmore/Vitale types like Ethan Tucky and Brock Miller. Tucky looks a bit thicker while Miller is more lean, but both show the athleticism and versatility requisite to be effective from this position. We probably have a better shot with Tucky as a Midwest kid who (I believe) is planning a visit over the summer, though he may have to wrap his mind around playing offense instead of defense.
Wide Receiver: Have to feel pretty good about our chances with Ben Skowronek and hopefully he can be the longer, field-stretching type wideout we haven't had for a while. Depending how he fills out, I could see him used as a pseudo-Superback as well. Donald Stewart is a great-looking prospect wioth whom I'd heard we had a good shot, but that was before Michigan and some of the other "big boys" got involved. AJ Taylor could also probably be an effective slot guy. Seems like we are being selective with our offers after taking a bunch of wideouts in 2015.
Offensive Line: This is where things are getting interesting. Nik Urban is a great way to start off the class and hopefully he can be a physical presence up front that we are sorely lacking. While guys like Will Fries and Michael Menet are great-looking prospects with whom we still might have a shot, the staff has pretty clearly shown that they want to deepend the pool of offers. Amongst the newer offers, I'm especially intrigued by Jordan Asbury (shows very good flexibility, hip roll, and balance with a frame that looks like it could carry a lot more weight; looks very much like Mulroe on tape). Also of interest are guys like Gunnar Vogel (big frame that flashes athleticism; I assume we offered after an in-person evaluation this spring, so the growth is presumably legitimate), Sam Heckel (good tape, but he would probably jump at a Wisconsin offer), and some others. I also like our chances with Jesse Meyler (can't figure out why he isn't being recruited at a higher level, though he has picked up some big-time offers of late), Trent Maynard (big, road-grading guard that we need), and Cameron Kolwich (Michigan "conditional offer" be damned). This class is very important for our OL and I anticipate us taking five or six guys, so it's nice to see the staff building out a deep pool of offers.
Note further that this list could grow daily as we hear of more offers -- just today, we are seeing reports of offers to Jacob Buccigrossi and others. This time of year is very fluid and we should see a relative flurry of new offers toward the end of May/beginning of June. But it was a slow day before the Memorial Day wekeend, so you get this post now. Sorry.
As always, click on the players' names to see tape that's available (the gray-on-white in the new format doesn't give much contrast, so thought I'd point that out). With that, we're off...
(Apparently the new boards have a character limit, so I'm splitting this into offense and defense on separate posts)
Quarterback: Doesn't appear that much has changed at this position. I think we have a pretty good shot with either Joshua Jackson or Anthony Brown, but neither seem to be in much of a hurry. Brown is probably the "higher ceiling" prospect while Jackson is a "higher floor" prospect, but I would be happy with either as this year's QB. It will be interesting to see how long the coaches wait on those two before moving on to guys like Aidan Smith, Steven Frank, or someone who's not even our our collective radar. A program like Northwestern needs a high-quality QB in each and every class. Hope we can find one.
Running Back: Another position where not a ton has changed. Jeremy Larkin still looks like the top guy, but I get the feeling he's waiting to see if any "big fish" offer, which is a shame because I think he would be a great fit in NU's zone-based spread run game. Tre Bryant and AJ Taylor are two guys from Missouri that fit the same mold. We probably have a better shot with Bryant than Taylor (who's got some pretty serious offers, but is also being recruited by TJ Green), but both are very good-looking RB prospects -- Bryant's more physical style or Taylor's more slashing style have both been proven to work in spread run games. We can (and have been) pretty picky about RB offers with Jackson, Anderson, and Moten providing a very nice core of young talent at the position.
Superback: We can also be pretty picky here with Taylor and Dickerson around for years to come. Dickeron looks like he can handle in-line blocking duties, so the coaches seem to have focused on more Dunsmore/Vitale types like Ethan Tucky and Brock Miller. Tucky looks a bit thicker while Miller is more lean, but both show the athleticism and versatility requisite to be effective from this position. We probably have a better shot with Tucky as a Midwest kid who (I believe) is planning a visit over the summer, though he may have to wrap his mind around playing offense instead of defense.
Wide Receiver: Have to feel pretty good about our chances with Ben Skowronek and hopefully he can be the longer, field-stretching type wideout we haven't had for a while. Depending how he fills out, I could see him used as a pseudo-Superback as well. Donald Stewart is a great-looking prospect wioth whom I'd heard we had a good shot, but that was before Michigan and some of the other "big boys" got involved. AJ Taylor could also probably be an effective slot guy. Seems like we are being selective with our offers after taking a bunch of wideouts in 2015.
Offensive Line: This is where things are getting interesting. Nik Urban is a great way to start off the class and hopefully he can be a physical presence up front that we are sorely lacking. While guys like Will Fries and Michael Menet are great-looking prospects with whom we still might have a shot, the staff has pretty clearly shown that they want to deepend the pool of offers. Amongst the newer offers, I'm especially intrigued by Jordan Asbury (shows very good flexibility, hip roll, and balance with a frame that looks like it could carry a lot more weight; looks very much like Mulroe on tape). Also of interest are guys like Gunnar Vogel (big frame that flashes athleticism; I assume we offered after an in-person evaluation this spring, so the growth is presumably legitimate), Sam Heckel (good tape, but he would probably jump at a Wisconsin offer), and some others. I also like our chances with Jesse Meyler (can't figure out why he isn't being recruited at a higher level, though he has picked up some big-time offers of late), Trent Maynard (big, road-grading guard that we need), and Cameron Kolwich (Michigan "conditional offer" be damned). This class is very important for our OL and I anticipate us taking five or six guys, so it's nice to see the staff building out a deep pool of offers.
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