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2010 Super Early OU Preview: Defensive Line
OU loses some familiar faces from their DL with 3 year starters Auston English and Gerald McCoy graduating/leaving for the NFL. This will give OU a different look on the defensive line and should herald the arrival of some of the biggest recruited names into the Sooner lineup.
Defensive End:
Auston English has left but really the Sooners have the last two years at various points adjusted to his absence. OU got a massive boost with the return of arguably their best defender in Jeremy Beal. Beal was just dominant at times against spread offenses of all varieties highlighted with his hybrid rush OLB role he played against Texas. The obvious choice to replace English is Frank Alexander who has had potential stardom attached to his name the last two years. Alexander is a bigger, faster DE than English and played a very good game against Stanford. I'd really like to see OU rotate in their younger DEs to give Beal/Alexander some pass rushing rest. We saw glimpses of RJ Washington during the year and finally against Stanford we saw a great play turned in by David King. King appears to be the bigger of the two young ends but Washington has an unreal burst to the QB. Spring ball really should be the King and Washington show with Beal and Alexander being held out as much as possible. Sooner fans have been waiting to see Washington for two years and hopefully it's time for him to take over in a pass rush specialty role perhaps. Other DEs we should see in springball are Justin Chaisson and Jarrett Brown. Chaisson is still currently a DE but there has been massive speculation of his move to DT ever since he dominated at 285 lbs during the Under Armour game last year. He's currently leaned up and is around 260, he could easily be the next Dan Cody for OU at DE or bulk up to 280/290 range like Arizona State's young DT Lawrence Guy (ironically a former Sooner recruit). Jarrett Brown is also coming off his redshirt year. Brown was kind of a late acquisition in recruiting with vast athletic talent. It will be interesting to see what strides he's made over the winter. OU really has great depth at this position and has two big time potential DEs enrolling as well. It's funny that Jackson Jeffcoat is considering both OU and UT since both teams have recruited very well at DE, his potential for playing time at either place is pretty low unless he's just out of this world (and he's still only 230 right now)
Projected Depth Chart:
LDE: 1) Jeremy Beal Sr 6-3, 261 2) David King 6-5, 236 Soph 3)Justin Chaisson 6-4, 260 Fr
RDE: 1) Frank Alexander 6-4, 260 Jr 2) RJ Washington 6-3, 247 Soph 3) Jarrett Brown 6-3, 250 Fr
Redshirting: Chuka Ndulue 6-4, 240 Fr Geneo Grissom 6-4, 230 Fr
Defensive Tackle:
It's going to be the weird not seeing Gerald McCoy or Demarcus Granger manning the center of the defensive line this year. McCoy is headed to a lock top ten draft slot only behind Suh at DT. Granger unfortunately did not win his NCAA appeal, but was able to finish his Senior career with a nice game against Stanford. It's a shame because it appears that Granger might have been able to actually play next year after rehabbing his back/nerve surgery. Adding to the new feel at DT this spring will be the absence of Adrian Taylor due to his broken leg. Taylor provided his rehab goes well will occupy one spot, and despite playing in the shadow of five star recruits McCoy and Granger is easily an all Big 12 caliber DT in his own right. I hope he gets the chance to start/shine this fall. The other DT spot should go to OU's other five star DT recruit Jamarkus McFarland. Due to Taylor's injury, McFarland got a lot of reps during the Sun Bowl and has showed serious potential in scrub time. McFarland doesn't quite have the burst of a McCoy or Harris but maybe more of a physical presence. The wild card for the other starting spot is Stacy McGee. McGee in fall drills at times looked McCoy like with his amazing burst off the line. McGee was moved to OL a couple of times at the end of the year due to the depth crisis. McGee at around 275 needs to add some additional weight, but could easily challenge McFarland for the other starting spot, as long as he stays at DT I fully expect him to be part of the DT rotation perhaps even being used as a spot pass rushing DT on 3rd and long. OU's a little shy depth wise at DT in Spring, one reason why I could see Chaisson being moved there, the only other DT available will be Casey Walker. Walker is clearly behind McFarland and McGee but could provide key reps. Walker is more of a run stopping NG type DT. OU right now has 4 DTs verbaled and depending upon injuries and production it wouldn't be a surprise to see 1 or 2 of the freshman not redshirting to get them ready to provide depth. If I had to guess the most likely suspects are Torrea Peterson (looked like a clone of Adrian Taylor wearing number 86 in his recent all star action) or Eric Humphrey due to his quickness/pass rush ability at the DT spot.
Projected Depth Chart:
NG: 1)Adrian Taylor 6-4,295 Sr 2) Casey Walker 6-0, 300 Soph 3) Torrea Peterson 6-4, 290 Fr
DT: 1) Jamarkus McFarland 6-2, 295 Soph 2)Stacy McGee 6-4, 275 Soph 3)Eric Humphrey 6-4, 275 Fr
Reshirting: Daniel Noble 6-4, 280 Damon Williams 6-5, 310
Wrapup:
There are two constants about the DL that OU will use this year, Jeremy Beal will never leave the field and if healthy Adrian Taylor will be a starting DT. It's very possible with the passing offenses that OU will face, I can see a lot of DL looks with Taylor being the only DT playing and 3 DEs on the field with Beal playing his hybrid DE/OLB stand up role to apply pressure from all directions. OU right now does not have the luxury of having a pass rusher DT who demands a double team for the first time in two years or a huge run stuffing DT that occupies two interior blockers (Granger his sophomore year). Brent Venables this year has shown a penchant for being flexible with his personnel and not so traditional in his groupings, so again it's possible we might see varied DL looks. McFarland is interesting in that he's almost a mix of the McCoy/Granger in terms of skills. Not quite as fast as McCoy, but quicker than Granger. And he easily could get to that 305 range that was Granger's best weight. OU's defense seems at its' best when the Sooners have a DT who could easily be a 3-4 DE like McCoy (best NFL comparison is Richard Seymour formerly with the Pats now with the Raiders) and a mobile run stuffer that can occupy a double team or take advantage of single blocking(Granger's play in 2007, Taylor in 2009). McGee could fill that McCoy role (so could a bulked up Chaisson) if McFarland can man the middle, recognizing that Taylor brings a hybrid game able to play both spots. I think it's been clear that OU's athleticism at DT (ability to generate an interior pass rush) has been one of the key reasons why OU has had great defenses. OU's recruited the pieces here far better than at OL to be able to replace the graduated stars.
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