Class of 2015 Signee Breakdown III
CLASS OF 2015 WRAP-UP
Advertisement
Though the Letters of Intent have been signed and faxed in, Inside the Gators isn't quite ready to move on from the class of 2015 just yet. Today, in order give a more complete look at the Florida signees, Matt Hamilton shares his expert opinion on Florida's signing class.
All evaluations were based solely off each player's Rivals.com highlight film. Scouts usually need at least three full game tapes of a player to get a full evaluation of his skill set, strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies. More so, scouts prefer the tapes not to be from consecutive games. Highlight tapes only show off a few physical traits and some tendencies as far as technique is concerned, making it hard to get an overall assessment of where a player truly stands. By it's very nature, it shows the prospect at his best and will lead to a more positive review than if you were to see an entire game tape.
It is also important to keep in mind things like practice habits and character go a long way in determining recruits' future success.
Having said that, here is what I observed from watching their highlight tapes:
PART III: DEFENSIVE SIGNEES
Linebacker Rayshad Jackson - Jackson is a very raw linebacker prospect with good straight line speed. Judging by his highlight tape, he played mostly defensiv end in High School, which will leave him with a steeper learning curve, but also helps him in a few regards. As a result of playing at the line, he really knows how to take on blockers and use his hands to disengage. He is a sound tackler and wraps up consistently. The biggest question marks with Jackson are his instincts and playing speed. When he was at linebcker or out in space, he didn't always play as fast as he's capable of playing, even when there was a play to be made right in front of him. He is clearly not comfortable playing in space yet and doesn't seems to trust his eyes. If he can learn and grow and become more accustomed to the position, and thus play at his top speed more consistently, he can become a solid contributor for the Gators down the line.
Defensive lineman Jabari Zuniga - Zuniga is a quick and explosive 3-technique. He has a great first step and frequently shoots gaps and causes havoc in the backfield. He is relentless has a pass rusher with his good speed and quickness. A natural athlete with good hips and feet. Above average motor and pursuit. Will need to add some bulk and leg strength at the next level. Needs to become more consistent with his technique when taking on blocks and controlling gaps. He isn't going to be able to shoot gaps as regularly as he does in high school and has to control the man in front of him more consistently. He did show the ability to do it, but at times becomes so enamored with making plays that he gets himself out of position and turns his shoulders into blockers. Also needs work on his technique absorbing double teams with his near shoulder and near knee. Overall, Zuniga is an exciting prospect with All-SEC potential. It's hard to find potential defensive tackles that have this level of athleticism and explosiveness.
Defensive tackle Andrew Ivie - Ivie is a versatile defensive tackle that can play either 1 or 3-technique with an excellent combination of size and speed for the inside. Has a good first step and plays with excellent leverage. Has a variety of pass rush moves. Can shoot gaps and make plays. Would like to see him play more aggressively with his hands at times. Needs to work on his technique taking on double teams and holding his ground, especially if he is going to be a 1-tech. Good motor and pursuit of the ball. Good leg strength and leg drive. Above average feet. Overall, Ivie is an impressive prospect with potential. If both he and Zuniga continue to progress, the Gators' interior will be an absolute nightmare to deal with in a few years with that 1-2 punch.
Defensive lineman Cece Jefferson - Jefferson is an explosive pass rushing defensive end, with great quickness and athleticism. Can play with his hand in the ground or standing up. He has a deadly first step and relies on his outstanding speed and acceleration to get after the passer. Is a natural bender and has exceptional arm length. Doesn't have a variety of moves or use his hands particularly well at this stage. If an offensive lineman gets his hands on Jefferson in pass pro, there's not much he can do after that. Will still make plays because of his speed and athleticism, but if he wants to become elite at the next level, he will need to become more multidimensional as a pass rusher. In the run game, he is able to use his lateral quickness to avoid blockers and make plays. Lays big hits on opposing ball carriers. Is excellent in backside contain and pursuit and made a number of plays on runs away from him. Needs to get better holding the edge and using his hands, however. Overall, Jefferson is a rare talent athletically, but needs to put in a lot of work to become a complete player. If he puts in the work though and gets the proper coaching, the sky is the limit for what he can achieve.
Defensive end Keivonnis Davis - Davis is a raw defensive end prospect with an excellent frame and motor. Good first step and initial quickness. Will lay some big hits on opposing ball carriers. Has average speed in space. He is an aggressive hitter and tackler, but would like to see him apply that aggression to blockers as well. Doesn't have a variety of moves, relies mostly on his quick first step. Needs to use his lower half better, especially in the run game. Doesn't create a lot of push when engaged with an opposing offensive lineman. Has long arms, good height, and the frame to really bulk up. Overall, Davis is an intriguing prospect because of his length and quickness, but needs a few years to add bulk and learn the position. He has all the makings of a late bloomer who could turn into a gem a few years down the road.
Defensive lineman Luke Ancrum - Ancrum is a hulking defensive lineman that I can see playing either end or tackle. He is long with a strong base, but lacks the explosiveness you typically look for in an end. He is, however, one of the better edge setting defensive end prospects I've seen in the run game. He uses his hands well and has good leg strength. Has the frame to add a lot more bulk. Takes on blocks well and controls his gaps. Really, his lack of quickness and explosiveness is what holds him back from being a higher level prospect, but Ancrum is a solid football player and is a great guy to have in the rotation, especially with the potential positional versatility he provides. Could be the type of player that plays on the outside on 1st and 2nd down and moves inside on 3rd down in a pass rushing package, as his quickness and speed are below average for an end, but average for a defensive tackle. Interested to see how Ancrum is used, but he could be a valuable piece to the Gators' defense in the future if he finds his niche.
Cornerback Chris Williamson - Williamson is a good-sized, long cornerback with very good ball skills. Has good but not great top-end speed. Has good feet and above average hips. His biggest strength is his ability to play the ball in the air. He tracks the ball well in the air and consistently goes up and makes plays. Good arm length and change of direction. Breaks on the ball well in zone coverage. Can get off-balance in his backpedal at times. Not the most physical CB, but will come up and tackle when he has to. Would like to see him get more physical at the line and use his length. It will also help him make up for his lack of elite top-end speed when facing faster receivers. Overall, Williamson is an impressive prospect that will likely get the benefit of sitting a few years with Hargreaves and Tabor ahead of him, but will become an important piece of this defense in a few seasons.
Athlete Kylan Johnson - Johnson is an athletic safety with excellent size and above average speed. He played primarily quarterback in high school highlight tape, but did play some safety. Based on his build, I could even see him bulking up and becoming a linebacker at some point. He has a strong base and good length. Has only above average hips, feet, and athleticism for a safety, but would be good to very good in all 3 categories for a linebacker. He is a sound tackler with above average ball skills. Will lay some big hits. Doesn't always play at his top speed when reading and reacting. Can look a little lost sometimes playing in space. Johnson is the classic case of a very good HS football player that is still trying to find where he fits in at the next level. He is athletic, physical, and knows how to hit, but playing quarterback in high school may have slowed his development defensively. He will have a few years to sit and develop, however, and I'm really interested to see what he looks like in a few years. There is always a place on the field for competitors like Johnson.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS
This is an interesting group defensively for Coach McElwain. Florida has a lot of young talent defensively, so there aren't a lot of pressing needs there right away, other than possibly at linebacker (a complete miss) and maybe defensive end (which Jefferson's signing should sure up). There are a couple of prospects who seem like reaches and a couple who ooze potential, but it might take at least two or three years before we see what they are really capable of doing. I used the word "raw" quite often when describing these defensive signees, but that is not a bad thing. Every single player in this class intrigues me as a prospect, and McElwain and his staff are going to be responsible for how far these kids get. As I said, it may be a few years before we start seeing the fruits of this defensive class (with the exception of Jefferson), but I know I'm going to be watching this group very closely going forward.
Wednesday: Offensive Skill Position Signees
Saturday: Offensive Line Signees
Monday: Defensive Signees
Matt Hamilton was a former student assistant for the quarterbacks at Missouri, coach at the high school level in Connecticut, intern scout for the Detroit Lions and currently works at NFL Films breaking down film for use on the show Playbook on NFL Network.