Author Topic: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments  (Read 3428 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline The Manhatter

  • Katpak'r
  • ***
  • Posts: 1100
    • View Profile
my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« on: February 06, 2012, 12:29:14 PM »
greyshirt comments below



likely steals that have me excited:


Tay Bender, 6'3 200+, QB

VERY good athlete with nice size, more than adequate arm strength, and good speed.  He's not an explosive player that pops out at you but he's very composed, strong, and just seems like a leader type.  I have some reservations about how tough he's going to be but that can be said about a lot of kids coming into D-1 programs (elite type prospects included).  Places like LSU were interested in him as an "athlete" and he mentioned that he did have an "opportunity to play at Nebraska" if it was on the defensive side so that should give an indication of some potential as an athlete.


Cody Small, 6'5 245, DE

He is one of my favorite recruits for Snyder over the past few years.  He's a good athlete and he's fast.  REALLY nice frame on him.  High motor kid and all appearances from what I've read he really works his ass off.  He will not be an elite pass rusher but I think he could be a very good collegiate pass rusher in the sense that the NFL will likely ignore him in that regard much the same way they ignored former solid pass rushing ends like Shull (the former KSU player he most reminds me of).  I think he'll be equally effective vs. both the run and the pass.  I think we got the better player between this kid and Trace Clark.  I know he's committed as a TE but I would be willing to bet anything he will be a DE as he never played TE and was offered for that position based on how he looked in camps.  BTW, Crabby raved about this kid's frame and look as an athlete at the Army national combine last january.  I see this kid being a 3 or possibly a 4 year starter.  I think he has that much potential. 


DeAnte Burton, 6'2 200+, WR

I think Burton could be big time.  My favorite prospect in this class.  If he has the intangibles (work ethic, desire, toughness) he's going to be really, really good....like All-Big 12 good.   And if you're all-Big 12 good you have a shot at higher accolades.  He has good height, good length, he's fast, terrific athlete, good elusiveness and change of direction, smooth acceleration, good body control.  The thing I liked about the video I've watched of him is that he catches the ball away from his body as a high schooler.  Depending on the speed and power work he's doing in the winter he might be one of these kids who steps on the track and runs a 10.6-10.8 100 this spring.  We have not signed a prep athlete that has this much upside in a while IMO.  Clearly an under the radar type kid.  He made a LOT of huge plays this year for Manhattan and I watched all of them on video...there is a clear difference between his playmaking ability and size/athleticism between soph & junior to his senior year.  I think part of that is he's young for his class..had he been in the 2013 class he is one that might have gone to OU.


Marquez Clark, 5-10 170-1755ish, WR

Flat out gangsta.  He can run, has good change of direction and body control, explosive leaper, instinctive receiver, and he's got proven production as in HIGH production in a talented juco conference.  I suspect he's only 5'10 but that doesn't bother me.  I think this kid will be more of a playmaker than Lockett who is definitely fast and crafty but isn't a tremendous athlete.  I think Clark is very athletic for a smaller receiver.  He's going to be one of these smaller receiver who makes some surprising catches one on one against tight coverage.  He can go up and get balls at their highest peak over bigger defenders.


Travis Britz, 6-4 285, 3DT or interior OL

GREAT motor and toughness.  Will have very good size at about 6'3.5/6'4 and likely well over 300.   The coaching staff probably already knows what they got in this kid.  Will compete every snap and be tough against the run.  Given his wrestling background he'll probably adapt and play early.  He's not a great athlete for DL, he's not quick or sudden, and there is very limited ability in generating a pass rush.  But he could be a motor pass rusher and stout against the run.  But the main reason I list him as a likely steal is because if he doesn't pan out on DL he could be a really good interior OL.  He's definitely a superior athlete over Finney.






Wait & see (some things I like but other things I do not like)


Ellwood Clement, 6-5 310, OT

Hate his technique, hate the video doesn't show more in the way of OL type tape that would apply to what you expect from OL.  I don't think he plays that hard all of the time.  I do love that he seems to like contact.  I would like to see him far off the ball mauling people and while you don't see a lot of that on the video I think he definitely has that in him.  What I do really like about him is his length, frame, and feet.  I think he needs a lot of work on his lower body.  He could wind up being one of these 6-5 330 type OTs who drive block well, nimble in pass protection, and moves well on the 2nd level.  There just isn't a lot of polish to his game right now.  He doesn't drop the butt and slide in pass protection, he stands straight up when he comes off the line, and he lunges to make a lot of blocks on moving targets.  Outside of the refining issues I think he's got a good ceiling to be a solid player.  He's not a great athlete but he's a good enough athlete to be a pretty good player.


Aderius Epps, 6-1/6-2 320

I don't think he's a bad offer for what we like to do.  There are not many 6'1/6'2 320lb OC-OGs out there who are dominant.  I think he's a very strong run blocker and moves well enough on the 2nd level to have success but I'm not sure this guy will ever give you much in the way of pass protection.  He's short and I don't think there is much length there either.  Neither will be beneficial, along with his build in pass protection or running wide when attempting to pull out on the edge.


Kent Gainous, 6-0 190, FS

very good athlete and more than adequate size for free safety.  I think this kid will give us some coverage ability and potential to get to the flats in quick fashion.  He looks very much like a big corner on video.  Made some big plays at TVCC and served as emergency QB where it was more for duel-threat capabilities.  My biggest question is whether he'll have the aggressiveness or pop to come up and make tackles to prevent the chains from moving or to prevent bigger plays.  I was no where close to being sold on this aspect of his game when watching some of the clips from his freshman season at Trinity Valley.


Demonte Hood, 6'0 295, NT

He's very, very strong.  Gives meaning to the fire hydrant build.  He will be GREAT against the run.  Has the same build as Alabama's starting NT Josh Chapman where he has no arms, around 6'0, and just insanely strong at the 0-1.  He will give us zero pass rush, he's not disruptive in the backfield, nor will he be much in pursuit as the plays move laterally...those are my only knocks against the kid.  He will be very difficult to block for interior OL hoping to create running lanes inside.  That is what will butter his bread and why he has value.  While I'm not crazy about one skilled athletes, especially for a passing league, he definitely brings some value to that nose position.


Judah Jones, 6-0 190, WR

Reminds me of a little bit of a faster Aubrey Quarles.  Similar in build and style of play.  Jones isn't that good of an athlete. He is definitely fast though not 10.4 fast...I think he's more 10.8 fast.  High character kid.  Very strong in the weightroom for his build from what I've read.  I think he's the type of kid who will do everything right and while he may not be a standout player can become a very solid contributor. 


Chaquil Reed, 6-3 290, 3DT

I think Chaquil has potential after watching his video.  He has a LOT of refining to do.  He's a better athlete than he looks but I don't think he's in tremendous shape or plays as hard as is required.  He can run and has good movement ability.   He has long arms for an interior DL.  If he makes great strides in the weight room and refines things about his game he has a shot to be pretty good.  There is definite pass rushing ability with this kid.  I think he'll redshirt or at least I hope we can afford to redshirt him.


Tavon Rooks, 6-6 275, OT

This might surprise you but I'm nowhere close to being sold he'll be the guy at RT.  He's long and a good athlete but very light.  I realize you don't have to be 300 to be a quality OT, even in the NFL, but that is if you have good physical strength for your size.  I'm not sure he's that strong.  I think he probably has good feet and length.   Having watched Glowinski's (other KSU offer) video I think WVa got the better player or the more polished OT.  Good news is he's in Manhattan this spring and Dawson will probably get somewhere with him and Dickey seems to get the most out of what he has in terms of talent.  One big positive I see with this kid may be his maturity in discussing his decision-making for choosing KSU over WVa.  He seems to "get it".  Now that is what he stated outwardly and we have no idea the reality of his statements in how it relates to discussions with the WVa and KSU coaching staffs but he talked about how he wants to be a "COMPLETE" player and turned down "sexy" holgerson for Snyder and Dickey in order to do so.


Matt Seiwert, 6'2 260, 3DT

I just love the way he runs for a big kid.  I like the fact he's played a number of positions and had no problem moving to the OL as a senior.  If he maintains his speed at 290-300 pounds he could be an outstanding player.  I don't think he has a great build and really not sure about suddeness or athleticism though I think he's definitely adequate in those areas.  Hard to gauge from the video how he will defeat blocks or the power with which he might play.  Kind of a tweener for positions which really isn't that bad of a thing for a high-volume passing conference.


Vernon Vaughn, 6-3 190, WR

not a bad athlete.  good size at 6'3.  long arms.  Tremendous ball skills and hands.  I think he's a highly intelligent player in the passing game.  I think his speed and suddeness are highly questionable at the moment but he can improve upon that.  It may be that he runs well enough...some of what I suspect he lacks could be mitigated by smarts and sound technically as a receiver plus the ball skills but we'll see when he gets on the field.  The knee injury concerns me a bit but he's just so young.  Everything I have to go by was video just after he turned 16 in his junior season.  There is some upside there, especially if he improves quite a bit physically.






I just can't get excited


Will Davis, 6-0 215, Weakside LB

highly productive in high school that I have a hard time seeing translating to college, especially with the passing game.  I watched plenty highlights from his junior year.  He's instinctive and gets around the ball a TON.  But he looks like a marginal athlete, he's got very ordinary quickness, not much size, and I think he's more like a 4.9 than the listed 4.6.  Alex Hrebec has good instincts, etc, etc, but he's Hrebec and doesn't belong on a D-1 field.  This kid is definitely a better athlete than Hrebec but not by leaps and bounds IMO.


Wesley Hollingshed, 6-1 300, NT

Very worried this kid won't be an answer for Kibble which is why i was really stressing about Pennel.  I was kind of meh on Lutui last year and he turned out to be adequate but at least he has a high motor.  I fear this kid might not have that motor playing a bit too hig and doesn't have really good quickness.  He MUST get stronger in the weight room this spring. 

Javaris Leverett, 5-11 195, RB

Runs well but he's already had a knee injury that kept him out his junior year and had some ailment this year that limited his senior season.  He's yet to accumulate any tread on his tires in the college game yet he's missing huge chunks of his upper classman seasons in high school?  Might be more Carlos Alsup than Lamont Warren (stud CU RB that played in the NFL) as those are the two he reminds me of most in build and running style.


Charles Jones, 5'10 180, RB

If there is one kid I would bet on proving my opinions about the '12 class wrong it would be this kid.  I think he's a high character kid.  I love the way he runs because he's tough, physical, and strong for his size.  But that only gets you so far at a position where your physical abilities are a premium on the field.  He's smallish, he isn't that quick, he doesn't have much in the way of elusiveness, and he's not seperating that much on video and I don't think the kids are that fast he's playing against.  Small, not terribly elusive, and not fast are red marks.  But I do love the way he plays and there are always kids that improve physically...if he does he could be a really solid player.  I guess I just don't see that in him but I like what is underneath with his heart and determination.  Too bad the latter rarely beats an OU type of team.


Donovan Starks, 5-10 175, safety

I watched a lot of video on this kid.  I like the way he plays and he's tough.  But he's not a good enough athlete for corner and he's short.  Plus, he's not that fast and I came away thinking he was stiff in the hips (which is the main reason coupled with a lack of suddeness that screams no corner for this kid).  I could see him bulking up and being serviceable as a strong safety.  But I'm not sure he'll give us much in coverage...he's simply not that good of an athlete.  The kid he reminds me of is a kid that committed to Prince but eventually switched to aTm late in the process, Trent Hunter.  I never would have guessed that Hunter would start for aTm 3 years but he did.  Same type of player with this kid.  Limited athletic prowess and not that big but you do like the way he plays and he appears to be smart.  One thing he does have going for him aside from the intanglibles is that he's very, very young for his class (D.O.B. june '94).



I'm very excited about greyshirts Moore, Hunter Davis, and Morgan Burns.  I can see Davis being anywhere from 6'4 275 to 290 next fall and he's very quick off the ball.  The fact that he does have the wrestling background and is physically strong/powerful would lead one to believe he can get snaps for us next fall either on the edge or interior.  He might end up being a very good pass rusher/penetrator from the 3 technique or strongside end positions.  Moore, I feel, could be a pass rushing specialist either as a small end or OLB.  Burns was getting rave reviews last summer while working out with the older players.  He's got good size (5'10.5/5'11 200) and tremendous wheels.  I have questions about how good of an athlete he is but that could be the difference between whether he winds up at corner or free safety.


(Want to get rid of the ad? Register now for free!)
Academics is a stupid word.

Academic schools are synonymous for being rich, powerful and exclusive, three things Kansas State is not.

So when people throw the word "academics" around, that's really what they are referencing.

Offline MadCat

  • TIME's Person Of The Year - 2006
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 13736
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2012, 12:39:56 PM »
Gronk, Harvill and West?

Offline Pete

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 29153
  • T-Shirt KSU Football Fan, Loves Lawrence and KU
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2012, 12:40:50 PM »
I really would have liked to have landed a big Juco running back.

Offline steve dave

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 85185
  • Romantic Fist Attachment
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2012, 12:53:17 PM »
I really would have liked to have landed a big Juco running back.

yeah, a juco RB would have been very nice

Offline sonofdaxjones

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 52980
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2012, 12:57:02 PM »
By and large I am pleased with this class, but as I know it is best to wait and determine the overall capability of a class once they have been at Kansas State University for several years.   In addition, I do not understand why I have to be here today talking to you fine folks, but I suppose I have to be in this era of recruiting hype.  But personally I feel as though way to much is made of all this.


Offline wes mantooth

  • freak and stud
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 4137
  • #LIFE is good
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2012, 01:02:25 PM »
Marquez Clark....flat out gangsta.

Please explain.

Offline The Manhatter

  • Katpak'r
  • ***
  • Posts: 1100
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2012, 01:09:05 PM »
Marquez Clark....flat out gangsta.

Please explain.

when the ball goes up it's his and he doesn't really care who you are.  this would be a common trait with most gangstas.  also, see photo in white suit in clark fan thread.
Academics is a stupid word.

Academic schools are synonymous for being rich, powerful and exclusive, three things Kansas State is not.

So when people throw the word "academics" around, that's really what they are referencing.

Offline TheHamburglar

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 5729
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2012, 01:15:59 PM »
By and large I am pleased with this class, but as I know it is best to wait and determine the overall capability of a class once they have been at Kansas State University for several years.   In addition, I do not understand why I have to be here today talking to you fine folks, but I suppose I have to be in this era of recruiting hype.  But personally I feel as though way to much is made of all this.



I really don't understand why we couldn't do this via teleconference instead.
I got a guy on the other line about some white walls

Offline SdK

  • Libertine
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 20951
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #8 on: February 06, 2012, 01:42:40 PM »
Clarks weight range is huge   :surprised:

Offline LickNeckey

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 6007
  • #fakeposts
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2012, 02:02:41 PM »
oooh do Ian Seau  :pray:

Offline stobblebobby

  • Fan
  • *
  • Posts: 171
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #10 on: February 06, 2012, 03:39:02 PM »
Wish Manhatter would Coach OB for his pressers - would love to hear "suddeness" said as frequently as "young people."

Good work.  :cheers:

Offline wabash909

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 6346
  • scattered all over like seeds in the wind
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #11 on: February 06, 2012, 04:30:04 PM »
The Manhatter, please expand upon "the fire hydrant build".

TIA.


Texas Christian University coach Gary Patterson has been hired as Kansas State's 34th football coach, multiple sources have confirmed to GoPowercat.com.  Patterson replaces Ron Prince, who was fired Wednesday. - Tim Fitzgerald   Nov, 7, 2008

Offline wetwillie

  • goEMAW Poster of the WEEK
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 30246
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #12 on: February 06, 2012, 06:07:56 PM »
The Manhatter, please expand upon "the fire hydrant build".

TIA.


Nearly crap myself on this one.  Damn fine work.


When the bullets are flying, that's when I'm at my best

Offline CHONGS

  • Master of the Atom
  • Administrator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 19381
    • View Profile
    • goEMAW.com
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #13 on: January 21, 2015, 12:50:12 PM »
About three years later, what is the verdict?

Offline That_Guy

  • I'm just, "That Guy!"
  • Katpak'r
  • ***
  • Posts: 2788
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #14 on: January 21, 2015, 12:53:31 PM »
At least 5 or 6 of them never made it or stayed, 'Cats.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline 'taterblast

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 16725
  • Hi, I'm James McGill.
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #15 on: January 21, 2015, 12:53:49 PM »
the projections of Burton as "could be bigtime" and Marquez Clark as "flat out gangsta" stand out

Offline Skipper44

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 7552
    • View Profile
Re: my take on the 2012 class...feel free to add your own comments
« Reply #16 on: January 21, 2015, 01:59:14 PM »
Charles Jones and Will Davis appear to be spot on