Thursday, April 3, 2014

Initial TTB Ratings for 2015

Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's CB Garrett Taylor
Here are the initial TTB Ratings for the class of 2015 (ratings explanation).

CB Garrett Taylor - Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's: 85
Taylor has the makings of being a very good player. He has size, speed, leaping ability, physicality, and is reportedly a quality kid. I'm not sure if I see the coverage instincts to pop him up into the 90's, but he should be a very good cornerback or perhaps safety in a few years. (Commitment post.)

CB Shaun Crawford - Lakewood (OH) St. Edward: 79
I like Crawford as a prospect. He has great speed, and he is also very physical for someone his size. I do have some questions about whether he can play man coverage, because he doesn't have a ton of experience doing that in high school. I think a 79 here is a baseline, but if he attends an event like The Opening or the Rivals 5-star Challenge, he could show some of those man coverage skills to sway me upward. (Commitment post.)

S Tyree Kinnel - Huber Heights (OH) Wayne: 74
When I look at Kinnel, I see a high school version of Thomas Gordon. He doesn't wow me with his athletic skills, but he comes up with some solid tackles and seems to be in the right place at the right time. He looks like a solid safety prospect but does not appear to be a star. (Commitment post.)

OG Jon Runyan, Jr. - Natrona Heights (PA) St. Joseph's: 73
Runyan is a decent athlete, but for being the son of a former NFL player, I think he's lacking somewhat in football instincts. He comes out of his stance a little high, doesn't seem to have a great deal of power, and gets overextended at times. As a legacy player, he seems like someone who would stick around, so he would have a while to develop. He's not a player who leaps off the screen, though. (Commitment post.)

K Andrew David - Massillon (OH) Washington: N/A
I don't really know enough about kickers to evaluate them. (Commitment post.)

11 comments:

  1. I think I can help you with that kicker evaluation thing.

    If they can kick it real far, that's better. Then, if they can make it go through the uprights almost every time, that's way, way better still.

    Like everybody else around here, I'm pretty tired of tiny cornerbacks, but in the case of Crawford, you do have to admire his appetite for contact.

    With regards to Kinnel, and as always, recognizing that these are hi lights offering the best of what the kid has to offer, but he really does wrap up and they fall down when he gets em. I like to watch good tackling. Having never practiced it.

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  2. Wow Thunder, I'm surprised by your Crawford evaluation. I think I'm higher on him than I am Taylor. I understand he hasn't covered a whole lot, but with his speed and ability to hit...

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    1. Do you see him as an All-Big Ten player? That's the delineation. There are 14 teams in the Big Ten, all with 2+ cornerbacks vying for All-Big Ten. Additionally, he's not the tallest guy around when looking at NFL draft potential, and there are a number of other good players (Taylor, Peppers, Jourdan Lewis, etc.) who are going to be fighting with him for playing time. A 79 is the best ranking I can give for someone who might not be an all-conference-caliber player.

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    2. Probably not all big ten first team until senior year. Crawford seems like he could make 2nd team his junior year.

      I too am a little higher on Crawford than Taylor. Excited for both prospects.

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    3. Some people don't like this about my ratings, but I try to take NFL projection and all-conference projection into account. It seems like bigger corners are getting more respect these days, so that's partially why I have Taylor rated above Crawford. When you're 5'9", you have some limits. A guy like Taylor can play a few spots and could feasibly become an NFL-sized safety down the road.

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    4. Lewis is obviously going pro after this year (you haven't read the spring hype?!?) - so that should free up some playing time in 2015.

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    5. Lewis is going pro after his sophomore year? He must be REALLY good.

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    6. He's that good. Records and rules are made to be broken.

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    7. Also, you're underrating Crawford. Crawford is the same size as Lewis, who is the greatest CB since Charles Woodson, as we saw in the Spring Intrasquad Scrimmage.

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  3. Don't know enough about kickers? They're idiots!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GILXUJa2l1w

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  4. I actually agree with about EVERYTHING you said. Taylor at 85 with a season to prove it or improve it. I actually think he will move to safety due to the depth Michigan has at CB and the lack of start power at safety. Jarrod Wilson will be gone by Taylor's sophomore year.

    Crawford in at 79 right now accurately depicts what the film shows. He could, like you said, be moved up if he shows more man to man skills.He reminds me of Dymonte Thomas, where you can see the athleticism and potential, but it hasn't been seen on tape. Crawford, IMO, will move up to a mid-to-high 80 by NSD.

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