Until we overrecruit at LB we are going to continue the cycle of playing guys before they are ready. Cooper and Bowen in 2015, Brown in 2016, and now likely one of the 2017 recruits. Rivers seemed the most ready to play
2017 Recruiting Class Thread
- Thread starter Judge Smails
- Start date
Neither Farmer, Bowen, or Brown is likely to ever be a box linebacker - certainly unlikely that it would ever be their "best position"
And, even at that, that's only 4 LBers
There are very few recruits capable of coming on and playing a significant role at LBer as a TRFR - Poz (even he didn't play until fairly late in his first year) a kid like R Macmillen at OSU......they are pretty rare - - - and, at that, there are a lot more of them than there are JUCOs and GradTransfers who are capable of being a aignificant help
Cooper is going to have to move to MLB. Bowen may have to be able to play there if needed. I don't like seeing LB guys in two positions on the 2 deep. Shouldn't be still be happening with 85 ships, but it looks like it will continue in 2017 and 2018. The problem is that you lose more starters playing like this because they basically don't get any plays off.
I'm sure the staff didn't plan to have a LB shortage. They offered a lot of 4* prospects the past few years but they weren't able to land them.
Is it better to miss on a 4 star recruit and have no scholarship MLB or have a 3 star MLB ?
Well at 235 pounds Brooks physically maybe ready to play his freshmen year if needed
Bowen only started about 8 games as a box linebacker this year. Bell played Sam. So I guess that isn't "ever".
Everyone dried their eyes over Rivers?
Come on. Let's move forward.
Come on. Let's move forward.
Yes, 4 that already, going into 2017, have starting experience. Baring injuries not too bad. We were talking 2018, so there will be redshirt freshmen as backups, and who knows, possibly Toney will have had some experience at LB by then as well.
Cabinda didn't start his PSU career inside either. So don't discount the ability of a player like Bowen to move inside. And Cooper looks more suited for inside than outside. I don't see Farmer or Brown moving inside either.
Not ideal but we won the B10 this year with similar depth. Smith hadn't started a game and most here looked at the walk on as not worthy of starting. But he is a player and saved the day. How do we know that J.Johnson or the new legacy walkon Chizmar won't be ready to play MLB effectively by 2018. Wasn't that all B10 Wisky MLB a former walkon?
Brown played as a true freshman and was obviously too light to play effectively, but showed that he is a great athlete and will be better as he gets stronger and more experienced. By 2018 both Franklin, who may end up inside, and Faisen-Walden will be 2nd year players and more likely to be ready physically to play than Brown was this past year. Trust the coaches.
And let's have this discussion again after Feb. 1st.....
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Yep, if CJF does not get a "dedicated scholarship MLB in this class." we won't win 5 games in 2017 and probably won't win 3 games in 2018 and beyond....
How do you know that CJF does not look at Franklins as a "dedicated scholarhip MLB"? Franklin reportedly played LB and DT so he is probably pretty familiar with stopping the run up the middle.
But you might want to wait until February 2nd to see what CJF actually does about it in the near term..... and then show up at the B/W game to see who is actually practicing at MLB. And at OLB for that matter.
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Uh.......you can call them whatever you want, and teams use different terminologies, but in the PSU scheme Bell's spot played (generally, and far more often than Bowen's) "in the box"
Bowen generally played as a "wing" or "field" .....or whatever the hell you want to call him, but outside wide of the tackle box....LBer
It is what it is
In all likelihood, at least one of those guys (Brown, Bowen, Farmer) will have to be ready to play down between the tackle box for 2017 - - - either as a starter (unless Smith comes back and they play both Smith and Cabinda in there.......or, I suppose there would be a possibility of Cabinda teaming with Cooper in there - but I expect that would be an unlikely situation) ......or at least as a back-up/rotation guy that would have to be ready to go to either spell or replace (if there is an injury) one of those guys
Smith already announced he was coming back for 2017. So it's likely Cabinda and Smith at MLB.
Andrew Rubin @andrewrubin24 6h6 hours ago
It looks like Penn State and Maryland brought different accessories to their in home visit with Tariq Castro-Fields. He commits tomorrow.
4 replies62 retweets145 likes
It looks like Penn State and Maryland brought different accessories to their in home visit with Tariq Castro-Fields. He commits tomorrow.
4 replies62 retweets145 likes
I have only seen one game video of Braylin Franklin. He does not look like a MLB in that vid as he was returning a punt. If the staff can snag somebody soon, it will certainly help, but we still have a roster problem at MLB going forward.
There's a Gerald Hodges joke somewhere in here.
If Braylin-Franklin can make 2nd team All-Met as a defensive tackle, am not sure how you cannot see him as a possible MLB.
Well, according to the rivals site he's listed as being a 6'2", 200 OLB prospect now. I'm sure he'll get bigger. Cabinda and Reeder were both over 240 as freshmen for comparison.
Cabinda was not even 240 as a Junior this past year, and was a lower rated prospect than Franklin according to the 247 composite. Cabinda was reported somewhat heavier when he was recruited and he played as a true freshman, something that Franklin will not have to do, with Smith and Cabinda at MLB, the other returning LB's, and Faisen-Walden already enrolled and reportedly more ready to play as a true freshman. From the last PSU depth chart:
Middle Linebacker 40 Jason Cabinda (6-1, 232, Jr./Jr.) 47 Brandon Smith (6-0, 228, Sr./Jr.)
I have no idea if CJF will bring in 2 more MLB's in the next week, if Franklin plays MLB, or what exactly will happen for 2018 at MLB. And no one else here does either. So why don't we all chill and see what happens as CJF closes out the class and then go to the B/W game and see how the staff builds LB depth during the winter S&G program and the 15 spring practices.....
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Shame on some posters who are on a binge criticizing prospects. No prospect should be disparaged or you should speak for Penn State. None of us on this board represent coaches/Penn State.
The 2014 roster had Cabinda as 6'1", 248 and Reeder as 6'1", 244.
The point I am making is that ILB's are typically the bigger guys playing LB. We can agree to disagree about that, I guess
The point that ILBs are typically bigger than OLBs is so obvious am not sure why you are even bringing it up.
Your point that Braylin-Franklin being 200 pounds in high school eliminates him from ever gaining enough weight to play ILB at PSU is ridiculous. You see significant size/weight gains in 3-4 years of college almost across the board.
Seeing one game video in which he returned a punt is not exactly a thorough scouting report as to whether or not he can ever become an ILB.
Please move all this shit to a 'MLB depth chart/ OMG we're doomed' thread
if Franklin plays MLB for us in 2018, I'll be shocked.
We need a guy who can play MLB sooner than later in this class. Cooper can probably play there next year, and maybe Bowen in a pinch. Maybe walk on's Jan Johnson or Max Chizmar can contribute there in 2018. This is the only position post sanctions where we still have roster issues.
You have to see what shakes out in the next year. Maybe a JUCO, 2018 frosh LB, or grad transfer could come in. Maybe Franklin also pulls a rabbit out of the hat in this current class. Odds are't that great, but we'll have to see what approach they take moving forward.
Getting Brooks would be huge. But we still need a couple of guys in the 2018 class who can play MLB.
Braylin played DT, LB, RB and returned kicks. He's aggressive and means business when he hits. He'll be fine at LB with coaching.
This obsession with LBs seems to be lost on the coaching staff. Just maybe they know what they are doing. I'm just gonna wait and see.
LBs have to shed those kind of blocks.
I think what happened in the Pitt and Michigan games left an impression on many of us as to the need for adequate LB depth.
I get it. It just that we sometimes get carried away with angst at LB and OL. Frank and staff have managed a depleted schollie roster and injuries pretty damn well so far. It'll be okay.
Apparently no Saban visit to Castro-Fields over the weekend. Looking good for PSU.
Than why does CJF still recruit players that are committed to other schools?
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Apparently no Saban visit to Castro-Fields over the weekend. Looking good for PSU.
Any intel on Friedman's tweet concerning a DL commit?
