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Shaka Toney question.

mn78psu83

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Nov 10, 2011
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Shaka Toney is listed as a 6' 3" 195 lb DE. Is that an error? Is he really only 195 lbs? If so, I would assume his future will most likely be at OLB if he has the wheels.
 
Yeah, I wondered about this before he came here. It seems the only chance he will have to play DE at this level would be as a 5th year senior. Maybe he'll move in the spring to OLB.
 
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From the limited film of him that I watched, he has the wheels. But he seems to want to play DE, and I believe the only report I have heard about him on the foreign team has been that he is playing DE. Supposedly very quick.

Yep, it would be great to get another LB in development and some here have speculated about Toney, but so far the reports I have seen have him at DE.

The 195 was likely his weight when he arrived for Fall practice. He could be 220 by now for all we know.....
 
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From the limited film of him that I watched, he has the wheels. But he seems to want to play DE, and I believe the only report I have heard about him on the foreign team has been that he is playing DE. Supposedly very quick.

Yep, it would be great to get another LB in development and some here have speculated about Toney, but so far the reports I have seen have him at DE.

The 195 was likely his weight when he arrived for Fall practice. He could be 220 by now for all we know.....

He could be 220 by now for all we know.....

Exactly. Just curious if anyone knew about his progress and if he had put on some weight. They've really done a nice job in development with some of the other guys. Kevin Givens is an obvious example. At 6' 1" 275 lbs he is now a strong, effective DL.
 
My guess is that Toney was going to be redshirted this year regardless. 195 is also too light for LB.
I have seen him in warmup's this year. I'd be surprised if he's much north of 210 from what I can recall.
 
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Don't see how anybody can play anywhere in the front seven at 210. Either he's a long-term weight project or he ends up at safety.
 
He ditore didn't even play in HS..... Toney was unstoppable at the rivals camps.....no 4 or 5 star OL could stop his rush.
 
He ditore didn't even play in HS..... Toney was unstoppable at the rivals camps.....no 4 or 5 star OL could stop his rush.

I guess that's good against pass-blocking. He's was quicker than some of the best high school offensive tackles. Not hard to believe. But what happens when that OT (in college, at 300#) is blocking for a run, particularly short yardage? This sounds like Franklin trying to appease a good athlete, and just waiting for him to see reality.
 
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My guess is that Toney was going to be redshirted this year regardless. 195 is also too light for LB.
I have seen him in warmup's this year. I'd be surprised if he's much north of 210 from what I can recall.


As the regular season is over 80 percent over it's pretty obvious that Toney is redshirting. If any player was going to play this late in the season instead of redshirting it would have been Fries, at OT a position of need. We don't need more DE depth and if we did it would have been Simmons first as he is much further along physically than Toney.
 
Don't see how anybody can play anywhere in the front seven at 210. Either he's a long-term weight project or he ends up at safety.

I don't see him as a Safety if he moves from DE. He is bigger right now than many of our recent LB's were as true freshmen. And he looks to have a bigger frame than most of our current LB's (Bowen, Cooper, Bell). I watched some of his H.S. playoffs and he is very quick sideline to sideline. Would seem to be a great fit for LB, but I guess we'll see next Spring.....
 
I guess that's good against pass-blocking. He's was quicker than some of the best high school offensive tackles. Not hard to believe. But what happens when that OT (in college, at 300#) is blocking for a run, particularly short yardage? This sounds like Franklin trying to appease a good athlete, and just waiting for him to see reality.

Agree to some extent..... let's see what he looks like in 48 months...... his Red Shirt Junior year. 247 lists this about him now..... 6'3" 210lb 17 years 11 months old.earsge 17 yrs 11 mo
 
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I think Shaka wants to play DE. I think we were trying to recruit him as a LB. But I know Pitt was trying to flip him by promising him he could be a DE at Pitt.
 
As the regular season is over 80 percent over it's pretty obvious that Toney is redshirting. If any player was going to play this late in the season instead of redshirting it would have been Fries, at OT a position of need. We don't need more DE depth and if we did it would have been Simmons first as he is much further along physically than Toney.
Wait. Didn't the usual suspect(s) move Simmons to LB earlier this year? ;)
 
Keep in mind Toney was 17 when he graduated HS. He is going to develop, but it might take a little time. It seems like Franklin is bringing in a lot of these types of kids who are skinny but really explosive. Like Toney, Cam Brown, Farmer, Simmons. You can't teach speed and explosiveness. You recruit it and then get them into the weight room and pack on the pounds. Finally we are in a position where we can afford to be patient with some of these guys and it will not cost us games. Franklin is building this program the right way.
 
Aaron Maybin was 6-3, 220 when he was making himself into an NFL 1st round pick. He played in the NFL at only 235.

No question someone that size is a liability on running plays but you scheme for that. If the person is a monster pass rusher it makes up for any weakness.

Of course that's college, the NFL is different, and Maybin was unable to put on enough weight/strength to be a credible NFL DE.

But I can't wait to see Toney come in next year as a situational pass rusher. He and Simmons joining the DL rotation -- it could be pretty amazing next year considering players like Givens will be a bit bigger and stronger.





Shaka Toney is listed as a 6' 3" 195 lb DE. Is that an error? Is he really only 195 lbs? If so, I would assume his future will most likely be at OLB if he has the wheels.
 
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+1. Athletes like this are what gives Penn State the chance to compete for the Eastern Division. They are the difference-makers.

Cam Brown is freakishly athletic -- you can see that. Once he learns a position he is going to be able to make plays that other people can't make because he has such incredible quickness at that size. He has the potential I think to be the best kick coverage player maybe since Ethan Kilmer.

Presumably Toney and Simmons are going to have the same kind of impact.

Givens was awfully small to be playing DT this year but his athleticism absolutely makes up for his lack of size -- he is so hard to block. Next year he could be 15 pounds heavier and a lot stronger without losing any quickness.

Keep in mind Toney was 17 when he graduated HS. He is going to develop, but it might take a little time. It seems like Franklin is bringing in a lot of these types of kids who are skinny but really explosive. Like Toney, Cam Brown, Farmer, Simmons. You can't teach speed and explosiveness. You recruit it and then get them into the weight room and pack on the pounds. Finally we are in a position where we can afford to be patient with some of these guys and it will not cost us games. Franklin is building this program the right way.
 
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