Wednesday August 08, 2007

Opponents' Linebackers

Opponents’ Linebackers
Louisiana Monroe
The Warhawks return two starters at linebacker this season. The most experienced is Josh Thompson who had 83 tackles a year ago. Cardia Jackson started 12 games last year as a true freshman. Louisiana-Monroe plays a 4-2-5 defense so they have a rover that is a hybrid linebacker/safety.

Furman
The Paladins have two returning starters and eight lettermen returning from last season. All-American candidate Andrew Jones is the headliner here. Jones has 272 career tackles. Gary Nelson has started 29 games in his Furman career and he returns at one outside linebacker position. In all this could be the best group of linebackers in the Southern Conference.

Central Michigan
The Chippewas are very experienced at linebacker coming into the 2007 campaign. Red Keith is a senior starter that had 127 tackles in 2006. They also return senior Ike Brown at one outside linebacker position. Several publications have Central Michigan among the top linebacking corps in the MAC this season.

South Carolina
When the Gamecocks recruited Jasper and Casper Brinkley some fans thought they were going back to the JUCO days of recruiting like Lou Holtz. I wonder how many are upset today. I also wonder where the Gamecock linebackers would be without the twins from Georgia Military. Jasper Brinkley was perhaps the biggest surprise in the SEC last year. At times he was dominant. This is a physical player that is also a very good tackler.

This season Casper Brinkley moves from defensive end to linebacker this season. This move gives the Gamecocks more size at the position.

Rodney Paulk and Marvin Sapp split time at WILL last season but they have split the players this season. It appears Paulk will be the starter but more moves could come. Paulk had a pretty good true freshman season last year and has changed his body in the off-season.

The Gamecocks have a bunch of depth at linebacker but I think there is a significant drop off from their first and second team linebackers. Cody Wells, Dustin Lindsey, Gerrod Sinclair, Damien Wright and Vandaryl Shackelford have played but they are not starters for a reason.

South Carolina added Melvin Ingram and Antonio Winnfield to their class as true freshman with Ingram having the best shot at playing time between the two.

SEC Linebacker Rankings
1. LSU-The Tigers have the top linebackers in the league and thus the top front seven in the SEC. Ali Highsmith is the best of the three returning starters. Some feel he will be a first round draft choice in April. David Beckwith is the leading returning tackler. Luke Sanders is a huge outside linebacker that can presser the passer. This group is also very deep and should be considered one of the top linebacking corps in the country.

2. South Carolina-See Above

3. Tennessee-The Vols return two starting linebackers including Jerod Mayo. He should be considered a pre-season All-SEC candidate. The Vol defense improves with a very good class of freshman linebackers including Chris Donald.

4. Florida-The Gators had one of the top defenses in the nation last year due on part to superstar linebackers like Earl Everett and Brandon Siler. Both are gone but the cupboard is not bare. Brandon Spikes was a high school All-American and he played a little last season. Dustin Doe and Jermaine Cunningham were two other backers that also played as true freshmen last season. AJ Jones red-shirted but he is another 5-star type prospect. This might be the youngest group of linebackers in the league but the talent level is astounding.

5. Alabama-Prince Hall was one of the top freshmen in the country last season and he appears to be the best of the Bama linebackers this season. Saban has played an odd-man front in the past so depth is needed for this group. Rolando McClain was one of the top high school linebackers in the nation last year and he is expected to play early and often.

6. Arkansas- It seemed Sam Olajubutu was at Arkansas forever and he will be missed. Weston Dacus is a senior returning starter that had almost 100 tackles a season ago. Freddie Fairchild had knee problems in the past but is penciled in as a starter this season.

7. Vanderbilt-Jonathan Goff was a second-team All-SEC last season and could be one of the top three in the league this season. At 6-4 and 235 pounds Goff is the prototypical middle linebacker. Marcus Buggs does not look the part but he is also a solid linebacker.

8. Kentucky- The Wildcats return all three starters from a season ago including the best of the unit Wesley Woodyard. The senior speedster had 122 tackles in 2006. Braxton Kelly is the solid force inside and Johnny Williams also returns.

9. Auburn-Tre Blackmon is one of the top linebackers in the SEC and Auburn needs him to be eligible and healthy. The Tigers will miss Will Herring but Merrill Johnson returns after a good sophomore season. Auburn has been better at linebacker in the past.

10. Georgia-The Dawgs will certainly miss Tony Taylor and Jarvis Jackson from last year’s squad. It is time for Brandon Miller to become the player we thought he would have been before now. Darius Dewberry has a shot to gain respect he had coming out of high school before he got derailed to prep school. Daniel Ellerbe is a speedy player that also was highly thought of. The Dawgs have a bunch of questions here.

11. Mississippi State-Unfortunately for MSU fans, Quinton Culberson is gone. Jamar Chaney is the highest regarded backer still on campus but Gabe O’Neal is not bad either. This group is probably the strength of the Bulldog defense in 2007.

12. Ole Miss-In this conference it is difficult to replace three starters at linebacker. It is even more difficult to replace perhaps the top linebacker in school history in Patrick Willis. Three JUCO transfers may play a big role here for the Rebels.

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