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The Power Five => Big Ten => Topic started by: ELA on August 27, 2021, 01:57:03 PM

Title: Rank Your Position Groups
Post by: ELA on August 27, 2021, 01:57:03 PM
MSU has seemingly an entirely new team, but I'll try...

1. K/P - K Matt Coghlin back for a 6th year, and they have a preseason All-Big Ten punter

2. RB - Probably the only position group that I feel is actually a positive.  Collins in hopefully back from his COVID plagued 2020, and Simmons looked pretty good early, before getting hurt.  And those guys look like they will be #3 and #4 on the depth chart behind a pair of transfers.

3. WR - No confidence we have a true #1, but there is so much depth, particularly considering how true freshman Keon Coleman has looked, that I have a hard time believing a really good core of 3-4 won't emerge

4. DB - the starting group I think is possibly a top 4ish group in the conference, but there is frighteningly little depth if the transfers aren't immediate contributors

5. DL - Jalen Hunt may have been their best lineman last year, but couldn't stay healthy.  Panisiuk returning certainly helps.

6. QB - now things get dicey.  It's either Temple transfer Anthony Russo, or RS soph Payton Thorne, who got one start last year when Lombardi was hurt.  Both should be an upgrade from Rocky, or the injured 2019 version of Brian Lewerke, but I don't see it be a position of strength at all

7. OL - the reports have been more positive than this, but I'll believe it when I see it.  This has been a MASSIVE problem for the program since Conklin went to the NFL.  If this can even be a not bottom 4 in the conference unit, the offense should take a massive step forward

8. LB - Adding Tennessee transfer Quavarius Crouch is the only reason this group isn't at the bottom.

9. TE - the core group includes a converted punter, a converted DE, a converted RB, and a true freshman.  It is ugly, ugly, ugly.  I do think freshman Kameron Allen will be good, eventually, but, ugh.  Matt Dotson suffering career ending injuries, and Trenton Gillison never figuring it out left a gaping hole.  No surprise MSU has two TE commits for 2022
Title: Re: Rank Your Position Groups
Post by: iahawk15 on August 27, 2021, 02:11:37 PM
Iowa

1. DB - One of the top DB units in the conference, lots of experience returning. Depth is fairly unproven behind the starters.

2. RB - Goodson is among the top backs in the conference. Ivory Kelly-Martin is a senior who can't stay healthy, but has some experience. A name to watch, Gavin Williams. FB Monte Pottebaum continues the skull cracking tradition.

3. LB - Started 2020 as a huge question mark and ended the season as a strength. Depth behind the starters is shaky.

4. K/P - Return 1st Team All-B1G punter. Replacing Keith Duncan, but Caleb Shudak has looked good this fall.

5. OL - I think interior OL will be one of the best in the conference, but OT is a bit of a question mark right now.

6. TE - Starter Sam LaPorta will be good, very unproven behind him.

7. WR - Lost a couple good ones and replaced them with true freshman. The pair of freshman have looked good so far, but... they're freshman.

8. DL - DE should be fine, DT a pretty big question mark.

9. QB - The season will go as QB goes. If Petras has improved pocket presence and accuracy, Iowa is going to be pretty good. If not, gonna be a long season.
Title: Re: Rank Your Position Groups
Post by: 847badgerfan on August 27, 2021, 02:26:31 PM
For UW, I got...

OL. Experienced, very talented and very deep

LB. Same.

TE. Same.

DB. I'm super-excited to see how this group does. Lots of experience, and also a lot of young talent coming up.

RB. Should probably be higher, but I don't see the home run threat. At least not yet. The Clemson transfer helps this unit.

WR. I very nice group of complimentary receivers. Depth is strong. Someone needs to break out.

DL. Very deep, but not a lot of experience after the top 3 in the group.

QB. Lots of talent, good depth. Lake of experience puts this group here.

ST. Questions abound, except for punter, who is very good.
Title: Re: Rank Your Position Groups
Post by: Abba on August 27, 2021, 02:49:12 PM
Ohio State

1. WR - Obviously this is the top group on the team, conference, and probably the country.


2. OL - This group is talented and incredibly deep.  Matt Jones, who started and played well against Clemson and Alabama is going to be the odd man out in the starting lineup as Dewand Jones has had a monster offseason.  If someone in the starting 5 struggles or gets injured, the line can easily be reshuffled. 

3. DL - I feel pretty good with Garrett and Smith here.  Harrison is supposed to make a big leap, then you have a mix of talented freshman and veteran players looking for some PT.  I'd really be shocked if this isn't our best defensive unit.

4. TE - Just based on Ruckert, probably have to give this unit a solid grade.  Some decent backup options as well.

5. QB - Even with a new starter, I feel much better here at this point than I did say in 2019 where it was Fields and then walk-on level talent behind him.  If Stroud struggles or gets hurt, there are multiple QBs that could step in and play well.

6. RB - Looks like our board's 2nd team RB is probably a 2nd team RB for Ohio State also.  Miyan Williams will likely start, but who knows how the carries will be split.  Teague has limitations, but doesn't fumble and has good speed in the open field.  He just lacks vision and the ability to break tackles.  Henderson may be good at some point this year, but who knows if he can pass protect.  I put this below QB, because we might just end up with middling results like the first half of 2020.

7. DB - I'm encouraged that Banks & Proctor will take a big step here.  The rest of the group is similar to RB where we have a lot of guys, but not sure who will rise up and earn the spots.

8. LB - Mitchell was named a captain and reports have been good.  But beyond him...who knows.  Also, are we counting bullet here, if that position is a thing this year?  Either way that position keeps both DB & LB pretty low in these rankings.

9. K/P - This is a huge problem as Siebert and Ruggles are still battling it out, and I suspect both will be given chances this year.  Siebert was rough last year and Ruggles didn't have great stats at UNC before transferring.  I guess the hope is that we just won't need too many FGs this year.  Also, we have a new punter, but I am less concerned there.
Title: Re: Rank Your Position Groups
Post by: medinabuckeye1 on August 27, 2021, 03:07:35 PM
For UW, I got...

OL. Experienced, very talented and very deep
You can just copy/paste this every year and I mean that absolutely as a compliment.  Wisconsin's ability to acquire and develop OL talent over the last (almost) three decades is astounding.  
Title: Re: Rank Your Position Groups
Post by: Abba on August 27, 2021, 04:00:29 PM
Looking at those UW position rankings makes me wonder if I've underrated them a little bit.  I'm surprised to see QB so low, but I guess it really is going to come down to how Mertz plays this year.  
Title: Re: Rank Your Position Groups
Post by: OrangeAfroMan on August 27, 2021, 04:37:39 PM
1 - RBs.....incumbent is back, plus two 5* transfers, including Bowman from Clemson.  I'm not sure why our RB room is loaded, but it really is.
.
2 - DL.....again, talented incombents return plus 300 lb transfers from Auburn and Penn St.  SOPH Gervin should become a dude this year.
.
3 - QB......Emory Jones will be great and his backup LOOKS like Cam Newton. 
4 - idk, LBs?  We only play 2 LBs usaully, and 1 of them is pretty good.
5 - WRs.....we've lost so much WR/TE talent the past 2 years.  It catches up to us this year.  The talent is young.
6 - DBs I guess?  Like LSU, the parts were a helluva lot better than the whole last year.  It can only get better.....right?
7 - K/P I guess.
8
9
10 - OL.......let's see, we're going to a more run-heavy version of Mullen's offense and our OL can't run-block for shit.  Great.  Can't wait.
Title: Re: Rank Your Position Groups
Post by: Cincydawg on August 28, 2021, 11:13:56 AM
For UGA:

QB - awesome
OL- NFL caliber
RBs - it's RBU
WRs - incredible gazelles

defense - unbelievably great
third string long snapper - weak on his release
Title: Re: Rank Your Position Groups
Post by: Mdot21 on August 29, 2021, 07:49:18 AM
I'm just going to give Michigan D's everywhere. Not expecting anything except for Harbaugh to get the can after he loses every big game on the schedule again and gets his face kicked off and boat raced by Ohio State. 
Title: Re: Rank Your Position Groups
Post by: Temp430 on August 29, 2021, 11:22:19 AM
My preseason non-binding guess for Michigan from good to less good:

WRs and RBs
P/K
OL
QBs
TEs
DL except for NG
LBs
DBs
NG

Title: Re: Rank Your Position Groups
Post by: hawkeyegold on August 29, 2021, 01:43:59 PM
Iowa

1. DB - One of the top DB units in the conference, lots of experience returning. Depth is fairly unproven behind the starters.

2. RB - Goodson is among the top backs in the conference. Ivory Kelly-Martin is a senior who can't stay healthy, but has some experience. A name to watch, Gavin Williams. FB Monte Pottebaum continues the skull cracking tradition.

3. LB - Started 2020 as a huge question mark and ended the season as a strength. Depth behind the starters is shaky.

4. K/P - Return 1st Team All-B1G punter. Replacing Keith Duncan, but Caleb Shudak has looked good this fall.

5. OL - I think interior OL will be one of the best in the conference, but OT is a bit of a question mark right now.

6. TE - Starter Sam LaPorta will be good, very unproven behind him.

7. WR - Lost a couple good ones and replaced them with true freshman. The pair of freshman have looked good so far, but... they're freshman.

8. DL - DE should be fine, DT a pretty big question mark.

9. QB - The season will go as QB goes. If Petras has improved pocket presence and accuracy, Iowa is going to be pretty good. If not, gonna be a long season.
Agree with this for the most part. Only switch I may make is LB to 2 and RB to 3. I think WR is accurate for a preseason ranking but think they could prove to be a real strength by years end. DL is also a question mark to me. Hopeful for them to be effective but really just an unproven group yet. Petras is absolutely the key to the entire season.
Title: Re: Rank Your Position Groups
Post by: FearlessF on August 29, 2021, 09:24:25 PM
Nebraska......

after yesterday...... too depressing.

Give me a week or two