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NB4PSU

NB4PSU

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OK, the 2 guys we got going mano v mano were not exactly high on the recruiting list so pardon my skepticism... that said, is Demeioun Robinson an option here, or is he guaranteed the edge (virtue of transfer agreement)? He's sure as hell would be a huge step up... imo.

That said, Arnold Ebiketie was an 80+ 247 grade dude out of high school and he did just fine :)

Does Abdul Carter have a play in the MLB mix?

EDIT: Just saw roster numbers. If accurate, both LB's are much bigger than last year and might be just fine in the middle. That would be great! BTW, love that Elsdon (sp) is from Frackville (Dad's old stomping grounds) so I know he's one tough SOB.
 
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LB99

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Robinson is an edge guy. DE/OLB, whatever you want to call it. The guys you are referring to are King and Elsdon, I assume? Neither are proven, but both have garnered some praise in their development since arriving at PSU. Carter may get some playing time as a freshman because of his athleticism, but the other two will probably be the top 2 options until Carter adjusts to the college game. However, with the amount of spread offenses now and the high amount of times a LB gets taken out in exchange for another coverage guy, I wouldn’t get too upset about the options, as Diaz will most likely have the two most athletic options on the field the majority of the time anyway.
 
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VaDave4PSU

VaDave4PSU

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NB4PSU said:
is Demeioun Robinson an option here, or is he guaranteed the edge (virtue of transfer agreement)? He's sure as hell would be a huge step up... imo.
Click to expand...

While his recruiting accolades are better than King and Elsdon, he's already played as a DE in college. He could be a OLB in a 3-4, but it doesn't seem he has any experience in the Mike.

The biggest thing is getting the best on the field as often as possible. Does moving perhaps our *expected* best rush end to MLB help the defense?
 
VaDave4PSU

VaDave4PSU

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PSUJam

PSUJam

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VaDave4PSU said:
OLB / Striker role from what I've read and heard. Sounds like Mills and KJ Winston are competing there with him.
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I haven't heard Sutherland's name mentioned lately. Has Diaz used a 3 safety package in the past?
 
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bdgan

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This LB group is one of the weakest on paper I can remember at PSU. Not just MLB. Sutherland has no LB experience and we don't have depth. I don't think we even have a seasoned walkon like Jan Johnson a few years ago. I'm disappointed that we couldn't pick one up in the portal. Hopefully King. Elsdon, and Sutherland surprise me.
 
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NB4PSU

NB4PSU

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VaDave4PSU said:
While his recruiting accolades are better than King and Elsdon, he's already played as a DE in college. He could be a OLB in a 3-4, but it doesn't seem he has any experience in the Mike.

The biggest thing is getting the best on the field as often as possible. Does moving perhaps our *expected* best rush end to MLB help the defense?
Click to expand...
I thought Sutton was our best edge guy but that remains to be proven. I guess i'm looking at height, weight, speed, skill-set and wondering if guys who 2 years ago were not really high on the natl radar (450-600) possess those skills... i know, time will tell. King was a sorta 4 star with some decent offers... Elsdon not so much as a 3 (buffalo, army, etc in the mix). Again, a few years with the right training and hopefully all will be well. I think I was just hoping to see someone big and fast at the position. So we'll see.
 
VaDave4PSU

VaDave4PSU

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NB4PSU

NB4PSU

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VaDave4PSU said:
While his recruiting accolades are better than King and Elsdon, he's already played as a DE in college. He could be a OLB in a 3-4, but it doesn't seem he has any experience in the Mike.

The biggest thing is getting the best on the field as often as possible. Does moving perhaps our *expected* best rush end to MLB help the defense?
Click to expand...
I thought I'd read where maryland wanted him to be a LB and he preferred being an edge and transferred out. So I wondered if that was the primary reason he wasn't under consideration. Hey, Curtis Enis would have been a monster LB but he didn't turn out too bad as a RB. :)
 
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VaDave4PSU

VaDave4PSU

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NB4PSU said:
I thought I'd read where maryland wanted him to be a LB and he preferred being an edge and transferred out. So I wondered if that was the primary reason he wasn't under consideration. Hey, Curtis Enis would have been a monster LB but he didn't turn out too bad as a RB. :)
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I tried to find something explanatory but couldn't. Seems to be the gist of it, though. Too many "he's a pass rusher at heart" comments.
 
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GregInPitt

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Franklin has mentioned Robinson as strictly a DE on multiple occasions, so I don't see any reason to project him back into a LB. I'm also not a fan of Sutherland at LB, but Diaz has some options and will develop some more as training camp progresses.

King and Elsdon look like the first options at Mike, but if they are not progressing and one of the freshmen such as Carter turns heads in practice Diaz may interject him into the MLB competition.

I was under the impression that Buddin was playing Sam last season as a true freshman, but it seems that the JC player Mills as well as possibly the true freshman Winston may be a couple of players that could develop in Fall practice to push Sutherland. The pictures I saw of Mills show a pretty physically mature player with the size to play the hybrid LB/S position that the Sam LB spot has morphed into.

So then where does Buddin practice and potentially play? Is he big enough to play Will or Mike?

If Buddin and King have progressed, and Mills and possibly either/or Carter and Wylie, or even Winston, can show they have the potential to play a role at LB this season, the competition should be adequate to push the level of play upwards, and viable options should emerge in the event that Sutherland and/or the Elsdon/King Mike starter isn't performing as the season goes along.

Wonder if Diaz is 100% set on Jacobs starting at Will, or if they will experiment with him at Mike should Carter or another player such as Buddin turn heads at Will.......
 
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LB99

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Brandon Smith needed another year to develop. He should have stayed one more year.
GregInPitt said:
Wasn't Jack Ham unrated nationally?

Might want to give the kid a chance.
Click to expand...
True. Conlan wasn’t even in the conversation either. And kids like Josh Hull have come out of nowhere to be very productive players.
 
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Bwifan

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King and Carter are going to be battling for the starting spot.
 
GregInPitt

GregInPitt

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bdgan said:
Obviously I hope Carter does great but expecting a lot from a true freshman is unrealistic.
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Yep. Too bad Carter couldn't enroll in January and go through Spring practice. Lots of assignment responsibilities to learn in too short a time to realistically compete to start at LB for a player that only got to PSU in the Summer.......... But there are some options across the board at LB that should create the competition to end up with a good starting unit, backed up by some inexperienced but talented young players that can become realistic options as the season goes on.
 
PSUJam

PSUJam

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NB4PSU said:
OK, the 2 guys we got going mano v mano were not exactly high on the recruiting list so pardon my skepticism... that said, is Demeioun Robinson an option here, or is he guaranteed the edge (virtue of transfer agreement)? He's sure as hell would be a huge step up... imo.

That said, Arnold Ebiketie was an 80+ 247 grade dude out of high school and he did just fine :)

Does Abdul Carter have a play in the MLB mix?

EDIT: Just saw roster numbers. If accurate, both LB's are much bigger than last year and might be just fine in the middle. That would be great! BTW, love that Elsdon (sp) is from Frackville (Dad's old stomping grounds) so I know he's one tough SOB.
Click to expand...
 
NB4PSU

NB4PSU

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PSUJam said:
Click to expand...

One guy was a near perfect 5 star and the other a questionable 3 star no one really wanted. But Connor WAS a 5 star guy who played as a freshman. Sean Lee developed incredibly well and if either of the guys in the running for MLB do even a little bit of what Sean did, we're in for a treat. [I just wish we had a Connor-like guy in the mix]

Now maybe both will develop into Sean Lee type LBers... but I look at scouting then versus now and think that with all the available video it's a lot easier to figure things out. But no amount of video can determine how a kid will develop when properly trained and fed as they are at PSU. So fingers crossed (at least both guys are now at a weight that can handle the B1G).

BTW.. thanks for the photo... those guys were special.
 
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NB4PSU

NB4PSU

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LB99 said:
Brandon Smith needed another year to develop. He should have stayed one more year.

True. Conlan wasn’t even in the conversation either. And kids like Josh Hull have come out of nowhere to be very productive players.
Click to expand...
this Conlan article is pretty revealing... he was 6'3 185 in HS and a pretty good Basketball player (although he did win best player in western NY for football).

I highly doubt anyone is looking at 6/3 185 kids to play LB these days and unlikely even then. That Bradley saw something special in the kid to make him convince JoePa to take the shot speaks volumes about Bradley's keen eye. Fun read and always a reminder that young kids develop gien the right tools and... heart and fire.

Diamond in the rough: Penn State legend Shane Conlan only had one college offer

Conlan credits former PSU assistant Tom Bradley for getting him to State College.
www.pennlive.com www.pennlive.com
 
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Bvillebaron

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bdgan said:
This LB group is one of the weakest on paper I can remember at PSU. Not just MLB. Sutherland has no LB experience and we don't have depth. I don't think we even have a seasoned walkon like Jan Johnson a few years ago. I'm disappointed that we couldn't pick one up in the portal. Hopefully King. Elsdon, and Sutherland surprise me.
Click to expand...
Jacobs is a stud.
 
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SurgeOne

SurgeOne

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LB99 said:
Brandon Smith needed another year to develop. He should have stayed one more year.

True. Conlan wasn’t even in the conversation either. And kids like Josh Hull have come out of nowhere to be very productive players.
Click to expand...
Josh Hull was a tackling machine. Wish he got more of a chance in the pro’s
 
Chris92

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Per CJF today, Keon Wylie has been practicing as the 3rd Mike behind King and Elsdon. Presumably, that means Abdul Carter will be battling Buddin at the Will to back-up Curtis Jacobs.
 
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