Projecting the Future: Daniel Gray
by Brad Shepard on Jan 17, 2012 5:43 PM EST
in Tennessee Volunteers Recruiting
Email
PrintDANIEL GRAY, 6-0, 165 CB LAUDERDALE LAKES, FLA. [BOYD ANDERSON HS]
Ratings: Rivals 3* cornerback, Scout 3* No. 105 cornerback, ESPN 2* No. 103 cornerback, 247 3* No. 98 cornerback. Chose UT over Nebraska, Kansas, Ole Miss and Texas Tech.
STRENGTHS: Speed, speed and more speed. He is also tall at 6-feet for a corner and was blessed with speed in the 4.3s according to the Miami Herald, 247 Sports and Scout.com. ESPN puts his speed at 4.51, but by most camp accounts their clock must be slow. Gray is a very raw talent who has a very big upside because of his size/speed combo.
NEEDS WORK: As we said, he's raw. Gray has only played football for two seasons -- that's how raw. His technique is not very good, and he has been playing based off talent alone. Though his coaches say his footwork is much better than you'd expect for somebody who has been playing this short a time, it's still not ideal, especially his backpedal and ball-face pivot. He is almost assuredly a redshirt season away and probably two years from making a contribution. Without a doubt, he has to get in the S&C program and hit it hard.
CREDENTIALS: In his first year of playing organized football in a talented region, he had two interceptions and three forced fumbles as a junior in 2010. The Miami Herald calls Gray "one of the region's fastest football players" in a region with perhaps the fastest group of football players in the country. Reportedly, Gray had only 24 tackles and an interception for the Cobras as a senior.
OPTIMISTIC CEILING: It's all about potential, potential, potential for Gray, who is about as raw as they come. His statistics did not stand out as a senior or a junior, but coaches aren't worried about that right now. They see one of the fastest kids in South Florida, who -- while he may be a project -- has a coachable upside with enough size to be worth the risk. He isn't even remotely close to this level yet, but if he can add 20 pounds, his frame and athleticism remind me of former Alabama and current Texans CB Kareem Jackson. Still, there is a LOOOOOONG way to go to get in that conversation, and hopefully, Gray will be ready to contribute as a redshirt sophomore.
40 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Special teams as a redshirt frosh?
Gunner, maybe. PR guy somewhere down on the depth chart if he understands how to read blocks.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
Two trends I'm noticing so far:
Big defensive lineman, and guys who are FAST.
Yep, sounds like we’re gearing up to compete in the SEC.
"Do the Titans have a miracle left in them in what has been a magical season to this point? If they do, they need it now. Christie kicks it high and short. Gonna be fielded by Lorenzo Neal at the 25; he dishes it back to Wycheck; he throws it across the field to Dyson. 30, 40, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, endzone...touchdown, Titans! There are no flags on the field! It's a miracle! Tennessee has pulled a miracle! A miracle for the Titans!"
by TennesseeTyrants on Jan 17, 2012 6:42 PM EST reply actions
That's why this class is so important to keep together
We’re done with the “get the best guys available because we have needs everywhere” and we’re actually going after gap-closers like big LBs, quality defensive linemen and speed guys. All we’re missing is an elite RB, and Bourque could be, we just don’t know. (And he isn’t done with the process yet, either).
Gray can’t help right away but he probably will be able to help.
Holdin' it down on enemy grounds.
Anti-Snail on offense; Give me a slobberknocker, or give me death!
Yeah.
I like this class of running backs. It seems like we’ve picked up one of every flavor. For the next couple of years we may move away from the every-down back and use more situation backs or running backs by committee, but that’s fine, assuming it’s working.
"Do the Titans have a miracle left in them in what has been a magical season to this point? If they do, they need it now. Christie kicks it high and short. Gonna be fielded by Lorenzo Neal at the 25; he dishes it back to Wycheck; he throws it across the field to Dyson. 30, 40, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, endzone...touchdown, Titans! There are no flags on the field! It's a miracle! Tennessee has pulled a miracle! A miracle for the Titans!"
by TennesseeTyrants on Jan 17, 2012 8:28 PM EST up reply actions
The problem I have with situational backs
Is that when you put them in the Defense is able to adjust because the offense has to run certain sets or a limited number of plays for them. I do like the RB by committee because you keep fresh legs but I prefer every down backs, using 2-3 every down backs as the RB by committee. And I have a question in regards to Dyshawn Mobley and its simply me being ignorant to the kid. Many callers keep calling in asking why Dooley did not offer and mentioning that he ran for something like 3000 yards. What is the scoop on Mobley and is it possible that he was overlooked?
I don't know about Mobley
But I agree with you on situational backs to a degree. I still think you put in your bruiser on first and goal or your best receiving or blocking back on 3rd and long, etc, but RB by committee shouldn’t be 100% situational. If you can run the same set of core plays with every back, there’s not a whole lot of adjusting the defense can do, and that gives you some great opportunities to pound rock with a big guy or every down back, then put in a speed guy as a change of pace who has a chance of breaking off a game changer.
"Do the Titans have a miracle left in them in what has been a magical season to this point? If they do, they need it now. Christie kicks it high and short. Gonna be fielded by Lorenzo Neal at the 25; he dishes it back to Wycheck; he throws it across the field to Dyson. 30, 40, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, endzone...touchdown, Titans! There are no flags on the field! It's a miracle! Tennessee has pulled a miracle! A miracle for the Titans!"
by TennesseeTyrants on Jan 18, 2012 10:40 AM EST up reply actions
Dyshawn is just not what we were looking for
We like Alden Hill’s game speed better. Mobley is more of a fullback type like that. I liked him better than Hill, but I’ve had people who have seen Hill in person tell me I’m crazy.
But I always want Tennessee boys.
Holdin' it down on enemy grounds.
Anti-Snail on offense; Give me a slobberknocker, or give me death!
by Brad Shepard on Jan 18, 2012 10:58 AM EST up reply actions
I was just curious...
I understand that we can’t get every local kid but would hate to miss on a kid that may have the potential to of Randall Cobb. TN really missed the boat on him, and he has been good at KY and at the NFL level so with all the ruckus by local media and fans saying he had the potential to make more of an impact than Cobb i was just curious.
I'd imagine that with our scheme, we're not going to rely heavily on an every-down, downhill Richardson-type...
.. or necessarily need one (though they’re obviously great to have). I think the thought is more to have a mess of players who can block, run the checkdown, or play in the slot, depending on the call/read. Think Pead or Darren Sproles.
This is contrary to what Dooley seems to prefer
Just because UT has not been a downhill running team, I don’t think this is by choice for Dooley. I think he really wants a downhill running game. As for using alot of shotgun I can’t really see that being in Dooley’s preference either. They prefer taller QB’s that can see over the O-line so they do not have to run alot of shotgun. Additionally those spread teams work well in the Big east and Big 12 but its not going to work so good in this league where defense is King! Don’t get me wrong Bray has a gun, but he is a prototypical drop back passer and this requires a downhill running game! Elsewise the LBs and DEs just tee off and start QB hunting.
It's more Chaney than Dooley
And Chaney has shown every tendency to prefer to pass the ball 40 or so times a game, mostly out of the gun. Per that only working in the Big 12 or the Big East- Arkansas (the 3rd best team in the SEC and probably the country last year) disagrees.
Well 3rd best in the SEC
Is true and they will always be third best until they develop a power running game because the more a team has to rely on the pass against a team like AL or LSU the more they are likely to turn the ball over or take sacks for losses. That being said ARK was at their best when Kniles Davis was healthy and chewing up yards…Another one of those downhill power runners.
Dunno that I'd call Davis a downhill power runner
ARK uses him pretty heavily off-tackle and as a checkdown/wheel-route receiver. See this- pretty much every good run is to the outside (other than the first couple). And compare that to, say, Spencer Ware, whose goal is just to flatten people.
Additionally
He may prefer to pass 40 times a game but I doubt that, almost any OC will tell you they would like to have a Balance offense, in which they only throw the ball between 45-55% of the time. So if UT is running 80-90 offense plays then throwing 40 times ok, but if is 60-70 like the norm I would not look for more than 30 – 35 with an equal number of running plays.
I'd refer you to...
… this. Which is cheating, because I wrote it hahahah
In any case I just don’t think there’s necessarily a dichotomy where you have to either
a) run Stanford or Wisconsin’s nfl-in-1983-style offense and have a ‘balanced attack’, or
b) go Air Raid and give up on running the ball at all
We’re going to live or die by the pass- I think that everything in Chaney’s background and our current personnel strengths points to that. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have an extremely effective run game- I just don’t think it’s going to look like the classic under-center three yards and a cloud of dust.
I agree with you
in the sense that Chaney will not be a run 4-5 consecutive plays and then short passes. However I do think that it will be balanced in the sense that he will remain close to 45-55% range depending on how successful the running game is. A successful running absolutely opens up the passing game. Look at Peyton Manning, in my opinion the greatest QB to play the game, he preferred an effective running game because the play action becomes effective rather than a wasted motion. If RB is not threatening the past the LOS then the LBs and safety do not worry about the RB actually getting the ball and thus the lanes that are designed to be open won’t be. I will refer you to the NO Saints and Drew Brees, he throws it around alot but they run it alot too. Matter of fact prior to the start of the playoffs they were the number 5 rushing team in the NFL. And while some of the runs they do are misdirection and trickery, many are just straight up I formation runs. And their runs are successful equally due to the successful threat of pass. This is the balance I think Chaney will seek and this is what I mean by needing a downhill runner. No I do not expect TN to run a similar offense to AL, but I also don’t expect it to look like Mike Leach’s air raid offense either. Somewhere in between. In which when Chaney wishes to go downfield Bray will do just that but when its 3rd or 4th and 1-3 yards he feels comfortable running it off tackle or between the tackles for the necessary yardage.
I think most of their "rushing yards"
are actually just screen passes that were thrown backwards, so they technically count as runs. I’m speaking of NO, of course.
It's Great! To be! A Tennessee Vol!
I'm a big Saints fan...
… and can tell you that’s just not the case. I’d actually say the opposite is true- the heavy use of slip and tunnel screens that the Saints are so good at actually inflates the passing numbers a little. We only run a couple bubble-screen type things, and Brees and company is pretty careful to make sure they’re always forward passes, due to the fumble risk. New Orleans actually has a really underrated and dynamic run game, with a healthy mix of pitch-sweeps and inside and outside zones- you just don’t hear that much about it due to the RB-by-committee of Thomas, Sproles, Ingram and Ivory limiting the individual numbers. Docrok is correct in saying that Payton’s heavy use of play-action and vertical passing does wonders to open up the ground game.
Yup, this.
High-five!
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Jan 18, 2012 5:25 PM EST up reply actions
I also think the scheme had a lot to do with the players and capability they had last year
Poole wasn’t an SEC caliber runner and our o-line wasn’t ready to knock more veteran d-lines off the ball and our tight ends weren’t good blockers so you go with what you got…Hunter, Bray, Rogers and lots of shot gun formations. That was a great plan until Bray and Hunter went down. Not the fault of Chaney or Dooley but just a reality of where our roster was at last year.
Bouroque isn't done with the process?
Are you saying there is a chance he flips?
"Albert hits good pitches hard and bad pitches even harder. And when he gets in the batter's box, if you pray, then you start praying. And if you don't pray, you think about starting."--Brian Bannister
Trevor Rosenthal Update (as of end of regular season)
120 1/3IP, 133 K, 52 BB/HBP, 55 ER, 7 HR, 3.04 FIP
Postseason: 2 Starts- 15 IP, 9 H, 10 K, 2 BB, 3 ER, 19:10 GO:AO
He has another visit scheduled
To Miami I think, however he was committed to one of the Texas teams, A&M or Texas Tech I think, then switched his committment to LSU after a visit and then to UT after visiting here, so he may still be undecided. That being said they think he will stick with his committment to UT because UT is offering him a chance to compete at RB where other schools have offered him as a LB or WR. He is set on playing RB and with UT offering him a shot at RB it is believe he will likely stick with his committment but he has already flipped two previous times so you never know.
Bourque
Is a one-cut-and-go type of runner I believe. Should benefit from a zone blocking scheme by the hogmollys up front.
Kind of reminds me of an Arian Foster makeup. If he can churn 4.5 YPC+, this offense could be potent come Football Time in TN.
I really hope Marlin Lane can bring it in spring practice. Time to heal and further removed from the knee injury he suffered could bring his explosiveness back. A Bourque/Lane/Neal backfield would rank in the upper half of the SEC I would think.
by pound the rock on Jan 18, 2012 12:12 PM EST up reply actions
That reminds me:
what do we know about the new OL coach’s preferences?
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Jan 18, 2012 1:10 PM EST up reply actions
Seems like all offenses run some zone concepts and man concepts
Some teams emphasize one style more dominantly, but many or most seem to be somewhat multiple in their blocking schemes. I’d love to see the counter trey come back into our playbook. We used to roll teams with that play with Henry, Graham, Lewis blasting through those holes.
Honestly, I doubt we're doing to be running enough from an I or staggered I to really use it
We leaned pretty heavily on an ace-back for our under-center stuff this year, and I would guess our base formation next year will be from the gun- and Bray certainly ain’t going to be much of a counter threat.
I think
The fact that TN has been unsuccessful running the football that a lot of people just naturally assume that Chaney is just going to air it out. While Chaney may prefer to pass, I’m not sold on this either, I believe Dooley wants a ground game
that controls the ball. Yes there will be a vertical passing game because of the personnel TN has, but I believe Dooley is trying to establish a power running game that he can rely on to get 3 yards when he has to.
power running plus vertical passing is a great combination
Hard to pull off but if you can do both well they really compliment each other. Appears like we’re getting the pieces in place to do that.
If you're refering to the counter trey play
Washington Redskins won a couple of Super Bowls running counter trey heavy play calling out of a single back formation. Instead of a fullback they used an h back. I think Bartholomew would make an ideal h back.
Oh, I see what you're saying
Like a Power-O kinda thing with a pulling guard and a leading H back. Sorta spaced on the Gibbs single-back. I was thinking more of a West Coast single-back usage, and associated counter trey with pulling both the guard and the tackle, which without another guy in the backfield would obviously be kinda tough on the away side.
Yeah, I think this can be incorporated over the offseason pretty easily.
Not haphazardly during the middle of the season.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Jan 18, 2012 5:27 PM EST up reply actions
He's to the 30!
…
….
…….
he’s to the 31!
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Jan 18, 2012 5:26 PM EST up reply actions
much more zone-blocking.
Holdin' it down on enemy grounds.
Anti-Snail on offense; Give me a slobberknocker, or give me death!
by Brad Shepard on Jan 19, 2012 12:08 PM EST up reply actions
Interesting.
Probably a good thing, that.
Formerly 'snail. You get used to it after a while.
by Chris Pendley on Jan 19, 2012 2:53 PM EST up reply actions
OT: Rob Lowe....yes that Rob Lowe, is saying that he is hearing Peyton will retire
If this is true (which i completely do not believe) GIVE HIM A COACHING JOB IMMEDIATELY
2015 St. Louis Rotation-- Wainwright, Garcia, Miller, Martinez, Rosenthal...towels please
scratch GA
position coach at least….
It's Great! To be! A Tennessee Vol!
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
SHOP THE ROCKY TOP TALK STORE
Animated Drive Charts
RTT Classics
