Projecting the Future: Daniel McCullers

by Brad Shepard on Jan 22, 2012 4:32 PM EST in Tennessee Volunteers Recruiting

DANIEL MCCULLERS, 6-6, 380 DT RALEIGH, N.C. [SOUTHEAST RALEIGH HS/GEORGIA MILITARY COLLEGE]

Ratings: Rivals 4* No. 6 overall JUCO player, Scout 3*, 247 3*. Chose UT over Alabama, Mississippi State, N.C. State.

STRENGTHS: Well, first of all, he's bigger than a barn and strong as an ox, so when you put him at the nose guard in a 3-4, the center of the line looks like a pile-up on I-40. He also is surprisingly athletic and quicker on his feet than most 380-pounders [like there are many ...] The best thing about McCullers to me is he doesn't look sloppy or lazy. It's not every day that you can weigh what he weighs and not look like you're laboring. While I'm sure he doesn't have the same stamina as most out there, he looks to be in pretty good shape, and he looks to play hard the majority of the time. With his height, it will be tough for quarterbacks to throw over him across the middle.

NEEDS WORK: He is going to be a disrupter because of his size, but he is never going to be a technician. He simply can't help playing high sometimes because of his height, and he's a bit slow at the point of attack. He doesn't need to rush the passer -- that's not his game -- but he will be dynamic at what he does best which is clog the hole. Scout knocks his lateral quickness, which is kind of laughable to me. You never expect a guy like McCullers or Terrence Cody to make a tackle downfield. You want them to plug the middle of the field. In that, McCullers can't help but be great if he just doesn't get knocked off the ball, which he doesn't often. I'm also going to throw this out there: You just don't know about his grades. Though I've not heard of any worries academically it's happened before that UT struggled to get JUCO DTs in school. I will worry until he's in uniform for fall drills.

CREDENTIALS: As a freshman at GMC he had 27 tackles, one interception, four pass deflections and 15 sacks. Last year, he had 37 tackles, nine tackles for a loss, and two sacks. He is the No. 38 JUCO player according to 247. He was second-team all state as a senior in high school.

OPTIMISTIC CEILING: While he will draw inevitable comparisons to "Mount Cody", Mt. McCullers says his game more closely resembles Patriots 6-2, 340-pound DT Vince Wilfork. Either one of those would be fine with us. McCullers actually looks in much better condition than Cody, and he is bigger and taller than Cody. Still, Cody was a disruptive force and an All-American at Alabama. If McCullers can reach that level, then the Vols are going to be greatly improved immediately. He may not be the best commitment UT has this year, but he is arguably the most important. As the Vols transition to a 3-4, a player of his size can make up for a lot of mistakes with his size. He will almost certainly be an NFL player if he could drop 20-30 pounds and keep playing hard.

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I hope McCullers and Sentimore are staples of our defensive line next season.

If they are the players we hope they can be, and our young linebackers continue to improve, our front 7 will be able to go toe-to-toe with anyone in the country.

"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 22, 2012 5:06 PM EST reply actions

Are we just all assuming

that Tennessee’s starting defensive line next year will be Sentimore, McCullers, Couch? Maybe Jacques to OLB?

I know it’s dangerous to assume too much about instant impact (see: Byron Moore), but we’ve also seen it happen plenty on both sides of the ball the last two years. I feel like it’s the one piece of the puzzle we don’t know, but I’m also more optimistic about being good on the line for a change than I am at being good in the defensive backfield, where we know and have seen all the names and still may not feel great about any four of them together.

Rocky Top Talk

by Will Shelton on Jan 22, 2012 5:08 PM EST reply actions

I think that should be the starting front 3 in the 3-4

If we’re truly going to be a multiple front team like Dooley suggested, I would think that we’d see a rotation of Hood, Couch, and Sentimore at DT for the 4-3 looks.

by TennesseeTyrants on Jan 22, 2012 5:26 PM EST up reply actions

There is no doubt that Couch and Sentimore are starters in my mind. Zero doubt.

McCullers seems to be a great fit.

Jacques is almost certainly an OLB now along with Maggitt. Jordan Williams, too.

Holdin' it down on enemy grounds.

Anti-Snail on offense; Give me a slobberknocker, or give me death!

by Brad Shepard on Jan 22, 2012 5:09 PM EST reply actions

A guy who is close to Benny Monroe

….claims Jacquez want out. You actually think he can convert to olb?

Sgt Rutledge aka Woody Strode

by SLSmi on Jan 22, 2012 6:29 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Out? Like out of school?

Why?

2015 St. Louis Rotation-- Wainwright, Garcia, Miller, Martinez, Rosenthal...towels please

by VolsnCards5 on Jan 22, 2012 8:36 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Cool Rumor Bro

Save that stuff for Volnation.

"We've got weapons, we've still got weapons... That's terrible, I apologize."
- Bruce Pearl

by bsmithinc on Jan 22, 2012 8:40 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Yeah...

thats about as inaccurate as it gets.

My sister is actually relatively close to him, having taught him at Ooltewah. And he’s not really a guy you could describe as a diva, which are the sort of guys who tend to transfer at the drop of a hat.

by Caban on Jan 22, 2012 8:49 PM EST up reply actions

All I am going to say is you're wrong.

And I know this for a fact. I won’t flame past that.

Thanks for playing.

Holdin' it down on enemy grounds.

Anti-Snail on offense; Give me a slobberknocker, or give me death!

by Brad Shepard on Jan 22, 2012 10:25 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks

For clearing that up. I will print the comments and hand them to dude. Didn’t think it was true but threw it out there anyway so I could have a answer for him. I lived in Ooltewah when he was in school and know several players who graduated with him. They haven’t stated such but dude swears by Benny.

Sgt Rutledge aka Woody Strode

by SLSmi on Jan 22, 2012 10:26 PM EST via mobile reply actions

the dude abides

If I cared more about my UNC side, I'd call myself "Tar Volon," and that'd be awesome.
Bolts, Canes, Preds (now in different conferences!). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity
Rocky Top Talk

by Incipient_Senescence on Jan 22, 2012 10:30 PM EST up reply actions