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'14 TX ILB Grant Watanabe (Signed to COLORADO)
- Thread starter Quattro
- Start date
Your post makes me wonder. Is the 40 a good indication of the speed needed at ILB? Seems his speed in the "10" or "20", if there were such critters, would be more important. By the time an LB is in the open field with a PAC12 RB or WR, the race is already lost.
Not even going off the 40. Look at the highlights. his first two steps when he wants to get somewhere are fast, fluid and powerful. After that, he maxes out pretty quickly.
Which means there huge room for improvement, based on proper technique and improved core strength.
HS kids have little concept of core strength and its overall effect on sports performance, even if they have decent S & C training in school.
fairdinkum
New Member
While I do agree with your post, I'd add this is why u recruit the heck out of Texas.
DowntownBuff
New Member
F*** Yes!!! It's hard to go wrong with someone who was born a tackling machine. :drink2:
Buffenuf
massive tool
Okay, so he won't be covering the other team's WRs. Kid gives up no yards after contact, the RBs were mostly stopped dead in their track ordriven backwards on his tackles.
He seems very explosive speed wise in his first steps. From my limited knowledge, he also seemed very disciplined. I trust Mac and Baer to make these defensive selections. He is short, but seems height on the D is more important with the DL and DBs, not so much LBs. GW should make a big impact here.
'14 TX ILB Grant Watanabe (Verbal to COLORADO)
You do know this is a pass happy conference, right? He needs to be able to defend in space against WR's at times.
Personally, I like this pickup but speed is a concern.
You do know this is a pass happy conference, right? He needs to be able to defend in space against WR's at times.
Personally, I like this pickup but speed is a concern.
I'm not going to fret over a Mike Backers 40 time too much. 3 of the top 10 rated MLB's in the draft this year ran a 4.8 or higher 40 time (#3 LSU's Minter ran a 4.81). It matters a heck of a lot more for CB's, Safeties and Will Backers. MLB's are used on a base 4-3 defense and come off the field in the nickel. I doubt he'd be asked to man up on very many plays at all. We were gashed by the run last year. His film showed some great vision and football instincts. We need instinctual MLB's in our program badly.
MLB rankings: http://www.draftcountdown.com/Rankings/ILB.php
MLB rankings: http://www.draftcountdown.com/Rankings/ILB.php
Just to clarify my earlier comments, the size/speed combo is what concerns me a bit. A 5'10"-5'11" MLB running 4.87 is a bit different than a 6'1"-6'2" MLB running in the low 4.8 range.
There will always be undersized players in a class, just a fine line to walk at times.
Regardless, the staff clearly likes him.
There will always be undersized players in a class, just a fine line to walk at times.
Regardless, the staff clearly likes him.
Understood. Height doesn't concern me for the MLB position only because he likely won't be covering TE's man on man. I think the staff loves his film and offered based on his abilities there. If he had that film to go along with a 6'2 frame and a low 4.8 40 time, we would likely not have a shot at landing him.
I would bet that Stanford's defensive players do not run elite 40 times. But they make up for it with technique, heart and smarts. We'll need to follow that same path until we can land top talent.
So I decided to look this up...
Last year's starting LB's for Stanford and their 40 times in high school listed from Rivals.
OLB - Trent Murphy - 3 star - 4.8
ILB - Shayne Skov - 4 star - 4.6
ILB - AJ Tarpley - 3 star - 4.7
OLB - Blake Lueders - 4 star - 4.8
I would think that most people would rank these backers as the best in the PAC 12 right? Two of them ran a 4.8 in HS.
Manti Teo ran a low 4.8 at the combine but then ran a 4.7 at his pro day. My point is that people are getting too worked up about his 40 time when his tape clearly shows that the kid can really play.
I really like HCMM and staff approach to the defense. I think that they are loading up on good football players. I think one of Embree's issues was taking guys who didn't have great films but DID have the 6'2 and 4.6-4.7 40 (Tuumalo, Harlos and Kyle Washington) and attempting to turn them into better players. I'd rather take the better player with a .1 slower 40 time.
Last year's starting LB's for Stanford and their 40 times in high school listed from Rivals.
OLB - Trent Murphy - 3 star - 4.8
ILB - Shayne Skov - 4 star - 4.6
ILB - AJ Tarpley - 3 star - 4.7
OLB - Blake Lueders - 4 star - 4.8
I would think that most people would rank these backers as the best in the PAC 12 right? Two of them ran a 4.8 in HS.
Manti Teo ran a low 4.8 at the combine but then ran a 4.7 at his pro day. My point is that people are getting too worked up about his 40 time when his tape clearly shows that the kid can really play.
I really like HCMM and staff approach to the defense. I think that they are loading up on good football players. I think one of Embree's issues was taking guys who didn't have great films but DID have the 6'2 and 4.6-4.7 40 (Tuumalo, Harlos and Kyle Washington) and attempting to turn them into better players. I'd rather take the better player with a .1 slower 40 time.
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great point and thanks for the research. I think JE and staff wiffed on a lot of levels, to include player evaluations
If he can find the ball, I don't give a damn how tall he is. Just attack.
he does, doesn't he?
nocoolnamejim
Well-Known Member
I know he doesn't have the prototypical size and speed combination for a guy at his position, but I think Colorado got a sleeper here. This kid strikes me as a baller. Congrats on your second commit of the year Buffs!
http://colorado.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1558282
9. LB GRANT WATANABE, SAN ANTONIO (TEXAS) BRENNANWatanabe is the guy in the middle who makes everything go for the Brennan defense. He may not be the tallest, but he is quick to diagnose the play and get where he needs to be. He plays with a lot of football intelligence, and that helps him play faster than his listed speed. He was in on many tackles and recorded an interception over the middle. - See more at: http://colorado.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1558282#sthash.hH15Diee.dpuf
Flatirons2
New Member
He's going to have to give up #44....plays like Dizon though. Fast and good tackler.
Watanabe could play very early.