Doctordore started a post last June looking to provide a preseason rank the football positions. I enjoyed the thread enough I went back just to see how I ranked the team and how I might change the numbers.
My list (on a 1 to 10 scale) was as follows. . .and my post-season ranking is further down.
[from June 2015} 10 being the best, here is my rankings. Might not be worth a hill of beans. Somewhat based on our previous rosters and not on competing conference rosters.
QB - 3 (gets a boost based on potential, but very low due to performance. Losing Patton doesn't help)
RB - 7 (Webb is a very solid starter and Dallas Rivers will be productive this year)
WR - 5 (we have some athleticism here, but again low due to production. Much hinges on QB play - need guys like Sherfield to become difference makers)
OL - 8 (I think guys like Delando Crooks will step up big. We have some size overall. Bridges, Pulley, Bernstein, McCoy, Jelks, Gouger - again, solid talent base).
DL - 9 (Nifae, Adam Butler, Caleb Azubike, Jay Woods, Riley Tindol - I think this group will surprise. One of our best in years)
LB - 9 (Weatherly, Cunningham, Bowden. . .we have some studs here. We also have some depth)
DB - 7 (I think this guys are a maligned group that will be very productive this year. We have some talent.)
ST - 6 (tough to call here, not much production last year but there are some good legs on the roster with Openshaw and Cooke. More LBs to fill coverage teams should help as well - need the blend of size and speed. Darrius Simms is a great return man).
Bottom line is I think our defense has some of the best talent it's had in years. Offensively we don't have weapons on the outside and
REVISED POST SEASON RANKINGS
QB - 3 (took a meandering path to get here. I think if we unleash Shurmer next year this number could easily rise few ticks. Overall performance was low but we have a reason for optimism)
RB - 8 (Webb was productive, period. He was our only offensive and was #4 in the league in rushing. Overcame an average OL. Less production from Rivers than expected but he's getting better)
WR - 2 (just not enough production or playmaking, throw in an injury or two and we had two games with 50 yards passing/receiving)
OL - 4 (we got abused up front at times, held our own at times, and had one or two games where we looked like we were coming together. I still had Jelks on the list and we just had too many injuries).
DL - 8 (all the guys named above really came to play, plus several others. Anyone know how Tindol is progressing, don't know the sack numbers but seems like we could have provided more four man pressure).
LB - 9 (also for diff reasons they stay at a nine. Zach was a beast. Great depth. Solid play out of at least four or five LBs).
DB - 8 (somewhat unsung heroes. Ferguson played lights-out and we saw guys like Burks grow. Thought about dropping this to 7 but also thought about raising it to a 9).
ST - 2 (just a terrible year here on so many fronts. The lone bright spot was Ryan White at PR)
My list (on a 1 to 10 scale) was as follows. . .and my post-season ranking is further down.
[from June 2015} 10 being the best, here is my rankings. Might not be worth a hill of beans. Somewhat based on our previous rosters and not on competing conference rosters.
QB - 3 (gets a boost based on potential, but very low due to performance. Losing Patton doesn't help)
RB - 7 (Webb is a very solid starter and Dallas Rivers will be productive this year)
WR - 5 (we have some athleticism here, but again low due to production. Much hinges on QB play - need guys like Sherfield to become difference makers)
OL - 8 (I think guys like Delando Crooks will step up big. We have some size overall. Bridges, Pulley, Bernstein, McCoy, Jelks, Gouger - again, solid talent base).
DL - 9 (Nifae, Adam Butler, Caleb Azubike, Jay Woods, Riley Tindol - I think this group will surprise. One of our best in years)
LB - 9 (Weatherly, Cunningham, Bowden. . .we have some studs here. We also have some depth)
DB - 7 (I think this guys are a maligned group that will be very productive this year. We have some talent.)
ST - 6 (tough to call here, not much production last year but there are some good legs on the roster with Openshaw and Cooke. More LBs to fill coverage teams should help as well - need the blend of size and speed. Darrius Simms is a great return man).
Bottom line is I think our defense has some of the best talent it's had in years. Offensively we don't have weapons on the outside and
REVISED POST SEASON RANKINGS
QB - 3 (took a meandering path to get here. I think if we unleash Shurmer next year this number could easily rise few ticks. Overall performance was low but we have a reason for optimism)
RB - 8 (Webb was productive, period. He was our only offensive and was #4 in the league in rushing. Overcame an average OL. Less production from Rivers than expected but he's getting better)
WR - 2 (just not enough production or playmaking, throw in an injury or two and we had two games with 50 yards passing/receiving)
OL - 4 (we got abused up front at times, held our own at times, and had one or two games where we looked like we were coming together. I still had Jelks on the list and we just had too many injuries).
DL - 8 (all the guys named above really came to play, plus several others. Anyone know how Tindol is progressing, don't know the sack numbers but seems like we could have provided more four man pressure).
LB - 9 (also for diff reasons they stay at a nine. Zach was a beast. Great depth. Solid play out of at least four or five LBs).
DB - 8 (somewhat unsung heroes. Ferguson played lights-out and we saw guys like Burks grow. Thought about dropping this to 7 but also thought about raising it to a 9).
ST - 2 (just a terrible year here on so many fronts. The lone bright spot was Ryan White at PR)
