Posted this the other day in the egriz club - curious others thoughts here:
I keep seeing suggestion to expect a possible shift 3-4 defense next year. Maybe not entirely but that it'll be something considered. Obviously that'll bring about a lot of change. I'm curious for those that are more knowledgeable on this - do we have the right guys and depth for this? My knowledge of the 3-4 extends to only what I see as a fan. I'm a Green Bay Packers fan and they've run a 3-4 since 2007 or something like that - since the hire of Dom Capers.
Of the 3 D-linemen you've got 1 nose tackle, usually 300+ pounds and built for absorbing double teams. The other two d-ends usually heavier guys, not necessarily speed rush guys as they need to battle in the trenches a lot in run support as well.
Returning D-tackles & current recruits:
Caleb Kidder: 6-5, 275
Kyle Davis: 6-1, 265
Zach Peevey: 6-3, 265
Nate Bradley: 5-10, 260
Brandt Davidson: 6-2, 285
Looking at that list... who is the starting NT and who is the backup NT? Davidson and Kidder? Looks like the right size for D-ends in a 3-4 but no 300 pound nose in this group. Am I putting too much emphasis on size here? Seems like the starting 3 could be Kidder, and maybe Davidson if he competes right away - with Peevey and Bradley and Davis vying between starting and rotating?
Returning D-ends & 1 verbal recruit:
Ryan Johnson: 6-3, 255
Donald Bedell: 6-3, 240
Tucker Schye: 6-4, 225
Nick Mertes: 6-3, 235
Austin Chadderon: 6-2, 200
Andrew Harris: 6-2, 215
Reggie Tilleman: 6-4, 251
Jesse Sims: 6-4, 235
Esai Longoria: 6-3, 268
(going to keep Ralston off the list since I'm told he's going back to offense)
Of that list... Johnson, Longoria, Bedell, and Tilleman could work... beyond that the rest of the guys are awfully light to be playing as D-ends in this type of system. Now to their credit, Tilleman, Harris, Chadderon, Sims, & Mertes are all either freshman or RS freshman, so they're younger and presumably still growing and gaining. Could see Sims and Mertes and well as Schye being able to add 10-15 to get into that discussion of being the right size. However Harris and Chadderon, and maybe Schye might be better suited to be an outside backer that frequently pass-rushes.
Outside linebackers (and 1 transfer) - kind of taking a guess here since there's a lot of youth and I don't know who's precisely tabbed for OLB vs ILB:
Josh Buss: 6-2, 203
Dante Olsen: 6-3, 225
Gage Smith: 6-3, 210
Alex Thomas: 6-3, 210
Shayne Cochran: 6-1, 225
Jimmy Banks: 6-1, 225
Would any one of these guys be even close to a near-every down pass rushing OLB? I think Buss and Thomas are maybe the better of the group, also Banks as the UAB transfer and Cochran shows promise. But these guys seem more like the pass-coverage / WLB type guys of this group. Again, it seems the ideal size OLB for pass-rushing might be found in our current group of lighter D-ends. Buss, IMO, has to be on the field as a starter, love the way he plays and I think the future is very bright for him.
Inside linebackers (again a guess at some here):
Connor Strahm: 6-0, 235
David Fa'atuiese: 6-3, 240
Cy Sirmon: 6-3, 225
Thats... it - now I'd guess if the OLB's get fed by the lighter DE's then we could see some of the OLB guys move to provide ILB depth, maybe Thomas or Banks? Strahm seems like a lock... beyond him though?
I took a stab at what the starting front 7 may look like, but it's a wild ass guess honestly.
DE: Johnson / Bedell
NT: Kidder / Bradley
DE: Peevey / Davidson or Davis
OLB: Schye / Chadderon
ILB: Strahm / Sirmon
ILB: Thomas / Fa'atuiese
OLB: Buss / Cochran
The biggest trick I see is which D-end would shift to a pass-rushing OLB and what will be done with ILB vs OLB and the current roster. Of the group we've got there's a lot of wide open jobs. It would seem to me that Johnson, Kidder, Strahm, and Buss for sure should be locked in to start. Beyond that it's anyone's job.