05-31-2022, 04:37 PM
My bottom line for whenever the board allows me to post:
Sorry if the lengthy analysis is overkill but I figure if there's ever a recruit for close film analysis it's a corner (since conventional stats are less interesting) playing the best competition in America. The bottom line is this is really great news for several reasons. First, it's a defensive 4-star and, last year notwithstanding, defense is typically harder for us to recruit than offense. Second, the services are almost unanimous (all but On3) not only on his level of profile but on precisely where he is in that 4-star echelon, which is a level of recruit we can typically feel confident will help us at DB. A Kendall Williamson/Wayne Lyons/Ben Edwards type here is probably the median and mode outcome. Better is possible. Third, this is a significant need - we've recruited safety solidly in recent years but when it comes to pure corners Joshua Thompson is quite lonely in the pipeline. This not only changes that but it gives us a corner who projects even better (though I quite like Thompson too). Fourth, this makes Shaw's third (I believe) St. John Bosco scholarship player and one can never complain about a pipeline with one of America's top programs. It's unsettling to get a recruit with almost zero statistical production (which I think is a fair characterization of a guy who's been starting on varsity since his freshman year and has apparently never forced a turnover) and I would prefer to have objective evidence of speed (which I don't have). But otherwise there's really nothing not to like. He gets put on an island against major college football WRs and QBs and typically those opponents are in for a tough day at the office. In a few cases he appears to be the boogeyman for some big-time stars. Those who spend as much time with his highlights as I have will love his eagerness, physicality, and instincts in run support. While I wish we had it all and there were more ballhawk kind of film, more evidence of elite speed, and no blemishes on the film I watched, that's asking a lot. Based on where we are as a program, this is a great get for us.
Sorry if the lengthy analysis is overkill but I figure if there's ever a recruit for close film analysis it's a corner (since conventional stats are less interesting) playing the best competition in America. The bottom line is this is really great news for several reasons. First, it's a defensive 4-star and, last year notwithstanding, defense is typically harder for us to recruit than offense. Second, the services are almost unanimous (all but On3) not only on his level of profile but on precisely where he is in that 4-star echelon, which is a level of recruit we can typically feel confident will help us at DB. A Kendall Williamson/Wayne Lyons/Ben Edwards type here is probably the median and mode outcome. Better is possible. Third, this is a significant need - we've recruited safety solidly in recent years but when it comes to pure corners Joshua Thompson is quite lonely in the pipeline. This not only changes that but it gives us a corner who projects even better (though I quite like Thompson too). Fourth, this makes Shaw's third (I believe) St. John Bosco scholarship player and one can never complain about a pipeline with one of America's top programs. It's unsettling to get a recruit with almost zero statistical production (which I think is a fair characterization of a guy who's been starting on varsity since his freshman year and has apparently never forced a turnover) and I would prefer to have objective evidence of speed (which I don't have). But otherwise there's really nothing not to like. He gets put on an island against major college football WRs and QBs and typically those opponents are in for a tough day at the office. In a few cases he appears to be the boogeyman for some big-time stars. Those who spend as much time with his highlights as I have will love his eagerness, physicality, and instincts in run support. While I wish we had it all and there were more ballhawk kind of film, more evidence of elite speed, and no blemishes on the film I watched, that's asking a lot. Based on where we are as a program, this is a great get for us.