The View Back To Look Ahead

Tyler Love, 6’7”, 290lbs. The five-star, can’t-miss recruit that was supposed to win the right tackle spot away from Drew Davis pretty much missed in 2008. But to be honest, it’s extremely rare for a true freshman to be effective and a stress fracture in his leg last summer probably eliminated any chance of him playing in 2008.

Love will start over this spring and hopefully take another shot.  He’s got talent but he needs to hit the weights from what I’ve read.

Bobby Massey, 6’8”, 335lbs. I hate to mention someone who hasn’t committed to Alabama, but Massey is so huge you almost have to foot note that if this guy signs he could be in the mix. Massy is a five-star recruit from Hargrave Military academy.  Massey has many offers though so we won’t know for a while if we will welcome him to campus.

At center, the field is much smaller. There is only one man on the roster with any starting center experience and that is Evan Cardwell. Cardwell has several things going against him. 

One, he is a senior so any experience he gained would be lost at the end of the year.  Also, he is 6’2”, and around 279, he is simply small by SEC standards. Assuming he remains an insurance option, here are my guesses.

Barrett Jones, 6’5”, 280. Jones was the best lineman prospect in Tennessee last year and we snagged him. He hurt a shoulder early and had some corrective surgery recently.

He didn’t play center in high school but he did play the position in the high school all star game and did well so he’s got my vote to try and plug in there first.

William Vlachos,  6’2”, 287. Vlachos was known as a workout warrior but seemed to have issues staying off the scout team this fall.

He did claw his way back to second team so it’s possible the sophomore could compete for the job but my guess he will need to pack on more muscle this summer.

There are certainly other candidates. I seem to remember David Ross playing some center so if he loses his bid for Guard you might see him there. It wouldn’t shock me to see long forgotten former defensive lineman Alfred McCullough learn to snap and go for this position. 

Johnson has locked down the left guard position and the right guard could simply be whoever loses out for the tackle spot.  Ross is probably penciled in right now but he’s got a bull’s eye on his back for sure as does Drew Davis and his right tackle spot.   There are other freshmen who will be on campus this fall. 

Anthony Steen, for instance, has a mean streak from what I’ve read. Chance Warmack was lightly recruited but at 6’4”, 330lbs and showing up early for spring practice, you have to wonder if he won’t force his way into the mix. Plus, he definitely wins the cool name contest.

Most of the time, however, true freshman can’t be counted on. There are also some older players who could be left in the dust. This spring could be their last chance to keep a roster spot but you just never know who’s going to step up out of nowhere and make an impact.

For instance, Drew Davis and David Ross, this time last year, I figured they would be off the team by now.  

Young people can be hard to predict.

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