This is the last of the preseason reviews since nobody knows who is kicking or punting.....
The DBs
Who is back and who is new???
Mark Barron- Barron was allowed to grow into the role he has last year thanks to 3 veteran corners. This year, he will be the one asked to compensate for those needing to grow. Barron has the ability to be a FS, SS, and the Star in this defense, however, the lack of capable backups behind him will hold him to 1 position. I look for him to be an All-American and probably skip out this winter to the NFL where he's probably a middle 1st round pick.
John Fulton- Fulton looked good in the A Day game when asked to play man coverage. The thing keeping him from being a serious contender as a starter now is that he needs to learn the system and how to play in space more. That isn't a major issue as most true freshmen don't have a lot of experience in zone coverage coming out of high school. I think the way he plays is going to endear him with the staff and fans over time because he wants the island. When you watch his HS film, you can tell he loves the game and really likes to get the go to guy and jam him, try to shut him down early and often. He has great acceleration but isn't a speed burner at corner. He has enough speed to catch up to mistakes, but may not catch a guy with a huge stride like a Julio or AJ Green type. I like him though and think he's a starter next year or two.
Phelon Jones- Jones broke Tide fans hearts a few years ago but came back around after things didn't work out for him at LSU. It hasn't exactly worked out here. Jones is a bit of a tweener. He is athletic enough to play either corner or safety, but lacks the speed to play on the island, he could play Star. As a safety he likes to tackle, but doesn't do a good job of setting up and following through. Lots of arms and dragging when he goes for it.
Kendall Kelly- What happens when you aren't cutting it at WR? You go to safety. Kelly is really just a spot filler for true freshman and future seat holder Ha Ha Dix.
Dre Kirkpatrick- Dre is a bit of a mystery. He has all the skills, all of them, that you want in a corner or free safety. On the flip side, he has so many mental gaps and other issues that keep him from getting that full pass. With that said, he earned and locked his job as soon as KJ went pro because he's physically ahead of all the others. When he plays, he is just physical and roughs up opposing WRs. He is not going to be out leaped, out muscled, or out ran by anyone in the SEC that I can think of.
Robert Lester- With Green's suspension, Lester is pressed into duty. Lester is ok, but he isn't going to erase memories of Green or others. Woodall wasn't exactly a world beater, but he could find the ball. Lester will be on a short leash all fall as he barely beat out Lowery for the job. He is ok in space and tackles well, but when I watched him last year in actual game time situations, he got lost a lot and was having to get directions from Barron a lot. I look for him to be improved from that version, but it won't surprise me if he gets targeted by Arkansas and others.
Will Lowery- The internets will make a star out of 2 year olds that smoke, washed up actors, and any kid who plays a down at a practice, scrimmage, or spring game. Lowery is a good dime back and is smart. He sees the game well and has the right instincts, but he lacks the speed to cover a WR in the flat and gives up a lot of size to them. He will rely on fundamentals to get him through, but for all the hype that some have given him, he's a role player nothing more nothing less. He isn't a stud, a legend, a beast, or a player in the sense that I see it used. He's gritty and plays solid textbook football, but so do most players at Jax State.
DeQuan Menzie- Menzie has shocked the internets and thrown the whole "when is BJ Scott's breakout game" into a tail spin. All he did is what they wanted him to do. Rehab, play hard, and show an ability to learn the playbook quickly. Menzie has shown he's tough and willing to put in the work. You just don't rehab fast typically from an Achilles tear. Menzie's game is pretty solid. He keeps his hips loose and can shadow the WR fairly well. He is a solid island corner with good instincts. He will give the Tide a good veteran presence for a unit lacking it.
DeMarcus Millner- Another highly touted prospect, and with good reason. He's the real deal. Smart, plays fundamentally sound, and is athletic enough to play FS or CB. He may end up as the Star corner before the year is over. He isn't as physical as Dre Kirkpatrick but he can move and mirror any WR he's seen like he does. He is a cover corner and will prefer to stay out of the fray whereas KJ and Arenas wanted that contact. That will work though because he can give them more of a shut down presence than the others did in time. He is probably the most polished corner prospect Bama has seen in a long time.
Wes Neighbors- Yes, he's still there and probably will see special teams duty.
Nick Perry- Big player for his position. He looks like a small linebacker playing DB, but has all the instincts of a great SS. He is aggressive and sometimes plays out of control, but loves to hit and pursues at the right angles on all the videos I've seen. He is good in man coverage and has enough speed to cover TEs and slot receivers. I really like how he plays from a coaching angle as you can tell he's listened and been well coached. I look for him to play in some fashion this year. If Lester cannot maintain his spot, Barron may play there and move to let Perry in.
BJ Scott- How to put this. If BJ had listened to the staff and started at DB, he's starting now. As is, the year sabbatical at WR has set him back and exposed something that won't win favors with a Saban led team.....he doesn't get playbooks. He is a raw athlete and now at this level where you can't get away with being that, it shows. As a man on man corner, he's plenty good. As a zone corner, trying to play in space, he's not nearly as good. Does that mean he'll never play? No. It just means that he's going to make mistakes, and hopefully they won't be the type that result in 7 points, just a first down here or there. Scott is probably their Star corner right now and that's a good starting point for him.
Blake Sims- I put him here just because BOL's depth chart does. I like him as a DB and I think that's where he's gotta play to be a college star. Much like BJ Scott, he's a raw athlete. He played QB in a spread offense and just hucked and chucked the ball around and scrambled a lot. Taking players like Sims and Scott and putting them at WR is a hit and a miss, and missed with both, but to Sims credit, if he stays at DB, he'll be ahead of the curve this year and redshirt. I think he has the ability to be a good DB in time, but it may be another year or more before fans get a full view of him.
Jarrick Williams- Williams is a great compliment to Perry and together they could be the best safety tandem Bama has ever had. Where Perry is physical and aggressive, Williams is smooth and tactical. Williams is fast and plays very, very well in deep zone. I like how he moves and can redirect on a dime. He plays a lot older than a true freshman/high school senior. Makes a lot of reads and decisions that most players his age don't. For all his finesse, he's actually a good tackler for a FS. Like Perry, I think they have to get him seasoned and playing. In what facility, hard to say, but I can't see him sitting long.
Robbie Green- Suspended all year. If the secondary struggles and they get picked on like they did at times in 2007, Green's issue will be a circle point for fans and may not win him many dates around campus. The interesting thing to see about Green is what happens next spring. Does he get a starting role and Lester benched? Or does one of the tandem of Dix, Williams, or Lester get that shot? Green the player is as good as anyone can ask, but trust and doing the right things mean a lot to this staff, and they haven't always been forgiving of those who break it.
Who is gone?
Better question is who isn't?
Kareem Jackson- NFL money was too much to pass on and he got in the late first with the Texans. Hard to say that was a wrong choice in hindsight, but he'll be missed this year.
Javier Arenas- The heart and soul of the secondary is gone with Javy's graduation. He improved as a corner and was good at it, but will always be the firestarting return man when remembered.
Marquis Johnson- MJ was about as popular as the clap this time a year ago. Now, we'd all kill to have him one more year. Teams challenged him and he took on that challenge. He never lacked confidence in his skills, but this past year he finally paid off on those thoughts.
Justin Woodall- Woodall had some really good games, but had his worst 2 at the end with UF and TX. He is most comfortable playing in the box and really was a 5th linebacker or a second star corner at times. His competitiveness and willingness to stick his head in and make plays will be missed.
THE GOOD...
Mark Barron is dialed in
Barron developed over last season and you can watch him in the Tech game to the Florida game and see a marked improvement. His athleticism is rare and he is just a pure football player at this level. He is young, but will be asked to take on the role that Rashaad and Arenas had before him. I think he can do it, but he will need help.
This secondary in another year
This year will be rough at times. Folks who say otherwise just need to quit fooling you. However, as this season goes on, and they get the best DB coaching in America, you can bet that you see the improvement as the year goes on. Having Kirkpatrick, Menzie, Scott, Williams, Perry, Green, Fulton, Millner, and maybe Barron back next fall will make this spot once again a strong spot for the team.
The front 7 will save them
Folks often thought the front 7 won the games last year, really it was the back 7 that did last fall. This fall, it is the front 7 that will win games for the secondary. The pressure that this team can create will keep a green and untested secondary out of the fire more than most programs would. They will be asked to contribute in the pass rush some, but I think what they can get from their down 4 in the nickel and 2 linebackers will create enough havoc to grow confidence in this unit.
THE BAD....
Lack of experience
Outside of Barron, there is very little PT in this team. Menzie has some at JUCO but nothing at this scale. Lester and Dre have some mop up work time, but nothing like what they needed to have had at this point. This is going to be a common theme early and we will see where the development and experience level is come Arkansas.
A truly unfriendly schedule potentially
Last year, there wasn't a team that would have threatened them on the schedule from the secondary's point of view. This year, several teams do. Duke isn't a slouch, but the talent and offense will cure that. Arkansas is scary if they can't hit Mallett. Florida's speed is dangerous even if they have a young QB. If you watched USCar last night, you saw what they wanna do and how that confused the defense (a bad one albeit). Ole Miss with their thug superstar can be a problem just watching his performances at Oregon.
The UGLY...
Having to watch the growing pains
While it may not be horrible, and the offense keeping the ball along with the front 7 creating pressure will both conceal the pain, it is going to be there. The only spot that really bothers me is safety. Lester is serviceable, but most insiders have said he's not a starter caliber player. Lowery is a serviceable hard working walkon, and the others are untested freshmen. It is a key spot in Saban's defense because you are asked to set the secondary and police the middle. It will be a spot of great interest this fall.
Depth Chart
CB1- Kirkpatrick/Millner
CB2- Menzie/Scott/Fulton
S- Lester/Lowery/Williams
S- Barron/Lowery/Perry
Star- Scott/Millner
Money- Lowery/Williams
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