Hello, first post and I'm trying to break through some of the talent evaluation circles and carve a niche. I have 4 years collegiate playing experience and some coaching as well, so I've got a good base of knowledge from which to draw. I do have a passion for evaluating kids, and have projected well in the recent past (started last season doing some home study) with the Cameron Heywards and Donald Washingtons of the Ohio State and high school/college football world. So, with that my aim is to provide some "expert" insight and hopefully share some of my knowledge with many of you.
Denicos is a solid player for the Cl.o'09 and shows some special speed. He's looking at the safety spot at the D1 level unless he packs on some extraordinary weight between now and his freshman year when he checks in for camp. He's a wrestler, and you've got to love that in a football player, but that doesn't bode well for off-season bulk weight and strength gain (also does track). If he does gain enough, he may play a little Will in a 4-3 scheme.
Tends to bounce off head-on collisions (frequently stops churning his legs), and in college they'll teach him to save himself by taking out the legs. He won't be able to head up with the likes of Beanie Wells and P.J. Hill. Every now and again you'll see him tackle the legs, but he doesn't do it with enough tenacity to be effective at it yet- he stops at the legs contact and holds on for dear life. A lot of experienced DBs fight through the legs getting that "flying effect" from the running back that leaves RBs no choice but to tuck and roll.
Many of Denicos tackles come from the backside, and this kid has a motor that doesn't quit. He struggles a bit on his form tackling, as he misses with frequently either in front of or behind the ball carrier. That won't cut it in college as the bigger, faster, stronger will shed him like snake skin. He needs to learn head in front, shoulder in the gut, arms through and drive with the legs. More surface area, if you will. He'll get that coaching in college, and you may even see it more his senior year with a lot more confidence in his own ability.
One of his strongest suits playside is his ability to keep contain. He simply does not let ball carriers get outside of him often. He's able to keep the ball carrier inside to force the ball back towards help. The kid is elusive from blockers- in film you don't see very many getting a significant enough piece to slow him. He doesn't mind sticking his nose in there when it concerns a ballcarrier (especially at anything other than directly head on), but is very good at avoiding contact with blockers. I'd like to see him get a little more vertical on his scrape, as he tends to try to go backwards to avoid the blockers then recovers to chase in a lot of situations.
The kid makes the athletic play- kind of the "it" factor for major college football. He makes plays he's not supposed to. He needs to be more aggressive on isos. He makes the iso tackle at 4 instead of the LoS. His "atcha" read must get better no matter where he plays on defense in college. Leg strength will help him tremendously in that department.
Right now, it seems a lot of his tackles and big hits come from positions where he's able to get a running start. If he's going to play the run in college, he's not going to have but a second before an OL is on him and he'll have to work through the body. That said (knowing that he likes to play in space), I look for him to start his college career at the safety level where he feels most comfortable. I think he has the nose for the ball and the iron forehead to move closer to the LoS (LB in college), but I don't think he has the base yet. If I were an opposing coach, I'd try to get three at a time right at him. It's almost the only way to go. If he faces a lot of that his senior year, he will get better. You can't run away from him, because he's going to track down everything on the edges and off tackle from the backside. So, should he see that iso a bit his senior year (don't count on it, though) he'll be more primed for college competition. Repetition is the motor of learning...
Thanks for reading.
CS