We sure have enough candidates this year after red-shirting most of our 2013 draft class but I like what I have been reading about a few of the players.

One in particular is Jordan Tripp. I am not sure where they plan on lining him up but I do know he has been running with the starting nickle unit at MLB with Jelaney Jenkins. I think he could push Wheeler into one of two things.....to play better or right out of a job. This will depend on how quickly he picks up Coyle's scheme. Something Wheeler struggled with all year.

I would not be surprised to see him mentioned a lot in training camp and preseason. This is a guy who has the physical skill to get the job done. He ran the fastest short shuttle (3.96) of any linebacker since 2006 when AJ Hawk ran a sub 4.4. He was sandwiched between two big name draftees in the 3-cone...Anthony Barr and Ryan Shazier.

The other player I am thinking of is Lamar Miller. I had my doubts in the past but I like his work ethic. He has been training with Frank Gore for two off seasons and has been with Gore at Bommarito Performance Systems in Miami all off season. With Moreno's injury, the door is wide open for Miller to regain his starting spot and word is he is a great fit in Lazor's system. He definitely resembles McCoy more than any of our other backs.

So there you have it. My two under the radar players most likely to have a breakout year. I also have another player in mind. Jelaney Jenkins. If our two underachieving LB's don't pick their games up and start earning their money then we may just have a new LBing corp this year with Misi in the middle.

Miller also gets the nod because I don't see any way our offensive line can be worse than 2013. We have some pretty good run blockers and players that fit better in the system.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/2014 04:01AM by JoeFootball.

Good choices. I think both contribute a lot more this year.


I think Jimmy Wilson has a good year also.

Jamar Taylor and/or Dallas Thomas......like Joe F said, with last years class getting a mulligan, the "breakout candidates" are endless.

How about Anthony Johnson? This is like getting an extra 2nd or 3rd round pick.

I am curious to see how he performs in camp.

I am and have been a huge fan of Millers. As I stated earlier in this offense, spread like it is, he will put up very good numbers.

Philbin seems to really like Gator Hoskins. Says he is really smart and is picking up the offense very well. He sounds like a Charles Clay clone. 6-foot-3, 255-pound Clay, Hoskins (6-2, 253).

10 touchdown receptions as a junior in 2012 and shattered that mark last fall when he had 15 TD?catches. That was seven more than any other tight end in the FBS (formerly Division I-A)?ranks.

Sounds like Damien Williams may be snatching a spot away from someone. I can't remember when we have had so much legit competition on both sides of the ball.