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The metamorphosis of Jalyn Ferguson. Comes in as a running back, bulks up to play DT and this year slims down to play DE and is making some noise. I think he is going to be the bright spot of the defense this year. We must have more depth at DT to allow him to move over to DE.
Ferguson was recruited as a TE and LB depending on who you ask.
So, he comes out of high school as a very good athlete at 240 lbs and our staff’s inclination is to say well let’s try to put a lot more meat on him and play him at freaking defensive tackle.
This leads to not only kids being thrust into positions that aren’t ideal where the extra weight means they are less explosive, not as quick, etc.
And lo and behold look what happens - season ending injury before the season last year.
He has good enough size to play DE but he never should have been forced to play DT and subjected to the brutality of interior line play for two years. And he played a lot. Early and often even as a freshman. In all 12 games I believe.
He did play RB (FB on a triple option team) before moving to Norcross HS in the Atlanta area and changing positions. He's not tall enough to play TE so he would have to play LB or DL but his weight says DL.
240 lbs is a very big linebacker for a college freshman, you look at most college defensive lineman and they are probably start in that 230-240 lbs range. Sure there are those zero tech's going to P5 schools hitting 280-300 already but most DT/DE's are in that range.
That's usually the gamble, coaches want to see if they kids can keep their quickness after gaining the weight. It's why P5 kids are P5, they are either absolute freaks (speed off the charts) so losing a step doesn't matter or they already have the speed and size and the gamble is lower.
It was a freak accident that happened on a non-contact practice, nothing related to size or contact but he was slated to be a DE last year.
He made C-USA All Freshman Team. He definitely got his time in for those first two years. I bet if you asked the kid, do you want to sit on the bench for two years or gain some weight and play DT the answer would be to "gain the weight".
6' 0" and 290 is big but 390??? I wonder if that is a typo
Yeah, 240 might be a bit big for a LB but depends on body type and speed. A lot of P5s have MLBs that play in the 240-250 range and I bet we would too if we could.
If his playing weight really is in the 250-255 range which is what he appears to be at his preferred weight (given its three years later after they tried to put weight on him then he’s a MLB or DE), but to my earlier point he never should have been on the interior.
I know that if I push myself hard this year far beyond my limits I’m much more likely to get injured next year even if I didn’t during this year.