2014 - Kaylon "Poona" Ford

[SimpleGamecock]

Originally Posted by MillerTime843

So you think we'll land him? Could he be a high 4 or 5*?

I'm hearing a good chance and we lead early but again he is getting a bunch of new offers and I assume he will do his due diligence still would love to see him in the Garnet and Black

He is a 90 4 Star on 247 could be up to 30 or more offers about now OK State just gave him an offer yesterday

[EveryThingGreen]

If he was 6'3-6'4, he would be a really high 4*.

Since he is 6'1, he is rated a low 4*.

I think the kid is impressive, powerful, explosive, and someone I want in this class.

[beak2]

Sometimes being low to the ground makes you better and more powerful. He could be a good one.

[EveryThingGreen]

I'm just talking about how these sites come up with their ratings.

[ConwayGamecock]

If he continues to blow up with the top offers, his stock will rise. If he participates in and does well in some camps/combines this spring & summer, it should definitely go up...

[ReadR00ster]

Originally Posted by donbgamecock

@ the 2:18 he knocks two people down on the same play while blocking as a full back.

After every play it's like. "Is everyone still alive here?"

[ReadR00ster]

Originally Posted by CoverTwo

Link: http://www.goupstate.com/article/201...657/-1/psports

Wow, Tennesee offered him and forgot they offered him and offered him again.

[ReadR00ster]

Originally Posted by EveryThingGreen

If he was 6'3-6'4, he would be a really high 4*.

Since he is 6'1, he is rated a low 4*.

I think the kid is impressive, powerful, explosive, and someone I want in this class.

............. I think what you are saying is that his ceiling is not very high because of his height (or lack), but you like him because he is so good right now.

[gotrice?]

Originally Posted by ReadR00ster

............. I think what you are saying is that his ceiling is not very high because of his height (or lack), but you like him because he is so good right now.

No what he is saying is that normally taller DTs get higher ratings from recruiting sites due to the fact they are able to hold more good weight than shorter DTs in most cases. That factors into how recruiting sites rank players so due to his frame he will probably be a low 4 star instead of a high 4 star like he would be if he was 6'4. Nothing about that statement was his opinion about Poona as a player except the fact he really wants him because he is a damn good player.

[EveryThingGreen]

Originally Posted by gotrice?

No what he is saying is that normally taller DTs get higher ratings from recruiting sites due to the fact they are able to hold more good weight than shorter DTs in most cases. That factors into how recruiting sites rank players so due to his frame he will probably be a low 4 star instead of a high 4 star like he would be if he was 6'4. Nothing about that statement was his opinion about Poona as a player except the fact he really wants him because he is a damn good player.

thank you

[ReadR00ster]

He's listed as 6'1, Wideman 6'3, Newell 6'3, Pringle 6'2. Not that big of of difference IMO. Jerideau was 6'1, and Poona seems like a similar kind of player.

[MikeTrainNC8]

Originally Posted by ReadR00ster

............. I think what you are saying is that his ceiling is not very high because of his height (or lack), but you like him because he is so good right now.

Once again trying to instigate things, and for some reason thinking people care whether you agree or not haha

and Poona is a more talented version of Jerideau

[gotrice?]

Originally Posted by ReadR00ster

He's listed as 6'1, Wideman 6'3, Newell 6'3, Pringle 6'2. Not that big of of difference IMO. Jerideau was 6'1, and Poona seems like a similar kind of player.

Jerideau was rated either a high 2 or low 3 star if I remember correctly. Again we are talking recruiting rankings not Poona's talent level.

[EveryThingGreen]

Originally Posted by ReadR00ster

He's listed as 6'1, Wideman 6'3, Newell 6'3, Pringle 6'2. Not that big of of difference IMO. Jerideau was 6'1, and Poona seems like a similar kind of player.

Jerideau was a short stumpy player that specialized against the run and taking on 2 blockers.

Poona is far more athletic than that and while he lacks the ELITE athleticism of Melvin Ingram, that is the type of player he most resembles.

[BeatBamaTwice]

"And he's a great character kid."

Great, yes, but that's the important part! We've done so well in recruiting great groups of young men, so well that most of us now take it for granted. Poona sounds like an excellent fit. And yes, he's a wonderful mix of Melvin's pass rush and Bryon run stopping.

[ReadR00ster]

Originally Posted by MikeTrainNC8

Once again trying to instigate things, and for some reason thinking people care whether you agree or not haha

and Poona is a more talented version of Jerideau

I am not trying to instigate anything. It was a misunderstanding. I wasn't trying to say that ETG was knocking Poona for his height or that concern about it worthy reason for scouts to devalue his rating. I was just trying to get some clarification on what he meant the reasoning of the scouts not rating him higher because of his height as ETG suggests. Being taller at the same weight means he has potential to put on more muscle (frame) which means he has more potential as a player (higher ceiling). Also, being taller, assuming his arms were also a little longer, would mean more potential to be disruptive in the passing game (again higher ceiling). I am not trying to say he has a low ceiling. I don't think that just because some scouts might think so then that somehow makes it true, and frankly I don't care what his ceiling is as long as he comes to play like the rampaging rhino I see in his film. But I understand that scouts try to "project" to the next level, and those are the kinds of things that they look at when coming up with ratings. It's just one of those reasons I don't give too much credence to the ratings. I know what my eyes see.

Also, I agree that Poona is more talented than Jerideau, but they are similar too. Jerideau in HS was a different player than Jerideau in college. Against HS competiton, BJ obviously was more dominating than he was able to show against major college athletes. Poona I would say is the at the top of my list right now for this class. Him and Zeus are probably tied.

[ConwayGamecock]

Originally Posted by EveryThingGreen

Jerideau was a short stumpy player that specialized against the run and taking on 2 blockers.

Poona is far more athletic than that and while he lacks the ELITE athleticism of Melvin Ingram, that is the type of player he most resembles.

Yep, their body types were different: Byron had to work to lose bad weight (he was once 340-350, and got down to 310-320 his final 2 seasons), while Melvin came in as a 230-or so OLB that had to build his body and gain weight to become the 270-lb DE/DT. Poona is already 280 or so, and developing to 300+ would be easier to accomplish for him than say it was for Melvin...

Byron was also pretty darn athletic for his size and body type...he didn't play RB in HS I guess or return punts and kick-offs like Melvin did, but he was up there. Are you saying that Poona isn't the masher, stone wall type of nose-tackle interior DL like Byron was?

[CockyATO]

I hope we get him. Go Seahawks!

[elcid99]

Originally Posted by gotrice?

No what he is saying is that normally taller DTs get higher ratings from recruiting sites due to the fact they are able to hold more good weight than shorter DTs in most cases. That factors into how recruiting sites rank players so due to his frame he will probably be a low 4 star instead of a high 4 star like he would be if he was 6'4. Nothing about that statement was his opinion about Poona as a player except the fact he really wants him because he is a damn good player.

Well said, this is why I am done with pay sites. There are freaks, like Seymour, Stroud, John Henderson, and several other tall DTs who dominated in college. Those guys were so gifted that they could play as low as dudes who were 6' tall. Leverage is how you win in the trenches. If you have long arms + Leverage, you dominate.

pretty much crap bc there aren't many 6'4+ tackles with the athleticism to play low & stay balanced when they face SEC caliber interior offensive linemen. I love athletic thick DTs w long arms...far less likely to become offensive linemen than the tall boys who tend to play tall.

[CoverTwo]

DL Poona Ford of Hilton Head made an unofficial visit to Tennessee Saturday. He was joined on the visit by his coach BJ Payne. "It was very nice," Payne said. "He has an offer there." Ford also has offers from USC, Illinois, Kansas State, Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia Tech, Missouri, Michigan, Louisville and Purdue. He and his coach had thought about stopping by USC on their way back from Knoxville but didn't. Ford has been favoring USC. Ford will be going to some combines and plans to visit as many schools as he can in the weeks ahead. Payne said Ford will visit USC again some time during spring practice. The coach was not sure Ford would visit Clemson since he doesn't have an offer from the Tigers.

Link: http://www.goupstate.com/article/201...900/-1/PSPORTS