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Texas is possibly going after grad-transfer LB Kylan Johnson?
With the news that Texas is possibly after grad transfer LB Kylan Johnson of the University of Florida, I went back and looked at a few of the games from 2018 to get a better idea of what kind of player we're talking about here. After all, Texas has been quite successful in the grad-transfer market when addressing areas of immediate need, and make no mistake: Linebacker is this year's position of immediate need.
With DeGabriel Floyd set to miss the season with spinal stenosis, and the interior LB starters being a mostly-to-completely unproven duo of Jeffrey McCulloch and Ayodele Adeoye, the only scholarship depth Texas has at the interior LB positions are JUCO transfer Caleb Johnson and true freshman early enrollee Marcus Tillman. As long as we're talking about true-freshman depth (which we truly need to be at this point), we should also mention David Gbenda is a 4-star ILB who'll be getting on campus this summer.
Gbenda could be a wild card in this LB mix. He probably wouldn't be in most years, but this one is different and Gbenda has some aspects to his game that are very enticing once you really break things down. You can see in some of the highlights from the All-American game, he shows the ability to come downhill with some thump, he plays with awareness and gets to the sideline with some speed on a pursuit angle.
Gbenda's high school highlights show elite lateral agility, an ability to overcome and defeat blocks in a number of ways ranging from straight overpowering of the opponent to using quick feet to make them whiff. When blockers do get their hands on him in the highlights above, his ability to shed while keeping his eyes upfield is outstanding. He keeps a square base with his hips pointed upfield to contact and he breaks down athletically in order to be explosive and effective into contact.
When we look at Kylan Johnson, he wasn't a starter but we can see him for a decent number of snaps at UF his senior season in the game versus Colorado State, No.28. He can play inside if need be, but is definitely more of an OLB/overhang type of player. He has good instincts getting to the flats and spilling outside to make plays in space, but can get washed out versus college opponents at times.
But Johnson is a redshirt senior who has never become an outright starter. He started two games in 2018 and "started the final 5 games (of the 2016 season) after the Gators sustained some injuries." When I called a Florida contact of mine who is an NFL draft analyst and a maniacal follower of the Gator program to ask his opinions on Johnson, he said he really didn't have any because he just wasn't a guy who was on the field much, calling him "pretty much a non-factor." For this guy not to have an opinion on a member of that football team was pretty eye-opening.
It reminded me of how I (someone who follows the Texas program with a similar level of seriousness) might have answered someone calling to ask me the scoop on, say, Cameron Townsend.
Now, this is not to say that Johnson could not be a good piece as far as depth goes as depth is needed badly as this column has made its theme. If the staff likes him, they have certainly earned the trust of fans and analysts alike. It's fair to wonder how they see him in the defense, though, i.e. if Johnson's viewed as a player who could handle one of the inside LB spots, because Texas is well-set at the OLB with Joseph Ossai and a rapidly developing Byron Vaughns behind him.
And if they think that moving a guy who seems like more of an OLB candidate inside could make sense, why has Ossai not been cross-training inside as arguably the best linebacker in the whole LB unit? The two inside backers are guaranteed to play on every snap while the B-Backer will get taken off the field in dime.
Texas will welcome Kylan Johnson as a grad transfer with open arms should mutual interest exist between him and the staff, but fans should not heap expectations upon him in the same way they did for Calvin Anderson and Tre Watson regarding a big-time, starting level, one-year impact.
And all things considered, David Gbenda could feasibly come in ready to play every bit as effectively given the opportunity.
Book Review: Supermarket by Bobby Hall
From the Publisher: Flynn is stuck—depressed, recently dumped, and living at his mom’s house. The supermarket was supposed to change all that. An ordinary job and a steady check. Work isn’t work when it’s saving you from yourself. But things aren’t quite as they seem in these aisles. Arriving to work one day to a crime scene, Flynn’s world collapses as the secrets of his tortured mind are revealed. And Flynn doesn’t want to go looking for answers at the supermarket. Because something there seems to be looking for him. A darkly funny psychological thriller, Supermarket is a gripping exploration into madness and creativity. Who knew you could find sex, drugs, and murder all in aisle nine?
- Bobby Hall, aka the musician "Logic," really wrote one hell of an enjoyable debut novel. I wasn't surprised that is one of the most buzzed-about books to start 2019 because it is unique and fun in a sort of Clerks-meets-Fight Club kind of way. It's funny and dark and a super-addictive page-turner, despite the fact that you won't learn much reading it. A perfect summer time book for out by the pool or to read while traveling. I GIVE IT 4 STARS.
8) Alex's Daily Short Reading List (updated 5-2-19)
Books I've read or listened to on Audiobook since the Daily Short has been in existence (this list is not encompassing of all of my favorite books although it certainly includes a few of them - books I recommend reading/listening to start at 3.5 stars).
The Undoing Project (5 stars)
The Accidental Superpower (5 stars)
I Am Pilgrim (5 stars)
Empire of the Summer Moon (5 stars)
Gridiron Genius (5 Stars)
The Cartel (5 stars)
The 4-Hour Work Week (4.75 stars)
Astroball (4.75 stars)
Dueling With Kings (4.5 stars)
The Border (4.25 stars)
Wrath of the Khans - Dan Carlin Podcast Series (4.25 stars)
The Son (4.25 stars)
Supermarket (4 stars)
The Great Alone (3.75 stars)
Hunting El Chapo (3.75 stars)
The President is Missing (3.75 stars)
The First Conspiracy (3.75 stars)
The Lost City of the Monkey God (3.5 stars)
The Summer That Melted Everything (3.5 stars)
----
Woolly (3.25 stars)
Cathedral of the Wild (3.25 stars)
The North Water (3.25 stars)
Classic Krakauer (3 stars)
A Beautiful, Terrible Thing (3 stars)
The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals (2.5 stars)
Game Theorist's Guide to Parenting (2 stars)
American Gods (2 stars)
The Graveyard Book (2 stars)
Stay Interesting (1 star)
The Absolute BEST in family and cosmetic dentistry for the Houston-Memorial Area
Now Accepting New Patients --- 281-293-9140
Texas is possibly going after grad-transfer LB Kylan Johnson?
With the news that Texas is possibly after grad transfer LB Kylan Johnson of the University of Florida, I went back and looked at a few of the games from 2018 to get a better idea of what kind of player we're talking about here. After all, Texas has been quite successful in the grad-transfer market when addressing areas of immediate need, and make no mistake: Linebacker is this year's position of immediate need.
With DeGabriel Floyd set to miss the season with spinal stenosis, and the interior LB starters being a mostly-to-completely unproven duo of Jeffrey McCulloch and Ayodele Adeoye, the only scholarship depth Texas has at the interior LB positions are JUCO transfer Caleb Johnson and true freshman early enrollee Marcus Tillman. As long as we're talking about true-freshman depth (which we truly need to be at this point), we should also mention David Gbenda is a 4-star ILB who'll be getting on campus this summer.
Gbenda could be a wild card in this LB mix. He probably wouldn't be in most years, but this one is different and Gbenda has some aspects to his game that are very enticing once you really break things down. You can see in some of the highlights from the All-American game, he shows the ability to come downhill with some thump, he plays with awareness and gets to the sideline with some speed on a pursuit angle.
Gbenda's high school highlights show elite lateral agility, an ability to overcome and defeat blocks in a number of ways ranging from straight overpowering of the opponent to using quick feet to make them whiff. When blockers do get their hands on him in the highlights above, his ability to shed while keeping his eyes upfield is outstanding. He keeps a square base with his hips pointed upfield to contact and he breaks down athletically in order to be explosive and effective into contact.
When we look at Kylan Johnson, he wasn't a starter but we can see him for a decent number of snaps at UF his senior season in the game versus Colorado State, No.28. He can play inside if need be, but is definitely more of an OLB/overhang type of player. He has good instincts getting to the flats and spilling outside to make plays in space, but can get washed out versus college opponents at times.
But Johnson is a redshirt senior who has never become an outright starter. He started two games in 2018 and "started the final 5 games (of the 2016 season) after the Gators sustained some injuries." When I called a Florida contact of mine who is an NFL draft analyst and a maniacal follower of the Gator program to ask his opinions on Johnson, he said he really didn't have any because he just wasn't a guy who was on the field much, calling him "pretty much a non-factor." For this guy not to have an opinion on a member of that football team was pretty eye-opening.
It reminded me of how I (someone who follows the Texas program with a similar level of seriousness) might have answered someone calling to ask me the scoop on, say, Cameron Townsend.
Now, this is not to say that Johnson could not be a good piece as far as depth goes as depth is needed badly as this column has made its theme. If the staff likes him, they have certainly earned the trust of fans and analysts alike. It's fair to wonder how they see him in the defense, though, i.e. if Johnson's viewed as a player who could handle one of the inside LB spots, because Texas is well-set at the OLB with Joseph Ossai and a rapidly developing Byron Vaughns behind him.
And if they think that moving a guy who seems like more of an OLB candidate inside could make sense, why has Ossai not been cross-training inside as arguably the best linebacker in the whole LB unit? The two inside backers are guaranteed to play on every snap while the B-Backer will get taken off the field in dime.
Texas will welcome Kylan Johnson as a grad transfer with open arms should mutual interest exist between him and the staff, but fans should not heap expectations upon him in the same way they did for Calvin Anderson and Tre Watson regarding a big-time, starting level, one-year impact.
And all things considered, David Gbenda could feasibly come in ready to play every bit as effectively given the opportunity.
Book Review: Supermarket by Bobby Hall
From the Publisher: Flynn is stuck—depressed, recently dumped, and living at his mom’s house. The supermarket was supposed to change all that. An ordinary job and a steady check. Work isn’t work when it’s saving you from yourself. But things aren’t quite as they seem in these aisles. Arriving to work one day to a crime scene, Flynn’s world collapses as the secrets of his tortured mind are revealed. And Flynn doesn’t want to go looking for answers at the supermarket. Because something there seems to be looking for him. A darkly funny psychological thriller, Supermarket is a gripping exploration into madness and creativity. Who knew you could find sex, drugs, and murder all in aisle nine?
- Bobby Hall, aka the musician "Logic," really wrote one hell of an enjoyable debut novel. I wasn't surprised that is one of the most buzzed-about books to start 2019 because it is unique and fun in a sort of Clerks-meets-Fight Club kind of way. It's funny and dark and a super-addictive page-turner, despite the fact that you won't learn much reading it. A perfect summer time book for out by the pool or to read while traveling. I GIVE IT 4 STARS.
8) Alex's Daily Short Reading List (updated 5-2-19)
Books I've read or listened to on Audiobook since the Daily Short has been in existence (this list is not encompassing of all of my favorite books although it certainly includes a few of them - books I recommend reading/listening to start at 3.5 stars).
The Undoing Project (5 stars)
The Accidental Superpower (5 stars)
I Am Pilgrim (5 stars)
Empire of the Summer Moon (5 stars)
Gridiron Genius (5 Stars)
The Cartel (5 stars)
The 4-Hour Work Week (4.75 stars)
Astroball (4.75 stars)
Dueling With Kings (4.5 stars)
The Border (4.25 stars)
Wrath of the Khans - Dan Carlin Podcast Series (4.25 stars)
The Son (4.25 stars)
Supermarket (4 stars)
The Great Alone (3.75 stars)
Hunting El Chapo (3.75 stars)
The President is Missing (3.75 stars)
The First Conspiracy (3.75 stars)
The Lost City of the Monkey God (3.5 stars)
The Summer That Melted Everything (3.5 stars)
----
Woolly (3.25 stars)
Cathedral of the Wild (3.25 stars)
The North Water (3.25 stars)
Classic Krakauer (3 stars)
A Beautiful, Terrible Thing (3 stars)
The World of Lore: Wicked Mortals (2.5 stars)
Game Theorist's Guide to Parenting (2 stars)
American Gods (2 stars)
The Graveyard Book (2 stars)
Stay Interesting (1 star)
