Muschamp's Defensive Talent

[TigerWar 82]

I got to thinking (I know, scary) the other day about what kind of talent Will Muschamp is inheriting on the defensive side of the ball in his return to Auburn. While college is of course not the pros, I believe one of the best measuring sticks to gauge the current talent at Muschamp's disposal would be to come up with the number of guys on Auburn's d that will be drafted by the league once their time on the plains is exhausted. As fans, we almost feel that every starter on our favorite team has the potential to be drafted but that's not the reality, so I tried to take a conservative approach and list two groups - sure fire NFL draftees compared to potential NFL draftees.

(Sure Fire NFL Draft Picks barring injury of course)

Cassanova Mckinzy

Kris Frost

Jonathan Jones

Carl Lawson

Montravius Adams

Tray Matthews

(Potential NFL Draft Picks)

Blake Countess

Tre' Williams

Dontavius Russell (rsfresh)

Byron Cowart (truefresh)

Looking at these two lists, you'd probably say to yourself that Muschamp has all the talent he needs in resurrecting the Auburn defense, but as we all know, the game is not played on paper, or in this case on a fan football forum, because once you get hit in the mouth, everything changes. But with that said, I think we all can agree that Muschamp has the talent to completely change the defensive culture at Auburn and transform the Tiger defense from a liability to a team strength.

Agree? Disagree?

[tombigbeetiger 223]

cass and frost have a lot of improving to do before they get drafted....based on what I have seen out of them so far, I just can't see it happening

[McFU 205]

cass and frost have a lot of improving to do before they get drafted....based on what I have seen out of them so far, I just can't see it happening

I agree with this. It still seems like the starting LBs are not for sure. Even with what comes out on the depth chart today Muschamp has said it is subject to change. If Frost and Cass were for sure draft pics then they would have already won the jobs. No doubt there is talent but don't forget that it is Ellis Johnson's talent and that may not translate into Muschamp's scheme.

[80Tiger 899]

Not sure about your potential list either. Countess I don't believe is going to be a starter and Williams has not done anything to unseat the guys ahead of him. The other 2 haven't played yet so I guess there is "potential".

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

Not sure about your potential list either. Countess I don't believe is going to be a starter and Williams has not done anything to unseat the guys ahead of him. The other 2 haven't played yet so I guess there is "potential".

Countess is starting next to Jones. He's even Holsey's backup at Nickel. He may not have high NFL draft appeal but he's going to be huge for us this year.

[TigerWar 82]

Countess I don't believe is going to be a starter

What rock have you been living under?

[au_bsci_04 407]

Countess I don't believe is going to be a starter

What rock have you been living under?

^^^THIS

[alexava 6,973]

cass and frost have a lot of improving to do before they get drafted....based on what I have seen out of them so far, I just can't see it happening

frost has much improving to get drafted.

[TigerWar 82]

In fairness to Cass and Frost, I wouldn't read too much into Muschamp's lack of coming out and dubbing two of our leading returning tacklers and senior leaders as starters. I think this has much more to do with Boom trying to motivate them so that they bring their A-game on every single snap as opposed to the possibilities of them being relegated to a back up role, but make no mistake about it, Cass & Kris will be our starters on the inside and I expect Muschamp to bring out the very best in them.

NFLDraftScout.com currently has Kris Frost ranked as the 10th best available OLB out of 251 outside linebackers in the next draft. Cass is currently ranked as the 4th best available ILB out of 166.

If anyone can help take Cass and Kris' games to a whole new level and improve their draft stock value it's Muschamp.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

Countess I don't believe is going to be a starter

What rock have you been living under?

I was going to say something similar.....lol.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

In fairness to Cass and Frost, I wouldn't read too much into Muschamp's lack of coming out and dubbing two of our leading returning tacklers and senior leaders as starters. I think this has much more to do with Boom trying to motivate them so that they bring their A-game on every single snap as opposed to the possibilities of them being relegated to a back up role, but make no mistake about it, Cass & Kris will be our starters on the inside and I expect Muschamp to bring out the very best in them.

NFLDraftScout.com currently has Kris Frost ranked as the 10th best available OLB out of 251 outside linebackers in the next draft. Cass is currently ranked as the 4th best available ILB out of 166.

If anyone can help take Cass and Kris' games to a whole new level and improve their draft stock value it's Muschamp.

This is what i've been saying the entire time.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,653]

McKinzy and Frost are about as guaranteed as Williams and Garett.

If Frost could've left in 2013, he probably would've been an early round pick.

[alexava 6,973]

McKinzy and Frost are about as guaranteed as Williams and Garett.

If Frost could've left in 2013, he probably would've been an early round pick.

he backed up jake Holland!

[GTNupe11 2,033]

McKinzy and Frost are about as guaranteed as Williams and Garett.

If Frost could've left in 2013, he probably would've been an early round pick.

he backed up jake Holland!

Point? I'm pretty sure I can go down a list of players who backed up not so stellar players and went on to be stars.

[1TexasTiger 55]

In fairness to Cass and Frost, I wouldn't read too much into Muschamp's lack of coming out and dubbing two of our leading returning tacklers and senior leaders as starters. I think this has much more to do with Boom trying to motivate them so that they bring their A-game on every single snap as opposed to the possibilities of them being relegated to a back up role, but make no mistake about it, Cass & Kris will be our starters on the inside and I expect Muschamp to bring out the very best in them.

NFLDraftScout.com currently has Kris Frost ranked as the 10th best available OLB out of 251 outside linebackers in the next draft. Cass is currently ranked as the 4th best available ILB out of 166.

If anyone can help take Cass and Kris' games to a whole new level and improve their draft stock value it's Muschamp.

This is what i've been saying the entire time.

I've learned that NFL scouts don't know much when it comes to evaluating our players (especially linebackers).

[alexava 6,973]

McKinzy and Frost are about as guaranteed as Williams and Garett.

If Frost could've left in 2013, he probably would've been an early round pick.

he backed up jake Holland!

Point? I'm pretty sure I can go down a list of players who backed up not so stellar players and went on to be stars.

not the same year and be an early round draft pick.

[icanthearyou 4,462]

Ford is not a draft pick?

[alexava 6,973]

Ford is not a draft pick?

not enough info to say but he has all the potential.

[doc4aday 1,887]

We have some of the best talent on defense in college. I think we are in for a real treat with the transformation of our defense. I would bet the farm that we will be light years better than the past 2 seasons. Relax and enjoy the fun ride that begins this coming Saturday!

[80Tiger 899]

Countess I don't believe is going to be a starter

What rock have you been living under?

^^^THIS :)/>

A work rock for sure. Sorry about not being up to date.

[IronMan70 3,277]

Ford is not a draft pick?

I think Ford should be on the potential list too. I agree with TigerWar on the LBs though. I think Boom is raising the standard they had to meet before and holding their feet to the fire on it. He's not letting up because the 2 LB positions are such a key to running the front 7. I'm glad we have a Tre' Williams on the team pushing them, I wish we had more like him. Hopefully Holland and D. Williams can join the fray too as the season moves along.

[eibua12 81]

I said it before Champ arrived and the recruiting was finished. The D is primed for a breakout year. Everyone is saying that Adams will get the most out of Lawson being back I think the LBs do to be honest. If teams double Lawson that frees up the LBs or Adams and if that happens they will focus on Adams so later in the game the LBs will be one on one with possibly the RB or FB. The LBs should have a good year. If the O clicks and the other team needs to pass to catch up this could be an interesting scenario. For the defensive backfield. 3 days right 3 days...

[japantiger 4,051]

We haven't stopped anyone since Tubberville left....well, not entirely accurate...since the 2H of 2010 season...I don't think we can say for sure any of these guys are NFL talent. And I'm sorry, if the LB's were world beaters, they would have won the position already. The depth chart was telling. Anyone that transferred in was a starter in place of returning players.

[C'viewTiger 242]

We haven't stopped anyone since Tubberville left....well, not entirely accurate...since the 2H of 2010 season...I don't think we can say for sure any of these guys are NFL talent. And I'm sorry, if the LB's were world beaters, they would have won the position already. The depth chart was telling. Anyone that transferred in was a starter in place of returning players.

Not sure this is entirely true. CWM has said many times he will release the starting lineup right before taking the field as he wants to keep the guys competing. Think we as fans are reading too much into the depth chart vs. Starting lineup.

[japantiger 4,051]

Right, the depth chart doesn't mean anything...got it..everyone that transferred in is listed at the top of their position on the depth chart; but we shouldn't read anything into that? There's probably a reason we've given up 40 points a game for the last 8 years...