With all the 7-on-7 we have here in Texas, are we developing LBs that only want to cover and tackle receivers and don't want to go into a league that features smash mouth football where they have to tackle the likes of Derrick Henry?

The answer to your question is no. Being in the SEC is not hurting our recruiting of LBs in Texas. However, the style of play in TX is affecting the LBs from TX we recruit. With more teams using the spread, LBs have the problem you mentioned. We will need to start focusing on OOS LB prospects in many instances (ie, Dodson).

I do think the offensive bent of Texas HS football has really limited the ability to find good LBs for everybody, for sure at least the kind that fit best for the SEC. We always seem to have space in our classes. I think it would be worth it to find at least a couple of 2/3 start LA athletes with potential size to become LBs and use an open space or two each class on them.

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I do think the offensive bent of Texas HS football has really limited the ability to find good LBs for everybody, at least the time that fit best for the SEC. We always seem to have space in our classes. I think it would be worth it to find at least a couple of 2/3 start LA athletes with potential size to become LBs and use an open space or two each class on them.

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Haven't we done that the last 2 recruiting cycles with Thomas and Bones?

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Haven't we done that the last 2 recruiting cycles with Thomas and Bones?

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Exactly. We rarely fill our classes though. I really wish would we do at least two (three if you have space) of these each class. Especially if we miss on top targets. Given the injury situation we have every year, I think it would be a smart play.

We already see the benefit of taking Wilson. I think Thomas is going to be good too.

Texas defensive talent is the worst it's ever been and much of that is to be blamed on the spread.

No. In fact in the next couple of years I think you are going to see a demand for these kind of LBs in the NFL. TE's like Gronk or Tyler Eifert are becoming more and more common in the NFL, because the advantage they have that they are almost as fast as the receiver, but have 50 pounds on them. The traditional LB simply isn't fast enough to cover them, and the CB or NB is too small. I think you are going to see smaller, faster LBs to combat this.

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Texas defensive talent is the worst it's ever been and much of that is to be blamed on the spread.

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I agree with this 100%. Most 'stars' would rather play offense than defense and the guys who are good defensively against spread teams generally struggle when playing against a physical team (unless you are talking about players in the secondary, which they tend to excel in spread-based Texas high school football).

The big, physical MLB generally does not get to touch the field against a spread team because he is simply too slow to make plays against spread teams.

It's only Sumlin's 5th recruiting cycle. Give him some time.

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It's only Sumlin's 5th recruiting cycle. Give him some time.

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next year

The analysis needs to go up a level. The NFL generally pays QBs, OTs, and pass rushers better than everyone else. After them, its run-stoppers, impact offensive weapons, and impact DBs. 20 years ago, the MLB was usually the captain and star of the defense. Now every other big hit gets flagged.

And yes, the spread which led to the 4-2 and 3-3 is even worse. LBs do not learn to read and react or take on the lead blocker.

The NFL is a huge business. The QB is the face of most franchises. When QBs get hurt, most seasons are lost. Ratings and ticket sales suffer. The QB is too big of an investment to be allowed to fail.

At the HS level, a coach can compete with small, slow white kids, if he can:

1. Find and develop a QB
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2. Find 3 kids strong enough not to get bull rushed, and 2 kids athletic enough to slow down pass rushers
3. Find a halfway decent athlete to carry the ball
4. Teach the skinny kids with hands to run clean routes
5. Stich together a defense that blitzes every other play because its not athletic enough to read and react

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It's only Sumlin's 5th recruiting cycle. Give him some time.

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gtfo

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It's only Sumlin's 5th recruiting cycle. Give him some time.

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next year

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The analysis needs to go up a level. The NFL generally pays QBs, OTs, and pass rushers better than everyone else. After them, its run-stoppers, impact offensive weapons, and impact DBs. 20 years ago, the MLB was usually the captain and star of the defense. Now every other big hit gets flagged.

And yes, the spread which led to the 4-2 and 3-3 is even worse. LBs do not learn to read and react or take on the lead blocker.

The NFL is a huge business. The QB is the face of most franchises. When QBs get hurt, most seasons are lost. Ratings and ticket sales suffer. The QB is too big of an investment to be allowed to fail.

At the HS level, a coach can compete with small, slow white kids, if he can:

1. Find and develop a QB
---------
2. Find 3 kids strong enough not to get bull rushed, and 2 kids athletic enough to slow down pass rushers
3. Find a halfway decent athlete to carry the ball
4. Teach the skinny kids with hands to run clean routes
5. Stich together a defense that blitzes every other play because its not athletic enough to read and react

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Duh

absolutely no doubt the quality of defensive talent in the state at all positions: DE, DT, LB, S, and DB has declined. And as previously mentioned especially at LB due to 7 on 7.

the big & fast & quick defenders from the 90's are now playing on the offensive side of the ball. Back then the state would produce 3 or 4 maybe 5 stud LB's per class. Now it's down to 1 or 2 and in some years zero.

t.u.'s Derrick Johnson's' last season in high school was 2000. How many great LB's has the state produced since then? Particularly ones that could play inside

As much as we wanted Malik last year and thought he would have been an impact player I don't think he would have made much difference with us seeing his size in the big 12.

Watching the sip games and him he looked really small compared to what we need. Perhaps he grows a lot as he gets older

To be fair I thought the same of Richard Moore. That he was small

No, it's not hurting. We just have to get the right ones.

We should be looking at Texas high school defensive ends with thoughts of coverting them to SEC type linebackers. They are more the size we need and there are some with very good quickness. OP is right about the effect of spread offenses in Texas high schools. LB's are too small, good for BDF but not for SEC. Look at the size of Mark Jackson and Alton Robinson. Perfect SEC linebacker size with great quickness. There are other DE's in Texas that fit for SEC linebacker candidates better than many of the Linebackers being produced in Texas high schools today.