UNC Game Depth Chart

[AppSt94]

Why are men always consumed with size?

If our line can move and are 300 pounds with good height then we stand a better chance against these P5s. There are linemen at G5 schools who are 6’5 300+ at G5 schools. We just have to find them.

But do they fit our system? I refer to the ongoing saga going on in the other thread about transfer QBs. Just because they exist, it doesn’t mean that they fit our system.

[AppStFan1]

Why are men always consumed with size?

If our line can move and are 300 pounds with good height then we stand a better chance against these P5s. There are linemen at G5 schools who are 6’5 300+ at G5 schools. We just have to find them.

But do they fit our system? I refer to the ongoing saga going on in the other thread about transfer QBs. Just because they exist, it doesn’t mean that they fit our system.

Some of them do. There are big, athletic players who can move well that other G5 and small schools hit on. Just in last year's draft here are some names that were not out of our reach, on paper in terms of offers that could have fit and are on NFL rosters now.

OT Andrew Trainer, William & Mary- 6'8, 320- PFA to Chargers
OT Trevor Penning, UNI- 6'7, 333 and ran 4.9- 1st round pick
OT Matt Waletzko, UND- 6'7, 315- 5.0- 5th round to Cowboys
OG Cordell Volson, NDSU- 6'7, 317, 4th round pick
OG Nick Zakelj, Fordham- 6'7, 311 ran 5.1- 6th round pick
C Isaac Weaver, Old Dominion, 6'7, 310, PFA to Chargers
OT Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan- 6'6, 303, ran 5.0s- 3rd round pick
OG Andrew Rupcich, Culver-Stockton- 6'6, 322- PFA to Titans
OT Braxton Jones, Southern Utah- 6'6, 307, ran 5.0- 5th round pick to Bears
OG/OT Cole Strange, UTC- 6'5, 305, ran 5.0s- 1st round pick to Patriots

Keep in mind I cut this off at 6'5. There are a bunch of good ones who were 6'3-6'4 1/2, by NFL standards, who would have been good on this list as well. No school is 100% at this. Every school misses on players that fit their system either due to overlooking them, being beat out by piers, or the kid changing positions in college to develop into it.

Our issue with some are out of our area but if our recruiting footprint expanded and we had seen the potential in these names we could have had a stacked OL with a bunch of future NFL players. If we stepped in on the UTC, Old Dominion, NDSU, Fordham, Culver-Stockton, W&M, and UNI players that we could have gotten them. We just ignored their area or missed.

The point is we do a great job but are far from perfect and there are many misses every year.

[AppSt94]

Why are men always consumed with size?

If our line can move and are 300 pounds with good height then we stand a better chance against these P5s. There are linemen at G5 schools who are 6’5 300+ at G5 schools. We just have to find them.

But do they fit our system? I refer to the ongoing saga going on in the other thread about transfer QBs. Just because they exist, it doesn’t mean that they fit our system.

Some of them do. There are big, athletic players who can move well that other G5 and small schools hit on. Just in last year's draft here are some names that were not out of our reach, on paper in terms of offers that could have fit and are on NFL rosters now.

OT Andrew Trainer, William & Mary- 6'8, 320- PFA to Chargers
OT Trevor Penning, UNI- 6'7, 333 and ran 4.9- 1st round pick
OT Matt Waletzko, UND- 6'7, 315- 5.0- 5th round to Cowboys
OG Cordell Volson, NDSU- 6'7, 317, 4th round pick
OG Nick Zakelj, Fordham- 6'7, 311 ran 5.1- 6th round pick
C Isaac Weaver, Old Dominion, 6'7, 310, PFA to Chargers
OT Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan- 6'6, 303, ran 5.0s- 3rd round pick
OG Andrew Rupcich, Culver-Stockton- 6'6, 322- PFA to Titans
OT Braxton Jones, Southern Utah- 6'6, 307, ran 5.0- 5th round pick to Bears
OG/OT Cole Strange, UTC- 6'5, 305, ran 5.0s- 1st round pick to Patriots

Keep in mind I cut this off at 6'5. There are a bunch of good ones who were 6'3-6'4 1/2, by NFL standards, who would have been good on this list as well. No school is 100% at this. Every school misses on players that fit their system either due to overlooking them, being beat out by piers, or the kid changing positions in college to develop into it.

Our issue with some are out of our area but if our recruiting footprint expanded and we had seen the potential in these names we could have had a stacked OL with a bunch of future NFL players. If we stepped in on the UTC, Old Dominion, NDSU, Fordham, Culver-Stockton, W&M, and UNI players that we could have gotten them. We just ignored their area or missed.

The point is we do a great job but are far from perfect and there are many misses every year.

Just curious but how many of the schools represented above run the same zone blocking scheme that we run?

[AppStFan1]

Why are men always consumed with size?

If our line can move and are 300 pounds with good height then we stand a better chance against these P5s. There are linemen at G5 schools who are 6’5 300+ at G5 schools. We just have to find them.

But do they fit our system? I refer to the ongoing saga going on in the other thread about transfer QBs. Just because they exist, it doesn’t mean that they fit our system.

Some of them do. There are big, athletic players who can move well that other G5 and small schools hit on. Just in last year's draft here are some names that were not out of our reach, on paper in terms of offers that could have fit and are on NFL rosters now.

OT Andrew Trainer, William & Mary- 6'8, 320- PFA to Chargers
OT Trevor Penning, UNI- 6'7, 333 and ran 4.9- 1st round pick
OT Matt Waletzko, UND- 6'7, 315- 5.0- 5th round to Cowboys
OG Cordell Volson, NDSU- 6'7, 317, 4th round pick
OG Nick Zakelj, Fordham- 6'7, 311 ran 5.1- 6th round pick
C Isaac Weaver, Old Dominion, 6'7, 310, PFA to Chargers
OT Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan- 6'6, 303, ran 5.0s- 3rd round pick
OG Andrew Rupcich, Culver-Stockton- 6'6, 322- PFA to Titans
OT Braxton Jones, Southern Utah- 6'6, 307, ran 5.0- 5th round pick to Bears
OG/OT Cole Strange, UTC- 6'5, 305, ran 5.0s- 1st round pick to Patriots

Keep in mind I cut this off at 6'5. There are a bunch of good ones who were 6'3-6'4 1/2, by NFL standards, who would have been good on this list as well. No school is 100% at this. Every school misses on players that fit their system either due to overlooking them, being beat out by piers, or the kid changing positions in college to develop into it.

Our issue with some are out of our area but if our recruiting footprint expanded and we had seen the potential in these names we could have had a stacked OL with a bunch of future NFL players. If we stepped in on the UTC, Old Dominion, NDSU, Fordham, Culver-Stockton, W&M, and UNI players that we could have gotten them. We just ignored their area or missed.

The point is we do a great job but are far from perfect and there are many misses every year.

Just curious but how many of the schools represented above run the same zone blocking scheme that we run?

A few of them run similar but that doesn’t matter. Many of these guys are big and can run so they could have learned it and done it. That is the job of coaches to teach the system. There are many G5 and small school who run zone blocking schemes. I could have added another 30-40 players to this list had I dropped it to 6’4 and added in star college players who weren’t good enough for NFL, like Hannon was.

[AppSt94]

If our line can move and are 300 pounds with good height then we stand a better chance against these P5s. There are linemen at G5 schools who are 6’5 300+ at G5 schools. We just have to find them.

But do they fit our system? I refer to the ongoing saga going on in the other thread about transfer QBs. Just because they exist, it doesn’t mean that they fit our system.

Some of them do. There are big, athletic players who can move well that other G5 and small schools hit on. Just in last year's draft here are some names that were not out of our reach, on paper in terms of offers that could have fit and are on NFL rosters now.

OT Andrew Trainer, William & Mary- 6'8, 320- PFA to Chargers
OT Trevor Penning, UNI- 6'7, 333 and ran 4.9- 1st round pick
OT Matt Waletzko, UND- 6'7, 315- 5.0- 5th round to Cowboys
OG Cordell Volson, NDSU- 6'7, 317, 4th round pick
OG Nick Zakelj, Fordham- 6'7, 311 ran 5.1- 6th round pick
C Isaac Weaver, Old Dominion, 6'7, 310, PFA to Chargers
OT Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan- 6'6, 303, ran 5.0s- 3rd round pick
OG Andrew Rupcich, Culver-Stockton- 6'6, 322- PFA to Titans
OT Braxton Jones, Southern Utah- 6'6, 307, ran 5.0- 5th round pick to Bears
OG/OT Cole Strange, UTC- 6'5, 305, ran 5.0s- 1st round pick to Patriots

Keep in mind I cut this off at 6'5. There are a bunch of good ones who were 6'3-6'4 1/2, by NFL standards, who would have been good on this list as well. No school is 100% at this. Every school misses on players that fit their system either due to overlooking them, being beat out by piers, or the kid changing positions in college to develop into it.

Our issue with some are out of our area but if our recruiting footprint expanded and we had seen the potential in these names we could have had a stacked OL with a bunch of future NFL players. If we stepped in on the UTC, Old Dominion, NDSU, Fordham, Culver-Stockton, W&M, and UNI players that we could have gotten them. We just ignored their area or missed.

The point is we do a great job but are far from perfect and there are many misses every year.

Just curious but how many of the schools represented above run the same zone blocking scheme that we run?

A few of them run similar but that doesn’t matter. Many of these guys are big and can run so they could have learned it and done it. That is the job of coaches to teach the system. There are many G5 and small school who run zone blocking schemes. I could have added another 30-40 players to this list had I dropped it to 6’4 and added in star college players who weren’t good enough for NFL, like Hannon was.

It absolutely does matters if they can run our system. You only have 3 or 5 spots with each class to find guys that have the skills and body to do what we need them to do. You don’t have the ability to take a flyer on a guy who MAY work out if he can be coached up.

[AppStFan1]

But do they fit our system? I refer to the ongoing saga going on in the other thread about transfer QBs. Just because they exist, it doesn’t mean that they fit our system.

Some of them do. There are big, athletic players who can move well that other G5 and small schools hit on. Just in last year's draft here are some names that were not out of our reach, on paper in terms of offers that could have fit and are on NFL rosters now.

OT Andrew Trainer, William & Mary- 6'8, 320- PFA to Chargers
OT Trevor Penning, UNI- 6'7, 333 and ran 4.9- 1st round pick
OT Matt Waletzko, UND- 6'7, 315- 5.0- 5th round to Cowboys
OG Cordell Volson, NDSU- 6'7, 317, 4th round pick
OG Nick Zakelj, Fordham- 6'7, 311 ran 5.1- 6th round pick
C Isaac Weaver, Old Dominion, 6'7, 310, PFA to Chargers
OT Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan- 6'6, 303, ran 5.0s- 3rd round pick
OG Andrew Rupcich, Culver-Stockton- 6'6, 322- PFA to Titans
OT Braxton Jones, Southern Utah- 6'6, 307, ran 5.0- 5th round pick to Bears
OG/OT Cole Strange, UTC- 6'5, 305, ran 5.0s- 1st round pick to Patriots

Keep in mind I cut this off at 6'5. There are a bunch of good ones who were 6'3-6'4 1/2, by NFL standards, who would have been good on this list as well. No school is 100% at this. Every school misses on players that fit their system either due to overlooking them, being beat out by piers, or the kid changing positions in college to develop into it.

Our issue with some are out of our area but if our recruiting footprint expanded and we had seen the potential in these names we could have had a stacked OL with a bunch of future NFL players. If we stepped in on the UTC, Old Dominion, NDSU, Fordham, Culver-Stockton, W&M, and UNI players that we could have gotten them. We just ignored their area or missed.

The point is we do a great job but are far from perfect and there are many misses every year.

Just curious but how many of the schools represented above run the same zone blocking scheme that we run?

A few of them run similar but that doesn’t matter. Many of these guys are big and can run so they could have learned it and done it. That is the job of coaches to teach the system. There are many G5 and small school who run zone blocking schemes. I could have added another 30-40 players to this list had I dropped it to 6’4 and added in star college players who weren’t good enough for NFL, like Hannon was.

It absolutely does matters if they can run our system. You only have 3 or 5 spots with each class to find guys that have the skills and body to do what we need them to do. You don’t have the ability to take a flyer on a guy who MAY work out if he can be coached up.

I said it doesn’t matter as in their school ran the system. All these guys are big and can move. Of course it matters if they can run it but all of these are athletic enough to do so. The kids at UNI, Southern Utah, and NDSU absolutely fit us. Helms has had to lose weight to get fast enough to be what we want but all of these guys are over 300 and could have done it. We just failed to find them or avoided their area. I’ll take those guys particular guys drafted by the NFL all day every day. Strange, Penning, and Jones dominated their P5 opponents.

[AppSt94]

I’ll take guys that help us win over trying to find guys that will play in the NFL because that would make you feel better.

[AppStateNews]

I’ll take guys that help us win over trying to find guys that will play in the NFL because that would make you feel better.

That's not what he's saying. He's saying the adage we've held as a fan base that you can't find big fast guys to run the zone scheme at the G5 level is no longer true. They can be found. He listed several that qualify. They are out there.

Not once did he say he didn't want guys to help us win. He's saying those kind of guys are out there and will also help us win.

Not sure why you take everything personal. If people disagree with you, you seemingly take it as a personal attack.

[AppStFan1]

I’ll take guys that help us win over trying to find guys that will play in the NFL because that would make you feel better.

I didn’t say they had to play in NFL. I just named NFL names to show proof they must be good. I could add another 20-30 that didn’t sign in NFL but run as well as our guys.

The argument that you and others have made is that we can’t find these guys. Our entire line does not run a 5.1 or better either. I just gave you names that show they are out there.

[AppStFan1]

I’ll take guys that help us win over trying to find guys that will play in the NFL because that would make you feel better.

That's not what he's saying. He's saying the adage we've held as a fan base that you can't find big fast guys to run the zone scheme at the G5 level is no longer true. They can be found. He listed several that qualify. They are out there.

Not once did he say he didn't want guys to help us win. He's saying those kind of guys are out there and will also help us win.

Not sure why you take everything personal. If people disagree with you, you seemingly take it as a personal attack.

Exactly. All he had to do was admit that he didn’t realize there are that many names out there. I know he didn’t say it but he sounds like nobody else but our current guys can run our system and I know he knows that isn’t true.

We overlooked Helms and Williams out of HS but got them to transfer. There are probably 30-40 small school or G5 OL out there that we could have gotten out of HS who would be good ones for us as well. Maybe we lost out on them, failed to offer, or we just don’t recruit that area but they are out there.

I can also name players for this year that also fit that as well. I just came up with that list quick with very minimal research.

[AppSt94]

Maybe they weren’t good enough to our coaches to offer them. You are bringing up guys that are 22 year old men who developed into those players. It’s easy to find these guys hindsight.

[AppSt94]

I’ll take guys that help us win over trying to find guys that will play in the NFL because that would make you feel better.

That's not what he's saying. He's saying the adage we've held as a fan base that you can't find big fast guys to run the zone scheme at the G5 level is no longer true. They can be found. He listed several that qualify. They are out there.

Not once did he say he didn't want guys to help us win. He's saying those kind of guys are out there and will also help us win.

Not sure why you take everything personal. If people disagree with you, you seemingly take it as a personal attack.

It’s not that I take any of it personally. His examples are based off what they developed into. Of course we would all like to get the massive tackle but no one knows what a kid is going to develop into from an 18 year old. The coaches know what they see and they know what they want. If they pass on a 6’7” 315 lb OL then they have their reasons based on what they have available. Whether they miss due to poor evaluation or not in our recruiting footprint, the it is was it is. If we can get these bigger guys great, but just because they are out there and not getting them isn’t a miss by the staff.

[AppStateNews]

Maybe they weren’t good enough to our coaches to offer them. You are bringing up guys that are 22 year old men who developed into those players. It’s easy to find these guys hindsight.

Sure, but they're out there. You (and many others) have said several times they don't exist. They do. Are there various reasons we don't go for them? Probably. But it's not like they don't exist.

[Stonewall]

P5 fans look at our guys and ask "how did we miss him". It just happens and kids develop, or don't.

[AppStFan1]

Maybe they weren’t good enough to our coaches to offer them. You are bringing up guys that are 22 year old men who developed into those players. It’s easy to find these guys hindsight.

Of course many of them were not good enough but just because we did not offer doesn't mean they weren't good enough. Our coaches have also missed on players that we did offer so of course there are players they saw and did not offer.

I will give an example of one in our wheelhouse that is similar to many players we have offered. UTC OL Cole Strange was 6'4, 250 pounds came out of Knoxville and had offers from Chattanooga, Air Force, Morehead State, UT Martin, and Western Carolina. Of course he developed into a draft pick but watch his film:

He fit the type of players we have offered and gotten to develop. He was dominant against Kentucky last year and showed he could easily fit in our system. He is mean, a finisher, and has good technique. He is exactly the type of player we want but just failed to get him.

Our coaches have done well but obviously they were not perfect. We have poached from UTC before but did not poach Strange who would have been like hitting a gold mine for us. We could have had him. We did hit on Hodges, Peoples, and Hampton but there were many others in their class like Strange that we missed on.

I know this is hindsight but you made the statement they aren't really out there or hard to find but there are a lot of developmental linemen out there with potential to be over 300 pounds and still do what we need them to do. We just happened to miss on a few dozen.

[AppStFan1]

P5 fans look at our guys and ask "how did we miss him". It just happens and kids develop, or don't.

Exactly. We have players that panned out in our favor. It is like he wants to ignore the ones we missed on but he sure is quick to talk about the beast that Hampton developed into. Hampton was not some future NFL draft pick and beast when we signed him. He was good but he has developed into really a low 3-star talent (I know he was a 2 but was better than that) and has become a 4-star talent who will get drafted.

[AppStFan1]

I’ll take guys that help us win over trying to find guys that will play in the NFL because that would make you feel better.

That's not what he's saying. He's saying the adage we've held as a fan base that you can't find big fast guys to run the zone scheme at the G5 level is no longer true. They can be found. He listed several that qualify. They are out there.

Not once did he say he didn't want guys to help us win. He's saying those kind of guys are out there and will also help us win.

Not sure why you take everything personal. If people disagree with you, you seemingly take it as a personal attack.

It’s not that I take any of it personally. His examples are based off what they developed into. Of course we would all like to get the massive tackle but no one knows what a kid is going to develop into from an 18 year old. The coaches know what they see and they know what they want. If they pass on a 6’7” 315 lb OL then they have their reasons based on what they have available. Whether they miss due to poor evaluation or not in our recruiting footprint, the it is was it is. If we can get these bigger guys great, but just because they are out there and not getting them isn’t a miss by the staff.

We have developed many as well. So in your argument then it is understandable why Hampton, Hodges, Peoples, and others did not go to UNC because they just were not good in high school. Sure, maybe they were not but they became that. There are many cases of P5 schools taking a kid who was really a gamble in their minds and it ended up working out really well.

You said the staff did not miss? Every staff misses. I mean EVERY staff has missed and will miss every year. Our staff missed for various reasons just like UNC missed on our studs for various reasons. A player who pans out from your recruiting footprint that became a star is indeed a miss. I guess you would say UNC did not miss on Steven Jones, Cam Peoples, Cooper Hodges, Nick Hampton but the truth is that they did miss. There can be reasons why they missed but UNC did miss out on them. Fortunately for us, we hit on them.

[WVAPPeer]

Every staff has hits and misses - give it a break - I agree that our staff goes after who they think is the best fit and who will want to play at APP --- Jeez

By the way - JJ Watt was a WALK-ON -

[bigdaddyg]

Virtually an entire page of a thread that said almost nothing about our current team's depth chart. Who cares about dudes from other teams that are in the NFL? Most of us would love discussing OUR team and our depth.

[AppStFan1]

Every staff has hits and misses - give it a break - I agree that our staff goes after who they think is the best fit and who will want to play at APP --- Jeez

By the way - JJ Watt was a WALK-ON -

He indeed was. I could name a ton of them. The staff goes after who they think is best and in doing so they hit and also miss, like everyone does as you said. My point was that there are OL out there we overlook and it is not like it is impossible to find big OL who can fit our system. It is hard to project but there are many out there who end up developing into someone we would have loved to get.