Now that signing day is over and programs across the country are heading into Spring ball, let’s take a look at some of 2019’s class and who will be ready to contribute right away as a true freshman.
- Derek Stingley Jr, CB. 6’1, 185 lbs. (Singed with LSU). There really was no shock here. Stingley is a homegrown talent and grew up watching the Tigers as a kid. Now he gets to play for his favorite team. On the flipside, LSU gets the #1 player in the 2019 class and the best CB coming out of high school in the past decade. He will see the field in 2019.
- Nolan Smith, DE. 6’3, 227 lbs. ( Signed with Georgia). Coach Kirby Smart has another stud in his defensive arsenal with Nolan Smith. From the IMG Academy, Smith has the explosiveness and play making to be successful at DE or as a LB. Give him a year in college to add muscle and strength, he will be the next raquon smith or lorenzo carter for Georgia.
- Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE. 6’5, 234 lbs. (Signed with Oregon). One of the top pass rushers in the 2019 class, the California native is the best prospect coming to Oregon in over a decade. Thibodeaux is dominant player and can wreak havoc in the backfield. This guy is a potential first-rounder in the NFL.
- Jadon Haselwood, WR. 6’3, 189 lbs. (Signed with Oklahoma). Haselwood is the top wide receiver in this class. He was originally committed to Georgia but decided Norman was the place for his college career. He’s a player with outstanding speed and incredible physicality. He’s very competitive but will need to bulk up to be a dominant player in college. He will be a key piece in the sooners offense down the road.
- Trey Sanders, RB. 6’1, 205 lbs. (Singed with Alabama). Another stud from the IMG Academy, Trey Sanders was the top back out of this class. He had offers from most of the blue-blood programs like Florida, Bama, UGA, FSU, and Texas. But his heart was with the Tide all along. Sanders is a very physical, low center of gravity player. He has tremendous lower body strength and can pass block with the best of them, as well as catch in the open field. Sanders will be another great back that has come out of Tuscaloosa.
- Zacch Pickens, DE. 6’4, 267 lbs. (Singed with South Carolina). Stud lineman seem to be blooming all over the palmetto state as of late. Zach has a nice frame for a lineman and has the quickness to pursue the ball. He’s just a great athlete who can do many things. Muschamp might even use him as MLB. He just needs to work on consistency on each down. Pickens is going to do some great things in Columbia.
- Darnell Wright, OT. 6’6, 300 lbs. (Signed with Tennessee). The O-line has been an area of rebuild for coach Pruitt and the Vols and they got started on the right track with Darnell Wright. The 5-star out of Huntington, WV is a big, physical specimen. He has the size and speed to be a force for the Vols and has a lot of upside. He competes on every down and runs very hard. He’s a very smart football player.
- Bo Nix, QB. 6’2, 204 lbs. (Signed with Auburn). Timing is everything and it seems to have favored the Auburn Tigers very well as of late. Signing Bo Nix over programs like rival Alabama, Georgia, and Florida was a huge coup for Gus Malzahn. Nix is a kid who has all the intangibles to be a great quarterback. He has great pocket awareness, deadly accurate, and a great arm- all great tools for a quarterback, esp one in a Malzahn offense. Nix is not the tallest QB out there, but he’s light on his feet and has deceptive speed. Auburn got a good one in Box Nix. Bo’s father, Pat was quarterback for the Tigers in the 90’s under Terry Bowden.
- Bru McCoy, ATH. 6’2, 205 lbs. (Signed with Texas). McCoy originally committed to USC, but after Kliff Kingsbury left for the Arizona job, he changed his pledge to the Longhorns. Bru is a true athlete. He can play on both sides of the ball and can make things happen. As a wideout, he has good hands and makes tough catches. And as a pass rusher he can bull rush as a tackler. A gifted talent, Bru will be a fun player to watch on Saturday’s in the Fall. UPDATE: McCoy has now enrolled back at USC for family reasons.
- John Emery, RB. 5’11, 202 lbs. (Siged with LSU). Once again coach Orgeron does a nice job of keeping local talent in state. Emery is a very versatile back, with explosive speed and has a strong lower body. He is very dangerous once he gets open and could be an every down back in college. The only concern is he tends to be injury prone and it could hamper his impact for a team. If he can stay healthy and just continue to get stronger, he could eventually be one of the best backs in the country.
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