Alligator Alley

Mom usually wins out in these things

Neither of those guys are the caliber of talent that DFJ is. McMillian maybe, but not Brantley.

Forsho but Brantley is a beast at DT and a position of need...not many DT like Brantley on the board this cycle. We'll lose 2-3 this year and not much left on the roster besides Orr. Dante and Williams have talent but imo one or both move outside. Brantley is a MUST get/keep this cycle.

6-7 DTs, yes. 9, No. You have 2 DT spots and you are never going to go 5 deep at one and 4 deep at the other. Without stealing from other positions, the ideal number is 7, IMO. Don't think we lose Floyd. He's yet to show he can play at a consistently dominant level. Not his fault, as he's been taking one for the team by playing end in a 4-3.

After seeing Jacobs shoot up the spring depth chart at the position, following a lot of negative sentiment by message board prognosticators, I'm convinced that our defensive coaches can fill the position with capable young men. Also, Joey Ivie projects to DT, IMO. Our board is deep with big ends, and we may sign a couple we develop into DTs.

I think that the reason we haven't locked up DT and DE is a combination of the fluid situation with some of our recruits, and the fact that we're still evaluating and still possibly deepening our board. If we get later in the cycle and all our major targets have committed elsewhere, then that will be the time to worry. Our need at DT this year is similar to our need at DE last year. We hit a home run there, and will at DT this year, I've no doubt.

Still, in the final analysis, I think Brantley will be in this class. And he may not be the all-world prospect that Fowler was last year, but this is a kid who is flat out dominating, and he would be a huge loss if he's not replaced. Muschamp and BY will square the depth chart picture with him, I've no doubt.

I can name 4 DTs off the top of my head for FSU that Brantley would have to wait behind. All the same, I'm not sure all this depth chart talk is something that Muschamp will let go on indefinitely. He's come out publicly against recruiting kids who are always asking about the depth chart. And if that is the kind of recruit Brantley is, then we're better off moving on to another.

I really believe that Brantley will be a Gator. I think his mother wants what's best for her son and, since she is planning to move to the city where he goes to school, she's not ready to go somewhere then pack up and leave for someplace else one or two years later.

Brantley did say he's enrolling early, correct? I'm really not worried about this on his side. I'm more worried that if he's saying these same things to our staff, we'll just move on. In the end I don't think he goes anywhere.