SB Nation - Justin Taplin-Ross

Cowboys Roster Moves: Predicting The First Round Of Cuts

One.Cool.Customer — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 20:00:38 -0000

Next Monday, August 27, all NFL teams have to cut down their rosters to a maximum of 75 players on the Active List by 4 p.m. ET.

The Cowboys are already down to 88 players after releasing safety/cornerback Justin Taplin-Ross and running back Ed Wesley a few days ago. But that still leaves 13 players who'll be asked to hand over their playbooks on Monday. There are unlikely to be any noteworthy names in this group, in fact, it's unlikely that any of the players released on Monday will even make it to the practice squad. But these are significant cuts nonetheless.

Regardless of which players the Cowboys will cut on Monday, they still have one more preseason game to play. after that, a game which probably won't feature any of the starters. The cuts will therefore have to be made with a view to maintaining at least some depth along the entire roster, so the Cowboys can't just go and cut all backup linemen and wide receivers and be done with it.

With that in mind, and with a hat tip James Dator of Cat Scratch Reader, we'll take a look after the break at which 13 players may find themselves at the very bottom of the Dallas Cowboys totem pole.

Position	Player	Comments

OT	Tyrone Novikoff	Never projected to be more than camp bodies, neither Novikoff nor Adcock have impressed in any way, shape or form.

OT	Levy Adcock	See Novikoff above.

OG	Daniel Loper	That's a wicked beard you're sporting there, Daniel! Thanks for helping out, dude!

WR	Donovan Kemp	Kemp had great measurables coming in, but just couldn't catch the eye of the coaches. Perhaps he's still not fully recovered from his torn ACL.

WR	David Little	Last in, first out.

TE	Harry Flaherty	Last in, first out.

FB	Shaun Chapas	The Cowboys will get by in the last preseason game without a fullback. Chapas never distinguished himself in camp.

DE	Baraka Atkins	Baraka Atkins made some plays despite being under the radar all through camp, but the Cowboys are simply too deep on the D-line for Atkins to have a chance.

LB	Isaiah Greenhouse	Last we heard, he's not even with the team anymore.

S	Eddie Whitley	In his first practice, Matt Johnson jumped in with the second team. Not a good sign for Whitley and Mana Silva.

CB	Akwasi Owusu-Ansah	This "small school standout" didn't stand out, and you can only have so many roster spots for projects. Now it's Adrian Hamilton's turn to try and stand out.

CB	C.J. Wilson	Veteran Wilson put up a good fight, but the Cowboys are simply too deep at CB (did I just write that?)

CB	Teddy Williams	This "speed project" has run its course. Saalim Hakim is the next speed project.

Agree or disagree with the choices? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

How Much Can The Dallas Cowboys Develop From Within?

Tom Ryle — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 01:00:12 -0000

While most of our attention is focused on free agents the Dallas Cowboys might sign, both from their own roster and the rest of the NFL, and which draft prospects they might get, there is a third component to the question of how the team improves for 2012 and that is the younger, developing players already on the roster. A lot of these names are purely untried candidates like Orie Lemon and Justin Taplin-Ross. Those are total unknowns that range from possible help to long shots. But there are several other names that have seen some time on the field or at least as part of the 53-man roster last year. These are players that the coaches have some knowledge of, and who will need to be part of the overall solution. The team can only afford so many free agents and will only have eight draft choices (with the expected supplemental pick and assuming no trades).

So these are young, and in many cases largely untried, players. Some have played significant roles already, while others have been very limited. But all were on the field or the sidelines for the Cowboys at least for part of the season. Who will be there next year, and how much can they be expected to help?

Related: Cowboys Offseason Plan: What To Do, And When To Do It

I like assigning probabilities to things. Here is my list of these players already on the roster, and what I see is the chance each one will be a part of the solution, and how they may fit, for next season.

Opinions for you to take issue with after the jump.

Since there are so many unknowns when we are trying to guess what the coaches may see in players, I am going to just stick with high, medium, and low here. A medium ranking is meant to be right around 50/50. A low ranking as a backup means they are not likely to be on the 2012 roster in my estimation.

I also am going to consider some of the players for both starter and backup jobs, while some will only be looked at in one of the roles. I'm listing them in alphabetical order here, mainly so I hopefully won't leave someone out. I am also not considering special teams value, but just looking at the possible value each might have as a starter or backup on offense or defense, since I am not a huge fan of burning any roster space for someone who is only a special teams warrior.

Alex Albright I don't see him as part of the mix for starting if the team has to replace Anthony Spencer, but he could be a useful backup. However, I am starting to think the team is likely to keep Spencer, based on the latest reports discussing that situation. If they do, Albright's future will largely rest on what the team does in the draft. I would think the team would be looking for OLB/DE talent. And if Spencer does move on, the team is likely to seek free agent help. The end result: Albright will be fighting for a roster spot, and could likely not make it to September.

Probability of being a backup: Low

David Arkin A fourth round, small school project. That makes many cringe. But the team seems to have had a plan to develop hm for a year from the start. The great unanswered questions are what did the team actually see from him in practice last year, and how much can he develop in the offseason? I'm making a guess here, but I think they are pleased with what they have, and he has a role, but will need another season to get to his full potential.

Probability of being a starter: Low

Probability of being a backup: High

Josh Brent I think the team has some expectations from Brent in the nose tackle mix to get the optimum usage out of Jay Ratliff. The body of work is a bit light, but the reviews seem favorable. I think he will step it up, and might even be used as a starter if the team does try to move Rat around more, or go to more of a 4-3 look at times.

Probability of being a starter: Medium

Probability of being a backup: High

Victor Butler We know he is pretty much a lock as a backup, but the question is whether he could become the starter if Anthony Spencer does leave. The read on him seems to be that he is the reverse of Anthony, a very good pass rusher, but not so hot at defending the run and sealing the edge. I don't think he is a good answer here, and the team would look elsewhere if Spencer is gone.

Probability of being a starter: Low

Bruce Carter The team is not quite all in on Carter to become the replacement for Keith Brooking and/or Bradie James. But awfully close.

Probability of being a starter: Very High, or trouble will ensue

Barry Church The team desperately needs better safety play. Yet Church did not see much action, leading me to wonder if he is bumping that ceiling. I just have my doubts about him because of that, but he has a fair chance to hang on in a backup role because the pickings are so slim out there.

Probability of being a starer: Low

Probability of being a backup: Medium

Phil Costa He was probably thrown to the wolves at the beginning of the season, but his performance was improving towards the end. He is not likely the answer at center, but I think he has room to grow. I do think the team will likely seek another answer at starting center, but he is likely a good backup, both at center and guard.

One note: I am looking at the interior offensive line a little differently, because this is the only position group where I am considering 2011 starters. It is just that it seems obvious that there needs to be some major reshuffling in the interior of the line, so Costa and the injured Bill Nagy both are going to be discussed here, since they were thrust into the starting jobs when perhaps they should not have been.

Probability of being a starter: Low

Probability of being a backup: High

Dwayne Harris He looked really good in that one preseason game. Then he just kinda faded away. I think the team is going to keep Laurent Robinson (based on the latest comments from Jason Garrett) and I think the numbers game is going to work against him with the other young wideouts the team has to work with (Raymond Radway, Andre Holmes).

Probability of being a backup: Low

Clifton Geathers Another real question mark. Some seem to have high hopes for him, but if the team gets some more defensive line help in the draft or elsewhere, he may be expendable. I just see him sort of on the bubble, but would love to be surprised.

Probability of being a backup: Medium at best

Kevin Kowalski A bit of a pet cat of mine, I will admit. He did a credible job when called on, and I think he has more ceiling to reach as a center. Just a hunch, but I think he may make some big strides in the offseason and surprise us.

Probability of being a starter: Low

Probability of being a backup: High

Sean Lissemore I think this is his year, plain and simple.

Probability of being a starter: High

Danny McCray Again, the safety position is so weak. I think McCray has more upside than Church, but it is kind of close. Otherwise, the arguments are the same.

Probability of being a starter: Low

Probability of being a backup: Medium

Stephen McGee Ah, another one of the Cowboys so many love to hate. Despite that, the coaching staff seems to like him very much. Perhaps Jason Garrett sees something of himself in Stephen.

Probability of being a backup: High

Bill Nagy Prior to his injury he was not exactly burning the world up, but he was not totally lost, either. The one thing that sticks in my mind is his reputation for bringing a bit of nastiness to the field. In a sense, I look at him and Arkin as a package deal. One of them is probably going to become the starter at one of the guard spots this year. I had Arkin rated as a low for starter, but that is just because I see Nagy ahead of him. I would say the chances expressed as a percentage are 50% Nagy being a starer at one guard slot, 25% Arkin beating him out, and 25% the team having to find another solution, if that makes sense. (My dream scenario is one of them starting and the other backing up, with David DeCastro on the other side of center, a free agent between them, and Costa and Kowalski the other two backups in the middle.)

Probability of being a starter: Medium

Probability of being a backup: High

Jermey Parnell A very raw player, he could be one of the most important backups for the team as a tackle, just because they really need to use free agency and draft choices elsewhere. The team seems pleased with his development. He just has a long way to go.

Probability of being a backup: High

Phillip Tanner A kind of marginal name to include here, because he is pretty much seen as a lock for that third RB spot. But he did not see much time thanks to the injury, so I am mentioning him (and thanks to Archie for the reminder on him).

Probability of being a backup: High

Okay. Now that I have gone through the players I considered candidates for this little exercise, what does it mean? The ones I have a high rating on as either a starter or backup are the ones I think can make a significant contribution to the team, and who should definitely have a roster spot in the fall. There are a couple, like Lissemore and either Arkin or Nagy, who I would strongly hope would take a starting role this fall and provide some upgrade over what the team had last year. I was mostly trying to get a feel for whether some of the issues for the Cowboys might have an internal solution, since there are limited opportunities for bringing in new talent. There are many other names on the roster, but they are more vague hopes than anything else.

Looking at Potential NFL Draft Day Three Patriots Prospects

Greg Knopping — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 15:16:19 -0000

With the third and final day of the 2011 NFL Draft set to kick off in just over an hour, I thought now would be an excellent time to look at a few prospects who the Patriots could target in day three of the NFL Draft.

Don't expect the Patriots to look at any more quarterbacks or running backs, although with the way this draft has been unfolding, you never know.
I could definitely see the Patriots targeting a receiver in the later rounds. A couple of the bigger names are still available in Indiana's big target Tandon Doss, Hawaii's underrated Greg Salas, Nebraska's Niles Paul and Abilene Christian's explosive athlete Edmund Gates. But there are also some interesting under the radar players available. Chris Matthews is an underrated, big and physical receiving from Kentucky who I like in the fifth or sixth round. Cecil Shorts III (Mount Union) is a small school prospect who is a Taylor Price clone. LSU's Terrance Tolliver is another big target who I like. Some other options include Hillsdale's Andre Holmes and TCU's Jeremy Kerley. As you can see, there are a lot of big targets still available, and I would really like to see the Patriots go after one of these targets with one of their four draft picks today.
If the Patriots wished, they could draft a third tight end of the future. Luke Stocker, Virgil Green, Josh Baker, Julius Thomas, Kyle Adams, and Zack Pianalto are all still around.
Along the interior offensive line, there are still some options available. Brandon Fusco, the center from Slippery Rock is a player who I really like. Marcus Cannon, who was recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, is another option at tackle/guard. Tim Barnes of Missouri remains on the board. Utah's Zane Taylor is another guy I really like as a developmental guard. Arkansas tackle DeMarcus Love is projected to go in the fifth or sixth round and could slide over to guard. USC's Kris O'Dowd is another top center/guard prospect still on the board. But the number one player who I think the Patriots should target would be Georgia's Clint Boling. He is extremely versatile, although I doubt he would be available at pick 138. There are still options on the interior line, and I would expect the Patriots to use a pick or two in that area day three.
On the defensive line, there are far fewer options that look like a fit. Arizona's Lawrence Guy and UCLA's David Carter are two players that look like they could be potential fits at right end. Alabama's Frank Kearse and Northwestern's Corbin Bryant are potential sixth or seventh round options at defensive end. I also like Christian Ballard, but I'm not sure if he's a fit at defensive end.
At outside linebacker, there are actually some good prospects still available. Texas' Sam Acho would be the top option. Although he is short for the position, he was widely regarded as a potential 2nd round pick yet somehow still remains on the board. Pittsburgh's Greg Romeus has all of the tools the Patriots look for in their 3-4 outside linebackers, but he's fallen due to an injury filled senior season. Fresno State's Chris Carter is shorter like Acho, but also like Acho, would be a steal at any point in day three. In addition, Oklahoma's Jeremy Beal is still on the board (as expected). While I didn't like him as a day one or two pick because he wasn't particularly special as a pass rusher, he represents terrific value day three. There are also plenty of other options in the later rounds, and I would mind seeing the Patriots pick up a small school option at the position.
I could also see the Patriots picking up an inside linebacker for special teams purposes. Casey Matthews is an instinctive player and high character player who could fill this role. Doug Hogue is athletic, versatile, underrated and would be an excellent back-up linebacker and special teams player. Other names on the board include Quan Sturdivant, Greg Jones, Mark Herzlich, Adrian Moten, Colin McCarthy, and Chris White.
I don't see the Patriots taking another cornerback, but I would like to see the Patriots add a body at safety. One of my favorite players in the draft, Florida's Ahmad Black, is still on the board and could be available in the fifth round. Most of the other top prospects are off the board, although the likes of DeAndre McDaniel of Clemson and Shiloh Keo are still around. There are also some other late draftable prospects available, including Desia Dunn, Collin Zych, Justin Taplin-Ross, and Mark LeGree.

Overall, I would just like to see the Patriots add a couple of players along the front seven that the team could develop. I also would like to see the team pick up a bigger wide receiver as well as an interior lineman. Safety could also be an option.

Poll

What position would you most want to see the Patriots address in day three of the NFL Draft?

Defensive Line

108 votes

Outside Linebacker

198 votes

Inside Linebacker

8 votes

Safety

16 votes

Wide Receiver

47 votes

377 votes | Poll has closed

2011 NFL Draft Projections: Utah Utes

Jeremy Mauss — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:03:46 -0000

Even though Utah is off to the Pac-12, for NFL Draft purposes they are still part of the Mountain West. In the Sporting News' seven-round mock draft the only two Utes who are expected to be drafted are defensive back Brandon Burton and defensive tackle Sealver Singla. The others who have a shot of being selected are offensive tackle Zane Taylor and Caleb Schlauderaff. Defensive back Justin Taplin-Ross and running backs Matt Asiata and Eddie Wide may have chances of being signed as undrafted players, whenever that may be.

Now onto their projections from the experts.

First up is defensive back Brandon Burton and I am not sure what Sporting News was thinking in putting Burton in the seventh round when most have him ranked much higher then a seventh round player.

Mocking the Draft: 54th overall player and seventh cornerback.

Yahoo Sports - 99th overall and 11th rated cornerback. Scouting report.

CBS Sports - 111th overall and 14th rated cornerback. Scouting report.

National Football Post - 75th rated player overall and 8th rated cornerback. Scouting report.

ESPN: 80th overall and 11th rated cornerback. Scouting report.

Draft Countdown: Not rated in the top 100, but is the 8th rated cornerback. Scouting Report.

Next up is defensive tackle Sealver Singla:

Mocking the Draft: 26th rated defensive tackle.

Yahoo Sports - 249th overall and 21st rated defensive tackle. Scouting report.

CBS Sports - 258th overall and 11th rated defensive tackle. Scouting report.

National Football Post - 225th rated player overall and 25th rated defensive tackle. Scouting report.

ESPN: 239th overall and 20th rated defensive tackle. Scouting report.

Draft Countdown: Not rated in the top 100, but is the 25th rated defensive tackle. Scouting Report.

Here are the draft prospects for center Zane Taylor:

Yahoo Sports - 275th overall and seventh rated center. Scouting report

CBS Sports - 188th overall and sixth rated center. Scouting report.

National Football Post - 163rd rated player overall and fifth rated center. Scouting report.

ESPN: 293rd overall and seventh rated center. Scouting report.

Draft Countdown: Ninth rated center. Scouting Report.

Up next is guard Caleb Schlauderaff:

Yahoo Sports - 249th overall and 21st rated defensive tackle. Scouting report.

CBS Sports - 274th overall rated player and the 14th rated guard. Scouting report.

National Football Post - 371st rated player overall and 22nd rated guard. Scouting report.

ESPN: 24th rated guard. Scouting Report.

Draft Countdown: Not rated in the top 100, but is the 16th rated guard. Scouting report.

The rest of the players like running back Matt Asiata, Eddie Wide and defensive back Justin Taplin-Ross getting drafted are highly unlikely.

Here is ESPN's scouting report for Asiata, Wide's scouting report from National Football Post and here is National Football Post's scouting report on Taplin-Ross

Follow Mountain West Connection via Twitter and Facebook for News Quick Hits and Random Nonsense.

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The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft starts at 8 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, April 28th and SB Nation has everything you need to prepare for it - NFL mock drafts, draft projections, scouting reports, the full NFL draft schedule and more. Check it all out at SB Nation's NFL Hub, our NFL Draft blog Mocking the Draft and of course here on this site for Mountain West draft news

2010 Utah Football Season Preview

Michael Rueckert — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:00:42 -0000

It's almost time.

September 2, 2010. The date Ute fans have had circled on their calendar's since Utah's Poinsetta Bowl victory over Cal is just one week away. After nearly eight months of waiting... and waiting.. the Utes farewell tour in the MWC is nearly here.

Fall camp is nearing the end and many question marks on Utah's depth chart have gotten sorted out. As expected, the offense is expected to be the strong point of this football team, but the defense is the biggest concern among media and fans.

On offense, the Utes will be led by Sophomore QB Jordan Wynn, who went (3-2) as a starter after replacing struggling QB Terrance Cain. Although his record wasn't outstanding, he turned enough heads with strong performances, most notably with his 338 yard passing game in the Poinsettia Bowl.

At running back the Utes have what should be the best tandem in the MWC with Eddie Wide and Matt Asiata. After taking over for an injured Asiata in 2009, Wide rushed for 1,069 yards and 12 TD's earning him All MWC First Team honors. With both players back, the Utes look to use both as a spit back style of offense.

The offensive line is possibly Utah's strongest position on the team. They return four of five lineman who started last year and combine for 89 career starts for all their lineman, 26th best in the country. They have two Outland Trophy candidates with Zane Taylor and Caleb Schlauderaff.

Wide Receiver and Tight End is a young, but talented group for the Utes. Starters look to be Shaky Smithson, Jereme Brooks, Luke Matthews in the latest depth chart with Kendrick Moeai and Brad Clifford both splitting the starting spot at Tight End. Also look newcomers like speedster Reggie Dunn, Dexter Ransom and Mo Lee to be in the mix along with DeVonte Christopher and Griff McNabb.

On the defensive side of the ball the Utes have less certainty but plenty of talent. The strongest point has to be the defensive line. Whittingham has said that the second string players are as good as first string and they feel confident starting about eight of the guys.

Look for Sealver Siliga to have a big year at DT. The Junior is coming off a good season in 2009 where he led all underclassmen at Utah with 49 tackles. He is listed as a first team DT on most Preseason All MWC teams.

At corner the star is Brandon Burton, who is being labled as an All America candidate. The Junior is on the Thorpe Award watch list and was named First Team Preseason All MWC by the MWC media. He'll have his hands full this season with matchups against the nations top WR's like Michael Floyd and Jonathan Baldwin.

Speedster Conroy Black (4.3 forty) and Lamar Chapman are currently tied at the other starting corner spot. No matter who wins, look for both to get significant playing time throughout the season.

At Safety Justin Taplin-Ross will replace Robert Johnson and true freshman Brian Blechen looks to be the starting strong safety. Blechen, who was recruited as a QB, turned heads with his strong fall camp performance to earn the starting spot.

The biggest concern is the linebacker position. The three new starters will likely be J.J. Williams, Matt Martinez and Chad Manis. Chaz Walker is also in the mix to start at Middle Linebacker. Depth is an issue there and inexperience is a big issue. They will be tested early against Pitt's Dion Lewis.

The schedule for the Utes will be difficult, but favorable with tough games at home. Starting the season will be a 2005 Fiesta Bowl rematch against the Pitt Panthers who are ranked 15th in the coaches and AP polls.

After the Pitt game the Utes have an easy stretch with games against UNLV, New Mexico, San Jose State, Iowa State, Wyoming and Colorado State.

Then the schedule gets very difficult. October 30th they travel to Air Force, who traditionally always gives Utah fits and looks very strong this season. Then they face a very good TCU team at home, travel to Notre Dame, pay SDSU at home and finish with a home game against BYU.

The Utes certainly have the talent to make a run at another undefeated season but it will be tough with games against TCU, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame. My biased prediction as a University of Utah student is an 11-1 season with a loss to TCU, but there are certainly other opportunities to more losses.

After this, they are off to the Pac-10. They aren't looking ahead though, and are focused on leaving the MWC as champions.

Follow Michael Rueckert on Twitter @MichaelRueckert

Poll

How many game will Utah lose?

1

37 votes

2

40 votes

3

29 votes

4

12 votes

5+

17 votes

0

30 votes

165 votes | Poll has closed

The Morning Blitz: Daily Utah links

JazzyUte — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 07:56:23 -0000

Good Monday to you all. With each passing day, we're inching closer and closer to the season.

Can you feel it?

Last night I watched the 2009 Poinsettia Bowl on ESPNU. It was fun revisiting that game because it was certainly one of the more impressive bowl wins in recent memory. Sure, it doesn't stack up to the Sugar Bowl victory - but it was still pretty impressive nevertheless.

What I found great about this performance was the fact Utah managed to come back from a fourteen-point hole early and didn't wilt when the Golden Bears roared back, cutting the deficit to seven.

That's when the game could've gone Cal's way. Instead, the Utes kept things steady (especially on defense) and managed a few big plays to pull away in the fourth quarter. Outside of that stretch in the third, when it was a seven-point game, the contest was never really close in the second half and a Utah victory never felt jeopardized.

It's pretty remarkable how steady the Utes have been in bowl games recently - and I'm not just talking about their nine consecutive wins. Those are impressive, of course, however, it's the way the Utes are winning. Since their unremarkable 10-6 victory over SC in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, Utah's bowl wins have been fairly decisive and rather stellar performances:

2003: 17-0 win over So. Miss in the Liberty Bowl

2004: 35-7 win over Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl

2005: 38-10 win over Georgia Tech in the Emerald Bowl

2006: 25-13 win over Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl

2007: 35-32 win over Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl

2008: 31-17 win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl

2009: 37-27 win over Cal in the Poinsettia Bowl

That's a pretty solid stretch of wins. The closest game was against Navy a few years ago and it probably shouldn't have been that close.

Utah's average bowl score since 2003 is 31-15. I'm not sure you'll find any team capable of topping that margin (16 points).

Anyway, it was interesting watching and I'm excited to see what Jordan Wynn can do for an encore. We'll get that chance in less than three weeks!

Utes to turn tight ends loose | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Utes football: John Cullen feels weight of high expectations | Deseret News

Kruger has good day for Utes' defense | U of U Sports | The Salt Lake Tribune

Utes close week with solid effort | U of U Sports | The Salt Lake Tribune

Deseret News | Football camp: Day 9 | Utah Utes

Utah Utes football: Team has four very good running backs | Deseret News

Utah Utes football: Time for Justin Taplin-Ross to emerge | Deseret News

Utah Utes football: U. planning to use tight ends more | Deseret News

Utah Utes football: U. players still battling for positions | Deseret News

Looking at 2011 Recruits: Utah's Derrick Brown

Michael Rueckert — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:00:56 -0000

Name: Derrick Brown

School: Utah

Position: Quarterback

Height/Weight: 6'3''/230

High School: Vista Murrieta in Murrieta, California

Offers: Utah, Colorado State, San Diego State

Date Committed: June 27, 2010

Recruiting Profiles: Rivals, Scout, ESPN, MaxPreps

Tim Tebow immediately comes to mind when watching this bruising quarterback play. Like Tebow, he has a strong arm and runs the ball very well. In fact, he models his game after Tebow, who was extremely successful in Urban Meyer's spread offense that Utah runs.

Comparing Brown to Tebow, who is one of the most successful college football players ever, is a little much but he does play with a similar style.

"The similarities are the fact that they're both big kids that think of themselves more of a running back than necessarily a quarterback," his coach said to Rivals.com. "Derrick likes contact. He likes to hit. He's 6-3, 230. Those qualities make you think of Tim Tebow's game. He's not quite to that level yet. But he's somebody that Derrick looks up to that plays a similar game."

In his junior year, Brown passed for 1886 yards and 18 touchdowns in 14 games and rushed for 913 yards and 15 touchdowns. He had a decent completion percentage at 54% but he was most efficient on the ground averaging 5.5 yards per carry.

Brown told the North County Times that he chose Utah because he really liked the atmosphere there and coaches. He will be the third Vista Murrieta High School player on Utah's roster, along with Justin Taplin-Ross and Jamel King.

The last quarterback with size like Brown that Utah recruited, Brian Blechen, was moved to safety. That may not be the case with Brown since he possesses a strong arm, great footwork and good throwing motion. He told the North County Times that he expects to play quarterback at Utah.

Rivals ranks him the 19th best dual-threat quarterback in the country, ESPN ranks him the 23rd best overall QB and Scout.com ranks him at 50.

He drew interest from some big schools like Alabama, Notre Dame and USC but only Utah, Colorado State and San Diego State offered.

Other Utah 2011 Recruits

Follow Michael Rueckert on Twitter @MichaelRueckert

No. 18 Utah Looks To Become Bowl Eligible With A Win Over Air Force

Michael Rueckert — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:26:56 -0000

Air Force Falcons
@ Utah Utes

Saturday, Oct 24, 2009, 1:00 PM PDT
Rice-Eccles Stadium

TV: Versus HD

Complete Coverage >

No. 18 Utah is looking for their sixth win of the season Saturday to become bowl eligible as they face the Air Force Falcons. The Utes, however, have much bigger goals than making a bowl game. The (5-1) Utes are trying to climb the BCS standings to keep any hopes of returning to the BCS alive. They will face a very tough challenge in the (4-3) Air Force Falcons.

Air Force always plays Utah tough; Always. Last season the Falcons gave the undefeated Utes one of their biggest scares of the season. The Utes had to come from behind to beat the Falcons by seven in Falcon Stadium. In 2007, Air Force beat the Utes 24-14 in Rice-Eccles Stadium. In 2006, the Utes won another close game beating the Falcons by only three points. Need I say more? This is always a good, close game. Air Force matches up very well with Utah.

Don’t let the (4-3) record for Air Force fool you. All three of their losses have been by seven points or less, including a tough three point loss to TCU. Their other two losses have come on the road. They lost by seven to Minnesota and suffered a three point loss in overtime to Navy. They are coming off one of their best performances of the season holding Wyoming scoreless beating them 10-0.

Everyone knows Air Force loves to run the ball. They are ranked fourth in the nation averaging 279.3 yards per game on the ground. The Falcons run the triple-option to perfection. Jared Tew leads Air Force with 422 rushing yards on the season for 4 touchdowns. Savier Stevens is also very productive on the ground, with 359 rushing yards on the ground as well. They love to run a lot of misdirection plays to keep the defense guessing.

Unfortunately for Air Force, Utah can stop the run. Utah currently ranks 26^th in the nation in total team defense allowing 306.7 yards per game. Last season the Utes held the Falcons to just 53 yards of rushing. Kyle Whittingham is great at devising defensive schemes to stop the Air Force attack. The Utes must execute and play all four quarters to beat a tough Falcon team that does not quit. Air Force is very tough and disciplined. Kyle Whittingham said the Utes must stay "assignment sound" on defense:

"When you prepare for the Air Force you think assignment football; that’s the first thing that comes to mind. We call it one eleventh defense where everyone on the field has their one job that they need to take care of, everyone do their one eleventh. If there are any breakdowns in that there is a potential big play. You have to match their discipline and toughness."

This Air Force team also has a very tough defense. They rank seventh in the nation in scoring defense, only allowing 11.9 points per game and fourth in passing defense allowing just 139.1 yards per game. They could pose a serious threat to quarterback Terrance Cain if he does not stay calm. Eddie Wide should continue to rush on limited carries likely staying around 18 rushes in this contest.

Utah has struggled all season long with completing drives. They must march down the field and score points on this tough Air Force defense. Utah is hoping that their crowd can get behind them and help their team execute and finish. They will face a tough defense similar to what they faced in Oregon. The Utes struggled moving the ball on the Ducks and may have difficulties with the Falcons.

The Utes will be playing this game without safety Joe Dale. The timing of this injury hurts the Utes because Dale is a good tackler which is very important for stopping the Falcons rushing attack. Justin Taplin-Ross will likely be Dale’s replacement. Taplin-Ross is a talented safety but a bit inexperienced. The Utes should be affected too much with the injury.

The Utes should win this one and improve to (6-1) on the season, but it will be not be easy by any means. They must execute and play a four tough quarters to beat this pesky Falcons team.