Better or worse? Previewing Minnesota's defense in 2022


DT:

Trill Carter should be better with another year under his belt.

Lose MDT and Pinckney.
Return Richter.
Add Baugh from Texas FCS. Staff seems very positive.
Add Jeffries from Clemson.
Ready to mix in four stars Eastern and Schuster. Some hype around both.
McCoy in year 2? Keys in year 3?

Val Martin out of the room.

Brick Haley an upgrade over Wilt?

I think DT is better.

DE:

Lose Mafe and Otomewo to draft.

Thomas Rush played a lot of downs and brought a lot of pressure and will be good. Maybe not Mafe good, but good.

Booker and Striggow both bring big upside.
Booker could be very good.

Hoping year 3 highly regarded recruits Jalen Logan Redding, Jah Joyner, and Vanderbilt transfer Lorenza Surgers are ready to step in for Otomewo.

DE likely to be worse, but not a disaster.

LB:

SoriMarin should be better in year 5.

Gibbens was very good. Oliver and Lindenberg may be more physically gifted than Gibbens. Can they be as consistent and reliable?

Finnessy, Devon Williams, and LeCaptain will offer solid depth and competition to play.

Willis and Aune return at SAM.

LB equal, maybe better?

CB:

Walley should be better. Smith should be better.

Lose Durr. Stapp looked awfully good. Veteran.

Pless, Fleming return with a year under belt. Recruited a stud in Watson; Walley-like?

Even to better at cb?

Nickel:

Lose Harris, Howard, McDonald.

Beanie might be better than all three.

Dixon ready to play this rule and have impact.

Nickel better.

S: Howden and Nubin should be better. Dixon better. Green better. Glaze better. Bryson added.

Collins vs Harasymiak?

Safety better!

Nickel better!

CB even to better!

LB equal to better!

DE a step back.

DT equal to better.

Punter and long snapper back. Should be better.

Rossi back, Haynes back.

Let's go!
 

Last year, the defense played really well as a team and realized its full potential. I think that is largely due to things like coaching, player leadership and communication, and team chemistry which are difficult to capture in position breakdowns. Hopefully the soft skills and intangibles are present this year as well to maximize the defense’s potential again.
 





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