Willie Tatum

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Thunderlips

Thunderlips

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Bored on a Thursday night, cruising around ESPN.com just to kill time, and I came across this dude. Holy Crap, this guy is un-blockable! I hope he fills out his 6’3 frame and learns how to drop back in coverage.

PS, he's number 23 i think, always the last guy on the left end of the line (some weird hybrid OLB/DE). they are sometimes in some funky 2-5 defense

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4184809
 

Thunderlips said:
Bored on a Thursday night, cruising around ESPN.com just to kill time, and I came across this dude. Holy Crap, this guy is un-blockable! I hope he fills out his 6’3 frame and learns how to drop back in coverage.

PS, he's number 23 i think, always the last guy on the left end of the line (some weird hybrid OLB/DE). they are sometimes in some funky 2-5 defense

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4184809
Click to expand...

I've been impressed with Tatum as well, my only concern is the size of his frame overall. He has long limbs and great athleticism, but also a fairly thin body type.Also, like you said he doesn't cover real well, so he projects to the DE/LB type position which usually requires size.

He's also a wrestler from what I read, which may explain why he's somewhat thin(cutting weight every winter) Hopefully he can bulk up and be a pass rusher type LB, in retrospect I suppose he wouldn't need to be huge to play this role, but I would guess he's 190-200 lbs now. He's got amazing natural talents though.
 

He's got amazing

Quick twitch muscles. I would like to see his quickness at 10 yards. As a wrestler he has lean muscle mass as well. And when he gets a hand on you, you go down. Its all good!
 

I've never had to evaluate defensive prospects, so I always wonder what they look on film for. My first impression was that he closes fast, struggles with wrapping up, but has a strong grip to hold on for a finishing tackle. It seems like that is a break tackle at the next level every time. Does that grade out as normal for defensive recruits?
 

Tatum is listed at 205 on Rivals. He should be able to put on 30+ pounds easily over his redshirt season (assuming he will redshirt), especially since he won't be wrestling anymore.
 


He certainly looks like a 'tweener' at this point (Sort of how Gary Tinsley was used in HS) but at the end of the day a guy can play or he can't and Tatum seems like a player. I like Brew's philosophy of recruiting athletes who can fly and hit, then figuring out a positon for them later since half the guys you recruit end up at different positions anyhow.
 



haha...ok. ill work my butt off from the time i get there till im gone!!
 



Monk, you can teach tackling, you look for whether he has the tools in the box, looks like he does! Raw,, but that gives alot of upside. If he has brains and heart, should be a good prospect.
 

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