DEC 4 UPDATE
Defensive Line
Current players (in order of 204 eligibility):
Senior Anthonie Cooper
Senior Elijah O’Neal
Senior Harold Brooks III
Junior Prince Dorbah
Junior Gharin Stansbury
Junior Clayton Smith
Sophomore Sam Benjamin
Sophomore CJ Fite
Sophomore Tristan Monday
Sophomore Blazen Lono-Wong
Redshirt Freshman Landen Thomas
Redshirt Freshman Kyran Bourda
Incoming freshmen: Ramar Williams, James Giggey, Mason Fleming, Albert Smith
Position snapshot: BJ Green in the portal is a blow to the EDGE role, but that’s at last a role that, in comparison to defensive tackle, you can *somewhat* afford to take a hit. Nonetheless, his departure will only compel ASU that much more to find help in the portal. You still would have a good duo of starters in Clayton Smith and Prince Dorbah. Maybe Gharin Stansbury can turn the corner, but he’s another player I could see leave, not so much for NIL but just because he’s not confident in his playing time in the future.
Cannot overstate the need at defensive tackle because, aside from Fite (who declared he's staying), I don’t see this depth chart having the required talent to compete in the Big 12. Bringing in three tackles from the portal wouldn’t be a shocker at all. Thus, Blazen Lono-Wong and Brooks are linemen that I see as a strong possibility of leaving. Maybe some of the returning players can make their presence known in the spring, but the upgrade of this front four is more than likely going to be with the additions from the portal, and much like the offensive line, there going to have to be a lot of bullseyes recorded here.
Linebacker
Current players (in order of 2024 eligibility):
Senior Caleb McCullough
Junior Krew Jackson
Sophomore Tate Romney
Redshirt freshman K’Vion Thunderbird
Incoming freshmen: Martell Hughes
Position snapshot: Granted, in a scheme that will often feature two linebackers, you don’t need an abundance of players in this unit. But the depth here isn’t ideal. Romney under the radar may have been the biggest newcomer surprise, but all other returning players, at best, showed some flashes here and there but nothing else. So, ASU bringing in at least 2-3 formidable linebackers is a forgone conclusion, especially with Djonkam in the portal.
McCullough may still be backup if ASU is able to bring in quality linebackers out of the portal. Krew Jackson hasn’t been able to establish a good niche and could find himself in a battle with Thunderbird with a talented incoming freshman, let alone portal additions.
Safety (including nickel back)
Current players (in order of 2024 eligibility):
Senior Shamari Simmons
Senior Roman Rashada
Senior Macen Williams
Sophomore Xavion Alford
Sophomore Josiah Cox
Redshirt freshman Montana Warren
Incoming freshmen: Tony-Louis Nkuba (could play corner)
Position snapshot: I like this group a lot because Alford is essentially the best 2024 addition (after being ruled ineligible in 2023), and having him team up with Simmons at safety and having Macen Williams at nickel is a starting group you would gladly go to battle with. Cox played ten games as a freshman, and that will prove very valuable. We know that Warren would easily be in the two-deep if not for an injury that had him play just one game, and he has the biggest upside in this group. Jordan Clark and RJ Regan could have ASU bring in a nickel back, although Warren might be moved there if needed.
Cornerback
Current players (in order of 2024 eligibility):
Senior Ed Woods
Sophomore Keith Abney
Redshirt freshman Keontez Bradley
Redshirt freshman Lenox Lawson
Incoming freshmen: Plas Johnson, Chris Johnson, Rodney Bimage (some of them could play safety)
Position snapshot: Huge opportunity for both the freshmen who redshirted and the incoming freshmen to crave a niche in the two deep with Woods and Abney as the presumed starters. BUT I feel as if the staff will try to bring in one formidable corner, maybe two, from the portal if they can.
Special teams
Sophomore Ian Hershey, who did redshirt last year, and incoming freshman Kanyon Floyd will be the two specialists here, as the kicker and punter duties will be determined later.
Defensive Line
Current players (in order of 204 eligibility):
Senior Anthonie Cooper
Senior Elijah O’Neal
Senior Harold Brooks III
Junior Prince Dorbah
Junior Gharin Stansbury
Junior Clayton Smith
Sophomore Sam Benjamin
Sophomore CJ Fite
Sophomore Tristan Monday
Sophomore Blazen Lono-Wong
Redshirt Freshman Landen Thomas
Redshirt Freshman Kyran Bourda
Incoming freshmen: Ramar Williams, James Giggey, Mason Fleming, Albert Smith
Position snapshot: BJ Green in the portal is a blow to the EDGE role, but that’s at last a role that, in comparison to defensive tackle, you can *somewhat* afford to take a hit. Nonetheless, his departure will only compel ASU that much more to find help in the portal. You still would have a good duo of starters in Clayton Smith and Prince Dorbah. Maybe Gharin Stansbury can turn the corner, but he’s another player I could see leave, not so much for NIL but just because he’s not confident in his playing time in the future.
Cannot overstate the need at defensive tackle because, aside from Fite (who declared he's staying), I don’t see this depth chart having the required talent to compete in the Big 12. Bringing in three tackles from the portal wouldn’t be a shocker at all. Thus, Blazen Lono-Wong and Brooks are linemen that I see as a strong possibility of leaving. Maybe some of the returning players can make their presence known in the spring, but the upgrade of this front four is more than likely going to be with the additions from the portal, and much like the offensive line, there going to have to be a lot of bullseyes recorded here.
Linebacker
Current players (in order of 2024 eligibility):
Senior Caleb McCullough
Junior Krew Jackson
Sophomore Tate Romney
Redshirt freshman K’Vion Thunderbird
Incoming freshmen: Martell Hughes
Position snapshot: Granted, in a scheme that will often feature two linebackers, you don’t need an abundance of players in this unit. But the depth here isn’t ideal. Romney under the radar may have been the biggest newcomer surprise, but all other returning players, at best, showed some flashes here and there but nothing else. So, ASU bringing in at least 2-3 formidable linebackers is a forgone conclusion, especially with Djonkam in the portal.
McCullough may still be backup if ASU is able to bring in quality linebackers out of the portal. Krew Jackson hasn’t been able to establish a good niche and could find himself in a battle with Thunderbird with a talented incoming freshman, let alone portal additions.
Safety (including nickel back)
Current players (in order of 2024 eligibility):
Senior Shamari Simmons
Senior Roman Rashada
Senior Macen Williams
Sophomore Xavion Alford
Sophomore Josiah Cox
Redshirt freshman Montana Warren
Incoming freshmen: Tony-Louis Nkuba (could play corner)
Position snapshot: I like this group a lot because Alford is essentially the best 2024 addition (after being ruled ineligible in 2023), and having him team up with Simmons at safety and having Macen Williams at nickel is a starting group you would gladly go to battle with. Cox played ten games as a freshman, and that will prove very valuable. We know that Warren would easily be in the two-deep if not for an injury that had him play just one game, and he has the biggest upside in this group. Jordan Clark and RJ Regan could have ASU bring in a nickel back, although Warren might be moved there if needed.
Cornerback
Current players (in order of 2024 eligibility):
Senior Ed Woods
Sophomore Keith Abney
Redshirt freshman Keontez Bradley
Redshirt freshman Lenox Lawson
Incoming freshmen: Plas Johnson, Chris Johnson, Rodney Bimage (some of them could play safety)
Position snapshot: Huge opportunity for both the freshmen who redshirted and the incoming freshmen to crave a niche in the two deep with Woods and Abney as the presumed starters. BUT I feel as if the staff will try to bring in one formidable corner, maybe two, from the portal if they can.
Special teams
Sophomore Ian Hershey, who did redshirt last year, and incoming freshman Kanyon Floyd will be the two specialists here, as the kicker and punter duties will be determined later.
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