‘23 VA ATH Brandyn Hillman (Michigan Verbal)

IAIrish

IAIrish

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It's a shame he won't play on offense. Even being the athlete he is, he'll need a lot of time before he learns DB. Look at X Watts, for example.

Even being a phenomenal athlete, there's no promise he'll reach his potential. I realize that can be said at any position, but instincts and communication make great safties. Harrison Smith, Alohi Gillman and Kyle Hamilton all developed those instincts in high school. Watts, Jalen Elliott, Sergio Brown were great athletes that took time.

Offense, imo, would be a much quicker path for him. As Uyeyama likes to say, film don't lie.
 
Irish4life

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IAIrish said:
It's a shame he won't play on offense. Even being the athlete he is, he'll need a lot of time before he learns DB. Look at X Watts, for example.

Even being a phenomenal athlete, there's no promise he'll reach his potential. I realize that can be said at any position, but instincts and communication make great safties. Harrison Smith, Alohi Gillman and Kyle Hamilton all developed those instincts in high school. Watts, Jalen Elliott, Sergio Brown were great athletes that took time.

Offense, imo, would be a much quicker path for him. As Uyeyama likes to say, film don't lie.
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While I think he probably winds up on defense, wouldn't be all that surprising to see him wind up on offense. But the good news is that we have him in the class. And we can figure that out when he gets on campus.
 
CanadalovesND

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I think it's going to take him a while to get going. There is so much he needs to learn about playing defense. He's a project, but he's a high upside guy. And I love it.
 
Sherm Sticky

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IAIrish said:
It's a shame he won't play on offense. Even being the athlete he is, he'll need a lot of time before he learns DB. Look at X Watts, for example.

Even being a phenomenal athlete, there's no promise he'll reach his potential. I realize that can be said at any position, but instincts and communication make great safties. Harrison Smith, Alohi Gillman and Kyle Hamilton all developed those instincts in high school. Watts, Jalen Elliott, Sergio Brown were great athletes that took time.

Offense, imo, would be a much quicker path for him. As Uyeyama likes to say, film don't lie.
Click to expand...
I would normally agree with your statement. But in this case I don’t think it will take as long for Hillman to adapt at being a safety as those you mentioned above. Main reason is didn’t this kid start at QB and safety in high school? So it’s not like he has never played the position.
 
Domina Nostra

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Sherm Sticky said:
I would normally agree with your statement. But in this case I don’t think it will take as long for Hillman to adapt at being a safety as those you mentioned above. Main reason is didn’t this kid start at QB and safety in high school? So it’s not like he has never played the position.
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IAIrish said:
It's a shame he won't play on offense. Even being the athlete he is, he'll need a lot of time before he learns DB. Look at X Watts, for example.

Even being a phenomenal athlete, there's no promise he'll reach his potential. I realize that can be said at any position, but instincts and communication make great safties. Harrison Smith, Alohi Gillman and Kyle Hamilton all developed those instincts in high school. Watts, Jalen Elliott, Sergio Brown were great athletes that took time.

Offense, imo, would be a much quicker path for him. As Uyeyama likes to say, film don't lie.
Click to expand...


One nit . . . Smith's physical tools were always elite, but he had MUCH more of a Drew Tranquil career than a Kyle Hamilton or even Alohi Gilman career.

Harrison Smith did not start out as some obvious, can't miss prospect in college--he didn't play at all as a freshman on a not-at-all elite defense. His Sophomore year was pretty good, but he wasn't even a clear-cut starter. Then as a junior he played at both safety and LB, where he was OK but not great.

He then moved back to safety full time as a Senior and became an absolute beast. Again, he flashed the whole time, but was nothing like Hamilton.
 
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Domina Nostra said:
One nit . . . Smith's physical tools were always elite, but he had MUCH more of a Drew Tranquil career than a Kyle Hamilton or even Alohi Gilman career.

Harrison Smith did not start out as some obvious, can't miss prospect in college--he didn't play at all as a freshman on a not-at-all elite defense. His Sophomore year was pretty good, but he wasn't even a clear-cut starter. Then as a junior he played at both safety and LB, where he was OK but not great.

He then moved back to safety full time as a Senior and became an absolute beast. Again, he flashed the whole time, but was nothing like Hamilton.
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My memory was BK maybe saved his career he said something like He is a safety or nothing and then balled out at safety. Hell at one point he was an outside linebacker rushing off the edge at 200 lbs under Weiss
 
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INLaw said:
My memory was BK maybe saved his career he said something like He is a safety or nothing and then balled out at safety. Hell at one point he was an outside linebacker rushing off the edge at 200 lbs under Weiss
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Smith played OLB for Weis. BK pretty much came in and said he was too small and to play Safety
 
Domina Nostra

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INLaw said:
My memory was BK maybe saved his career he said something like He is a safety or nothing and then balled out at safety. Hell at one point he was an outside linebacker rushing off the edge at 200 lbs under Weiss
Click to expand...

That sounds right. Side note . . . if Kelly could have convinced Clausen and Tate to stick around for his first year, the whole thing may have gone in a very different direction.
 
BoredIrish

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Hopefully Hillman gets the ball in his hands as a punt returning safety at the very least.
 
NDty9

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Wouldn’t it be amazing to see this kid THRIVE in our secondary, on a national level……… while that pathetic brat hopefully fades into the background with SHIT OU !?!?
 
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Yeah punt returner should be a good battle, Bell, Grey, even Jadarian Price. I think Hillman has to start as a safety unless we pick up a kid in the portal even getting a low ranked guy with some experience isn’t a bad idea just to have a body. If someone gets hurt we are screwed
 
IAIrish

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NDFAN2008 said:
Yeah punt returner should be a good battle, Bell, Grey, even Jadarian Price. I think Hillman has to start as a safety unless we pick up a kid in the portal even getting a low ranked guy with some experience isn’t a bad idea just to have a body. If someone gets hurt we are screwed
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We either need Brandon Joseph to stay or need a portal safety. Bowen would've changed that since he appeared to be turnkey.
They'll be down to Watts and Henderson next year at safety, barring moving Clew or dj brown spring return. Need bodies.
 
Luckylucci

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Ha, NVM it says S.

That’ll be an intriguing eval before he hits campus.
 
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