The Football Brainiacs

Image from 247 Sports

We found out a few weeks back that Oklahoma had offered defensive end, Trey Carter out of Pinkston in Dallas, TX. The film folks saw online was recent film and most of it was him playing defensive end in a 4 man front or occasionally playing as a stand up rusher. After seeing his film I personally wasn’t overly excited. But I’m here to tell you that Trey is one of my favorite OU offers and he should be one of yours as well. Why? Because he probably isn’t ever going to play DEnd in a 4 man front at Oklahoma. He may not even be a DEnd in Oklahoma’s new 30/50 front. He may in fact be Oklahoma’s future NG and I’m not the only one that’s thinks so.

First, lets talk about Trey’s size because so much of what kind of DL difference maker this young man could be for OU is about how big he can be.  According to Coach Smith, Trey’s high school coach, Trey is “6’4 1/2…6’5 with cleats on and his weight is 255”.

That is a very tall kid. Most of those 6’4 numbers you see posted online aren’t legit. His numbers are accurate and perhaps a little under his actual height. And it sounds like the goal is for him to come into school at 275+ which on his frame should be no problem. Just looking at how thin he still is it’s not hard to imagine Trey being a muscular 280 lbs really soon. But I’ll go a big step further. I think this young man can grow in a legit 310+  lb NG. In fact his frame reminds me a little bit of Michael Brockers though Trey looks higher cut and probably isn’t as wide in his base. Brockers  was a high school DEnd at around the same height and weight that grew into a interior lineman for LSU and played at well over 3o0 lbs.

Trey’s coach told us that he could “easily” see Trey getting to 300 lbs. I agree, and in my opinion after a couple years in OU’s S&C and he’ll be well past that if there is a deliberate effort to do so. And here is the kicker, Trey’s coach also said Trey is the hardest worker on the team. “He is a weight room rat…he wants to go to the weight room everyday”. That’s a blue collar kid in a blue chip body. That’s how OU gets back to national championships.

I love that Trey has the frame that allows a team to mold him into whatever they want depending on where he is best suited/needed and has the work ethic to get there. I had a chance to see his film from his previous school in Louisiana (it’s no longer available) where they actually had Trey playing NG in a 3 man front and he was an absolute terror! A terror I tell you!

The thing that concerned me at the DEnd spot in 4 man front was his burst off the line. His first step just didn’t stand out (though neither did Brockers’ when he was in HS). But as you move Trey closer and closer to the ball you start to see his explosiveness really come into play. As anyone whose played outside and then moved inside will tell you – things happen really fast down there and that’s where Trey can be scary good – he can make things happen fast down there. He is so sudden and physical.

In fact here’s a little nugget. Trey’s father played nose guard at Louisiana Tech and according to Trey’s coach he’s “showed him a lot over the past few years at the NG position”.

I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’d love to see him grow into a true NG but I’m confident he’d be just what OU fans want at that 4i DEnd spot that we are currently using as well. Since those 4is play 1 gap you need guys who are quick enough to be disruptive. Often times that means you’re giving up size for quickness. That can hurt you in the run. Trey gives you both. He can play his man if you want him to play a different technique, squeeze the gap or he can disrupt and take over a gap. Trey can also gives you speed in the open field which has become more and more important with all the mobile QBs. We all loved seeing Tappers athleticism when he chased down Boykin and kept him from getting a first down. Trey has some of that open field speed and athleticism. According to Trey’s coach Trey ran a 4.71 40 at the Oklahoma State camp. 6’5 255 and ran a 4.71! And please spare me the cries about inaccuracies of camp 40 times…if he ran a 4.81 at that size I’d be impressed!

Again, unfortunately the video of Trey from his old school in Louisiana where he played NG a lot isn’t available. But if you want a glimpse of just how sudden he is at the snap when you move him close to the ball watch the first few highlights from his most recent film at DEnd. And then watch him come off the ball at 23 secs into the film when he’s lined up at the NG. Also starting at about 3 mins and 50 secs there are a few plays back to back of him at the nose guard position.

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/2865009/highlights/69238375

Take a look and I’m sure you’ll see what I’m talking about. His old film had play after play of that kind of interior disruptive presence.

Whether he’s a 280+ DEnd in the 3 man front or eventually grows into a 315 lb NG, this young man is a step in the right direction and one of the many reasons I’m more optimistic about the future of OU’s defense than I have been in a long time.

And if after reading all of the above you think I’m crazy for suggesting the idea that Trey may be our future nose guard, well, I asked Trey’s coach if playing NG may be in Trey’s future. According to him – OU has, indeed, been talking to Trey about both the DE and NG positions.