National Columnist Mike Farrell is here with the 3-Point Stance ranking the ACC top tier TEs for next season, potential true freshmen breakout players in the Big Ten, and the coaching debate — Mike Norvell, FSU vs. Dave Doeren, NC State
Top ACC Tight Ends
— I continue the look at the top tier TEs with the ACC.
1. Jaheim Bell, Florida State
— He can be used in so many ways, as we saw at South Carolina, and with so many offensive weapons, he won’t be able to be keyed on as much by the defense.
2. Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse
— Is this cheating? The 6’5″, 225-pounder could also be considered a WR, but the way they use him is more as a versatile TE.
3. Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina
— The 6’5″ target had more than 500 receiving yards last year and is getting more comfortable with QB Drake Maye as a go-to target.
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4. Kyle Morlock, Florida State
— The Shorter transfer will team with Bell as the bigger target who can move the chains and be a red zone nightmare.
5. Jake Briningstool, Clemson
— his yards-per-catch (11.4) will improve this season, and he should see the end zone much more with Davis Allen on to the NFL.
Impact Big Ten True Freshmen
— Let’s go around the power five with true freshmen impact players and start with the Big Ten.
1. WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Yes, he’s joining the deepest receiver room in the country, but Tate is a special player who will absolutely see snaps as a freshman. He showed out in the Buckeyes’ spring game and is already earning the trust of the quarterbacks in Columbus.
2. WR Malachi Coleman, Nebraska
Coleman is already a physical mismatch against pretty much every defensive back he’ll go up against. He was a massive get for Matt Rhule, and he’ll be put to work early in a revamped Cornhuskers offense.
3. DB Jonas Duclona, Wisconsin
A big, physical corner, Duclona made some highlight plays through spring ball for the Badgers. New defensive coordinator Mike Tressel will bring a lot more five- and six-DB looks, so he’ll have plenty of opportunities to contribute off the bat in a completely remade cornerback room in Madison.
4. WR Kenric Lanier II, Minnesota
Outside of Chris Autman-Bell, the Gophers lack depth in the receiver room, and Lanier was a revelation in spring ball. A rare recruiting win out of Georgia, Lanier II appears to already be in the mix as one of Athan Kaliakmanis‘ top targets.
5. DB Lamont Payne Jr., Penn State
Penn State has turned into one of the top defensive back rooms on a yearly basis, and there’s a good chance that Payne Jr. is a future star in Happy Valley. He’s very long and fluid, especially in his hips, and showed off good ball skills this spring.
3⭐️CB Lamont Payne has officially signed with Penn State.
Payne committed just one day after the White Out in 2021, and helped recruit several players to Happy Valley
"You were probably the No. 1 driving force in this class," Terry Smith said. pic.twitter.com/a8qWAUpRn6
— Alex Rocco (@AlexRocco13_) December 21, 2022
The Coach Debate: Norvell vs. Doeren
— And we continue the coaching debate with Mike Norvell of FSU vs. Dave Doeren of NC State.
The case for Norvell:
Few, if any, programs have as much momentum right now as the ‘Noles. Norvell and his staff have been one of the most successful teams in the portal this cycle, landing corners Fentrell Cyprus and Sam McCall, tight ends Kyle Morlock and Jaheim Bell, as well as a litany of other impact players. And that’s spilling over to the trail, where they’ve already got a Top 10 ranked 2024 class. On the field, the team appeared to turn the corner in 2022, finishing 9-4 and winning their last six games of the season.
The case against Norvell:
There’s a distinct chance that last year was an aberration, as he was a combined 8-13 in his first two seasons in Tallahassee. His offensive lines continue to be problematic and too often get bailed out of poor scheming by Jordan Travis‘ scrambling ability.
The case for Doeren
Simply put, Doeren wins. He’s finished over .500 in eight of his ten seasons at the helm in Raleigh, and one of those losing seasons was his first year back in 2013. He’s developed the Wolfpack into being one of the toughest teams in the conference year in and year out, and that’s manifested as very strong play along both the offensive and defensive lines. NC State’s defenses under the former Northern Illinois headman have also been routinely strong.
The case against Doeren:
It appears that under Doeren, the Wolfpack may have reached their ceiling. Yes, he wins every year, but he’s never had a double-digit winning season and has never made the conference title game.
The Verdict:
Despite the early missteps, Mike Norvell clearly has FSU moving in the right direction, while NC State appears to be stagnating. Maybe the addition of transfer quarterback Brennan Armstrong and new offensive coordinator Robert Anae could help stimulate the offense, but I’d still be on Norvell and his ability to bring a whole lot more talent to the table.
