Here's my projected two deep for spring drills. The qualifier is that while I had a good handle on what what was going on in preseason drills, I did not watch the development of the guys who were not playing during the fall and have a hard time judging much of anything off of scout-team work. I'm operating on the idea that Lindsey Scott will not come to Tulane. .
QUARTERBACK
1) Jonathan Banks
2) Khalil McClain OR Johnathan Brantley
Comment: I can't get past the decision to put McClain in for that play against Army on the final possession when Banks went out with an injury. I like Brantley. but the move to a more balanced offense and away from down the line option plays hurts his chances. Honestly, I didn't see enough from McClain to judge him--he was not very good as a passer in the practices where he was getting reps before they decided to redshirt him--but his skill set is more in line with Banks.
RUNNING BACK
1) Corey Dauphine
2) Darius Bradwell
Comment: Dauphine looked like the real deal before getting hurt in preseason drills, but with no full-contact drills, I can't be 100-percent certain. He has the speed, the instincts and the innate talent, but he has to prove he can put it together in live situations after getting limited playing time at Texas Tech. Bradwell is ready for a breakout year. Huderson did not look ready in his limited action, so it will be an important time for him and Strickland to show what they can do.
WR
1) Terren Encalade
2) Chris Johnson
1) Darnell Mooney
2) Devin Glenn
1) Jabril Clewis
2) Jacob Robertson
Comment: Aside from Encalade, Mooney, Clewis and Robertson, it will be a free-for-all as guys vie for playing time. No one else caught more than one pass this year. Glenn, an incredibly hard worker with a terrific attitude, always appeared to make mistakes when he got a chance, including a dropped pass in the finale at SMU. Johnson never played again after his scary practice head injury. Jaetavian Toles, Travis Tucker, Kevin LeDee and Dane Ledford all will get a chance to prove themselves.
LT
1) Keyshawn McLeod
2) Tyler Johnson
LG
1) Corey Dublin
2) Cameron Jackel
C
1) Junior Diaz
2) Hunter Knighton
RG
1) Dominique Briggs
2) Leeward Brown
RT
1) John Leglue
2) Joey Claybrook
Comment: Assuming Knighton returns, every player on the two-deep depth chart and beyond is back. Tulane still has a lot of work to do up front, but there's no reason to assume the coaches will make significant adjustments after having a year to figure out where each of these guys fit. McLeod and Tyler Johnson will continue their close competition at LT. A lot of people were not happy with Briggs' performance, but if Brown could not beat him out this fall, there's no reason to think he will do it in the spring. I know nothing about Jackel's or Claybrook's readiness since neither of them played a down. Devon Johnson and Brian Webb never have been in the picture.
TE
1) Charles Jones
2) Kendall Ardoin
Comment: These guys played well as receivers and blockers for the most part. Will Wallace will get a chance to show what he has learned, and Andrew Hicks will get an opportunity to show if he has recovered from back-to-back ACL surgeries that clearly slowed him down this fall, if he elects to return for his final year.
DEFENSIVE LINE
DE
1) Robert Kennedy
2) Peter Woulllard
NG
1) De'Andre Williams
2) Braynon Edwards
DE
1) Cameron Sample
2) Patrick Johnson
OLB/DE
1) Larry Bryant
2) K.J. Vault
Comment: There are all sorts of possibilities here, and Tulane really needs to a juco or transfer nose guard like Chris Davenport in 2013 because no returning player appears ready to assume the role. I have De'Andre Williams listed there because his body type is the closest unless Braynon Edwards sheds weight after gaining back some of the pounds he lost. OLB is a huge question mark, too. Bryant did not show a whole lot in the fall, and I'm taking a flier on Vault, who impressed me with his speed in August, as another candidate. Finding answers on the defensive line will be Tulane's No. 1 priority in the spring, and there is little depth.
MLB
1) Lawrence Graham
2) Marvin Moody
WLB
1) Zach Harris
2) K.J. Vault
Comment: I like Graham. Do I know whether he is ready to be a starting middle linebacker? Nope, but that's what spring ball is for. Linebacker is another wide open position with the departure of Rae Juan Marbley and Luke Jackson. They could move Harris to the middle, and they have to find out who is capable of playing at another spot that does not have a tone of depth.
CB
1) Donnie Lewis
2) Jaylon Monroe
1) Thakarius Keyes
2) Willie Langham
Comment: These are your starting corrnerbacks almost assuredly since Tre Jackson is no longer around. Monroe and Langham are pretty assured as the backups as well.
SS
1) Rod Teamer
2) Chase Napoleon
FS
1) Taris Shenall
2) Chase Kuerschen
NB
1) P.J. Hall
2) Tirise Barge
Comment: They can experiment with different combinations here, and I would not be surprised if Barge becomes the starting nickelback and Hall the starting free safety. It depends on Barge's readiness. One thing that became clear as the year went along was Kuerschen lacked the speed to be a long-term solution at safety. He'll have to get faster or the coaches will have to find a way to use him closer to the line of scrimmage. Lack of speed at safety was a glaring weakness in general.
Tulane obviously needs an upgrade at both kicking positions, but that won't happen in the spring.
QUARTERBACK
1) Jonathan Banks
2) Khalil McClain OR Johnathan Brantley
Comment: I can't get past the decision to put McClain in for that play against Army on the final possession when Banks went out with an injury. I like Brantley. but the move to a more balanced offense and away from down the line option plays hurts his chances. Honestly, I didn't see enough from McClain to judge him--he was not very good as a passer in the practices where he was getting reps before they decided to redshirt him--but his skill set is more in line with Banks.
RUNNING BACK
1) Corey Dauphine
2) Darius Bradwell
Comment: Dauphine looked like the real deal before getting hurt in preseason drills, but with no full-contact drills, I can't be 100-percent certain. He has the speed, the instincts and the innate talent, but he has to prove he can put it together in live situations after getting limited playing time at Texas Tech. Bradwell is ready for a breakout year. Huderson did not look ready in his limited action, so it will be an important time for him and Strickland to show what they can do.
WR
1) Terren Encalade
2) Chris Johnson
1) Darnell Mooney
2) Devin Glenn
1) Jabril Clewis
2) Jacob Robertson
Comment: Aside from Encalade, Mooney, Clewis and Robertson, it will be a free-for-all as guys vie for playing time. No one else caught more than one pass this year. Glenn, an incredibly hard worker with a terrific attitude, always appeared to make mistakes when he got a chance, including a dropped pass in the finale at SMU. Johnson never played again after his scary practice head injury. Jaetavian Toles, Travis Tucker, Kevin LeDee and Dane Ledford all will get a chance to prove themselves.
LT
1) Keyshawn McLeod
2) Tyler Johnson
LG
1) Corey Dublin
2) Cameron Jackel
C
1) Junior Diaz
2) Hunter Knighton
RG
1) Dominique Briggs
2) Leeward Brown
RT
1) John Leglue
2) Joey Claybrook
Comment: Assuming Knighton returns, every player on the two-deep depth chart and beyond is back. Tulane still has a lot of work to do up front, but there's no reason to assume the coaches will make significant adjustments after having a year to figure out where each of these guys fit. McLeod and Tyler Johnson will continue their close competition at LT. A lot of people were not happy with Briggs' performance, but if Brown could not beat him out this fall, there's no reason to think he will do it in the spring. I know nothing about Jackel's or Claybrook's readiness since neither of them played a down. Devon Johnson and Brian Webb never have been in the picture.
TE
1) Charles Jones
2) Kendall Ardoin
Comment: These guys played well as receivers and blockers for the most part. Will Wallace will get a chance to show what he has learned, and Andrew Hicks will get an opportunity to show if he has recovered from back-to-back ACL surgeries that clearly slowed him down this fall, if he elects to return for his final year.
DEFENSIVE LINE
DE
1) Robert Kennedy
2) Peter Woulllard
NG
1) De'Andre Williams
2) Braynon Edwards
DE
1) Cameron Sample
2) Patrick Johnson
OLB/DE
1) Larry Bryant
2) K.J. Vault
Comment: There are all sorts of possibilities here, and Tulane really needs to a juco or transfer nose guard like Chris Davenport in 2013 because no returning player appears ready to assume the role. I have De'Andre Williams listed there because his body type is the closest unless Braynon Edwards sheds weight after gaining back some of the pounds he lost. OLB is a huge question mark, too. Bryant did not show a whole lot in the fall, and I'm taking a flier on Vault, who impressed me with his speed in August, as another candidate. Finding answers on the defensive line will be Tulane's No. 1 priority in the spring, and there is little depth.
MLB
1) Lawrence Graham
2) Marvin Moody
WLB
1) Zach Harris
2) K.J. Vault
Comment: I like Graham. Do I know whether he is ready to be a starting middle linebacker? Nope, but that's what spring ball is for. Linebacker is another wide open position with the departure of Rae Juan Marbley and Luke Jackson. They could move Harris to the middle, and they have to find out who is capable of playing at another spot that does not have a tone of depth.
CB
1) Donnie Lewis
2) Jaylon Monroe
1) Thakarius Keyes
2) Willie Langham
Comment: These are your starting corrnerbacks almost assuredly since Tre Jackson is no longer around. Monroe and Langham are pretty assured as the backups as well.
SS
1) Rod Teamer
2) Chase Napoleon
FS
1) Taris Shenall
2) Chase Kuerschen
NB
1) P.J. Hall
2) Tirise Barge
Comment: They can experiment with different combinations here, and I would not be surprised if Barge becomes the starting nickelback and Hall the starting free safety. It depends on Barge's readiness. One thing that became clear as the year went along was Kuerschen lacked the speed to be a long-term solution at safety. He'll have to get faster or the coaches will have to find a way to use him closer to the line of scrimmage. Lack of speed at safety was a glaring weakness in general.
Tulane obviously needs an upgrade at both kicking positions, but that won't happen in the spring.
