LB Dante Booker (Official Thread)

[MD Buckeye]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYYgnfFzh3g"]Dante Booker's Pic Six at The Opening - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Smudger]

Scout.com: The All-Opening Team (Free)

 

[MD Buckeye]

https://twitter.com/BP_Recruiting

#OhioState LB commit Dante Booker now listed as a 5*, the #1 OLB & #16 overall prospect on @247Sports

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Actually if you look at previous pages in this thread and in the 2014 recruiting thread, several people have mentioned his move to DE as have analysts on ozone and eleven warriors...

Those here who have suggested the move have an MO of doing so, i.e., will claim a player will grow out of position just because they grow an inch or gain 15-20 pounds. As far as "Ozone" and "Eleven Warriors" having true analysts...well, believe what you will.

EDIT: Case in point...

"I like him," said John McCallister, who runs the McCallister Scouting Report. "I think he is going to get bigger and stronger, but he's a work in progress. Now he can play, but I think he's going to end up putting his hand down on the outside and being a defensive end when it's all said and done.


"He's there, but he doesn't always make the play. But I think if you can put his hand down and play him on the outside, he's got a chance to be pretty good. He's one of the better players in Ohio. I don't see him as a linebacker though right now. But he's not really big yet. He's slender. This summer will tell the story on him."

Dante's camp performance just blew the crap out of McCallister's expert analysis.

 

[zebiraross]

Moved in ranking over Clifton Garrett. Ran a 4.52. We have so much speed everywhere on both sides of the ball its stupid.

 

[NastyNatiBuck]

Dante's camp performance just blew the crap out of McCallister's expert analysis.

In defense of McCallister, you are reaching hard to discredit his opinion. His report says he needs more time to see how Booker matures physically before he makes up his mind. I don't see how anything he said supports your claim.

"I don't see him as a linebacker though right now. But he's not really big yet. He's slender. This summer will tell the story on him."

 

[ShowMeBuck]

He just seemed really big to me. I actually hope he stays a LB because we need depth more at that position. Look at Bama, they have huge LB's who run like DB's......I'll take that any day. Regardless, I am very excited to have Booker on board. Looks like a beast.

 

[RB07OSU]

In defense of McCallister, you are reaching hard to discredit his opinion. His report says he needs more time to see how Booker matures physically before he makes up his mind. I don't see how anything he said supports your claim.

"I don't see him as a linebacker though right now. But he's not really big yet. He's slender. This summer will tell the story on him."

This is a major aside...I know McCallister is highly thought of but I do not find his analysis all that enlightening. Usually goes along the lines of "X prospect is big and fast. I like him." Perhaps I am just seeing bare minimum summaries or he just jots down quick thoughts, but I have never been impressed.

As for Dante, I still see a future SAM if he doesn't grow much more. I say he fills out at around 6'3-6'4 240ish and then Berger plays around 6-2 230ish at WILL...McMillan at MIKE. Have a good combination of college ready guys, guys with great potential that need to simply fill out, and some great instinctual players. Aside from Booker being a verified star, I love the combination of skill sets at LB in this class...fills all our needs, is diverse (especially with the possibility of Hubbard), and really meshes well with the '13 LB class.

 

[pnuts34]

This is a major aside...I know McCallister is highly thought of but I do not find his analysis all that enlightening. Usually goes along the lines of "X prospect is big and fast. I like him." Perhaps I am just seeing bare minimum summaries or he just jots down quick thoughts, but I have never been impressed.

As for Dante, I still see a future SAM if he doesn't grow much more. I say he fills out at around 6'3-6'4 240ish and then Berger plays around 6-2 230ish at WILL...McMillan at MIKE. Have a good combination of college ready guys, guys with great potential that need to simply fill out, and some great instinctual players. Aside from Booker being a verified star, I love the combination of skill sets at LB in this class...fills all our needs, is diverse (especially with the possibility of Hubbard), and really meshes well with the '13 LB class.

You and Mili have some valid points, and I don't disagree, I was just stating earlier that he's been listed as growing into a DE. Whether that's realistic or not, it's great to have a commit of his caliber in this class that can still play at a high level whether he stays at LB or moves to the line(kind of like Jamal Marcus). Booker looks like an athletic freak, and at a camp event where the kids are in shorts and tees it says a lot when a LB stands out, when the offense is favored in drills and 7 on 7.

 

[NastyNatiBuck]

This is a major aside...I know McCallister is highly thought of but I do not find his analysis all that enlightening. Usually goes along the lines of "X prospect is big and fast. I like him." Perhaps I am just seeing bare minimum summaries or he just jots down quick thoughts, but I have never been impressed..

My guess is that he just gives some initial impressions for theozone.net. I only say that because he seems highly respected by college coaches, so he must be offering more than just what we read. It could also be that he doesn't articulate well, but is able to recognize talent. I don't have any personal information, but I respect that he seems to really care about the kids from what I've read on good blog.

 

[RB07OSU]

My guess is that he just gives some initial impressions for theozone.net. I only say that because he seems highly respected by college coaches, so he must be offering more than just what we read. It could also be that he doesn't articulate well, but is able to recognize talent. I don't have any personal information, but I respect that he seems to really care about the kids from what I've read on good blog.

I'm thinking the same thing...I know he is really well respected by many who "know."

But I hear you pnuts, I've seen some thinking he might grow into a DE. I was just giving my personal projection.

 

[jwinslow]

Dante has always been a killer athlete. Now it is time to back that up with pads on.

As for his future position, it is hardly an isolated opinion that a 6'4" 220 hs junior could grow into defensive end with a few years of physical maturation and elite strength training and nutrition.

Congrats to dante on lighting up Oregon. I am excited to see what is next.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

As for his future position, it is hardly an isolated opinion that a 6'4" 220 hs junior could grow into defensive end with a few years of physical maturation and elite strength training and nutrition.

Mike Mitchell was 6'4", 215 going into his senior HS year and no one has said squat about his growing out of LB and into a defensive end. Ryan Shazier was 6'3", 205 going into his senior HS year and look where he's playing at an All-American level (hint: it ain't at DE). Shazier has gained less than 25 pounds with two years of tOSU S&C training, so it's not a given that Booker will gain much more than that, if that much at all.

My point is that many here are already penciling in Booker as eventually turning into a defensive lineman a year before even sets foot on campus. He may grow several inches and/or gain 15-20 pounds his senior year...then again, he may not. Until Booker approaches the 250-pound range that shouldn't even be any talk at all about him moving from LB.

 

[akronbuck]

Until Booker approaches the 250-pound range that shouldn't even be any talk at all about him moving from LB.

Katz was 6 4 260 junior year and he did otay

 

[southcampus]

Mike Mitchell was 6'4", 215 going into his senior HS year and no one has said squat about his growing out of LB and into a defensive end. Ryan Shazier was 6'3", 205 going into his senior HS year and look where he's playing at an All-American level (hint: it ain't at DE). Shazier has gained less than 25 pounds with two years of tOSU S&C training, so it's not a given that Booker will gain much more than that, if that much at all.

My point is that many here are already penciling in Booker as eventually turning into a defensive lineman a year before even sets foot on campus. He may grow several inches and/or gain 15-20 pounds his senior year...then again, he may not. Until Booker approaches the 250-pound range that shouldn't even be any talk at all about him moving from LB.

I think many are calling him a future DE because he hasn't shown the LBer instincts that a guy like Trey Johnson or Kyle Berger display. Not like that can't change. But I don't think it's unreasonable for people to think Booker would succeed at DE with the physical attribute he has.