NSD 2020: Five signees that will make a big impact as freshmen
The February Signing Day has come and gone, and now the fanatics across the country will start looking ahead to the early depth charts for the 2020 season. It today’s game, more freshmen play and make early impacts, and now that all but a select few in the 2020 class have signed, we take a look at five we expect to make major impacts this fall.
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It is going to be tough for Jeremy Pruitt to keep Bailey off the field in 2020. Bailey just stepped foot on campus a month ago, and he is already the most talented quarterback in Knoxville. He is coming off a spectacular senior season, where he won a state title, so he arrives at Tennessee with a lot of confidence. Will he start the season-opener? That is hard to know, but Bailey will play and look for him to be leading the Vols by mid-season. Bailey is poised to take that leadership role at Tennessee, and he is expected to make a big impact as a freshman.
Is there a more complete player in the country than Bresee? He is the No. 1 prospect in the country, and it may not be all that close. He is one of the most dominant players to come out in recent years, and he is the total package on the defensive line. He is likely an interior guy long-term, but he is athletic enough and explosive enough to play defensive end. He did not face great competition in high school, so it may take a little time for him to get comfortable with the size and speed that he will face, but if what he did in San Antonio at the All-American Bowl was a sample of what we could expect, then Bresee will shine early for the Tigers.
Thaddeus Moss opted for the NFL Draft, but even if he stayed for his senior year, Gilbert would have played. Gilbert is a freak athlete who is likely to start right away. There are not many built like him that can do the things that he does. He looks like an NFL veteran physically and he has the ability to line up all over the field and create mis-matches due to his size and athleticism. LSU has a lot of changes on the field and in the coaching staff, but Gilbert will give Ed Orgeron an immediate playmaker in Baton Rouge.
Kentucky had Josh Allen, a 2019 first-round pick in the NFL Draft, so could Rogers be the Wildcats' next star on the defensive line? Rogers is ranked a five-star defensive tackle, and the scary thing about that is, he was a five-star offensive lineman as well. He is athletic, he is physical and he will give the Wildcats a boost immediately up front. It wouldn’t be a shock to see Rogers end up on the offensive line, but either way, he is the type of prospect that will make an impact quickly.
Oregon has signed an elite defensive unit this cycle, and Sewell is one of the leaders. Some may like Justin Flowe a little more, but Sewell, for his size, is one of the most athletic defenders in America. To see what he does as a running back, in coverage and how he moves at 270 pounds is scary. He could project at a number of positions, and some think with his size and weight, he could end up with his hand down, but he has shown at his size now that he can play and run with the best. He is a natural leader, he has a non-stop motor and he will be hard for Mario Cristobal to keep off the field in big moments later this year.