'09 FB Class Review: LB

Chris White
Ht: 6'4" Wt: 235
Scout	****
Rivals	*** #64 JC
ESPN	Doesn't grade jucos

Chris White is a bit of a puzzling story. As a freshman in junior college, White had 87 tackles. Last year he had 113 tackles, 9 TFL, 2 interception, and 2 fumbles returned for touchdowns. He enrolled in the spring semester and quickly locked down the open OLB job vacated by the departed Dominic Douglas. Nothing has changed thus far in fall practices and White will be starting come September 5th. Now comes the head scratcher, his other scholarship offers were from South Alabama and South Florida.

So whats the deal? Did everyone else just whiff on him? I almost never subscribe to that theory but when he comes in and wins the starting job so easily . . . Look I know MSU isn't loaded with talent, but the LBs behind K.J. Wright and Jamar Chaney are decent. I'm cautiously optimistic but the lack of offers does give me pause. White played MLB in junior college but will be playing OLB at MSU.

Deontae Skinner
Ht: 6'1" Wt: 234
Scout	*** #28 SLB
Rivals	*** #39 Weakside DE, #19 in Mississippi
ESPN	74 #111 DE

Skinner is a bit of a DE/LB hybrid. He would probably be a good fit as a 3-4 OLB but seeing as how MSU doesn't run a 3-4, that won't be his fate. I suspect he will eventually end up a DE, where he played his senior year of high school but he will at least start at LB so that is where I'm putting him.

Deontae Skinner held offers from Southern Miss and Ole Miss. Skinner had 122 tackles and 5 sacks as a junior, followed up with 134 tackles, 28 TFL, and 11 sacks his senior year.

Skinner seems like a prime candidate for a redshirt, regardless of whether he ends up at DE or LB. Just too many bodies in front of him.


Overall Grade: B-

The problem here is MSU may have only brought in one LB. True there are a fair number already on the team (seven) and only one leaves after this year (Jamar Chaney) but I still feel State could have used at least one if not two more LBs besides Skinner. Secondly I feel pretty good about White's talent level. Actually I feel very good about it but the lack of scholarships is something that kind of hangs in the back of my mind. If White doesn't pan out and Skinner ends up at DE, MSU may have problems at LB the next couple of years. After Chaney and Wright, the linebackers are decent but nothing to write home about. They still have time to develop so we'll see.