Breakout Players 2015

Briggs32

Briggs32

Well-Known Member
Who are your guys' picks for breakout players for this season.

Offense:
Matt Vandeberg - While he doesn't possess any great physical gifts, he has good hands and is a precise route runner. We could very much use an Ed Hinkel type and he could put up some good numbers.

Defense:
Jaleel Johnson - With the departures of Davis and LTP, we have a huge need at DT. He got some good experience last year and has plenty of upside. He'll slide right into Carl Davis spot and shouldn't be a huge drop off. Especially considering what Davis said about his time here.
 


Those are both great picks. I believe that JJ will have a great year at tackle. I also like Matt Vandeberg's chances at having a good year. He is more athletic than people give him credit for, and he is a very good route runner. His back up Andrew Stone will surprise some people. Between the 2 of them I think 60 catches and 600 yards including several key first downs will happen. Another player to watch out for on offense will be George Kittle at tight end. He will be a huge match up problem for Iowa's opponents.
 


Hawknick said:
Those are both great picks. I believe that JJ will have a great year at tackle. I also like Matt Vandeberg's chances at having a good year. He is more athletic than people give him credit for, and he is a very good route runner. His back up Andrew Stone will surprise some people. Between the 2 of them I think 60 catches and 600 yards including several key first downs will happen. Another player to watch out for on offense will be George Kittle at tight end. He will be a huge match up problem for Iowa's opponents.
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Vandeberg can't separate very well. I see him struggling to get open. He did have that one circus catch last year against Pitt but I don't see that as being the norm for him. He's not tall or fast. He's a skinnier version of Eddie Hinkel against faster more athletic secondaries then what Hinkel went up against. If your a wr you gotta be either fast/quick or big. He's none of those. Same can be said for Stone only he's smaller then Vandeberg. He's like 5'9 170.... He's no Wes Welker and if those two put up those numbers what's that say about the other receivers they have?

I think Jay Scheel if he's healthy will be on the field alot. Instead of the two you suggested I'd rather see the combo of Smith and Scheel put up twice those numbers your suggesting. They have to play the more athletic players with the upside to make plays. Vandeberg if he does make the catch isn't going anywhere. He's not going to get many YAC yards. Scheel can do that better I think. Now knowing this staffs track record what I think should happen and will are probably two different things...

My hypothesis to why that is is that the staff puts too much emphasis on the wide receivers knowing the entire playbook inside out (which is crazy because Iowa is one of the least imaginative and most predictable teams out there in the passing game) Instead of letting them go out there and just be the athletes they are. Sure they have to know a certain minimum to be able to go out there and not make glaring mistakes. But how hard is it to learn a handful of plays and get the timing down? Overwhelming them in the classroom just slows them down and they won't play as fast or confidently early on in their careers. When you can gradually build them up to that at the same time utilizing them.
 


Yes, Sheel will have a good year too, as will Hillyer and Smith. Don't count Riley McCarran or Jon Parker out either. It is good that Iowa has so many options. It will be interesting to see how each player is utilized this year. I think Hillyer and Vandeberg more in possession and goal line situations. Sheel and Stone can really stretch the field. Smith, Sheel and Parker are big time threats to get a lot of YAC. This could be a very good receiver group.
 




Canzeri is fairly productive when healthy and he's never really had a long stretch of staying healthy so probably shouldn't count on it but if it were to happen, I think he could have a good year.


After thinking about this... maybe Canzeri doesn't fit the term breakout player since he's had significant playing time. Maybe what I'm referring to is better described as a breakout year.
 


Derrick Mitchell Jr. He can pass block, has a great cut back, has vision and and can catch the ball in the backfield. I think he can be an every down guy, but at the very least can replace Bullock's role on 3rd down.
 


CPHAWK82 said:
Derrick Mitchell Jr. He can pass block, has a great cut back, has vision and and can catch the ball in the backfield. I think he can be an every down guy, but at the very least can replace Bullock's role on 3rd down.
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He would be my pick as well on the offensive side. I really liked what I saw out of him at the WDM practice. Both he and Wadley have a similar running style. Both he and Wadley need to learn how to protect the ball in order to get playing time.

On defense, I would tab Brandon Snyder or Matt Nelson as breakout players this year. Nelson was dominating in WDM when he was on the field. That could say more about the quality of the Hawks tackles more than anything else though. Time will tell.
 


Definitely rooting for Matt Nelson. Kid chose Iowa over Notre Dame and Iowa needs players to step up on the defensive line.
 




HawkeyeWalker said:
Whoa whoa whoa CP, I thought we didn't get kids with offers from power schools. You sure he had an offer from ND?
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Ha, yeah I'm pretty sure it was Notre Dame and not North Dakota but I could be wrong. I was doing a lot more day drinking back then:cool:
 


I like kittle to break out and come in big early if duzey can't play. On d I like Niemann to really come on at lb.
 


Hawknick said:
Yes, Sheel will have a good year too, as will Hillyer and Smith. Don't count Riley McCarran or Jon Parker out either. It is good that Iowa has so many options. It will be interesting to see how each player is utilized this year. I think Hillyer and Vandeberg more in possession and goal line situations. Sheel and Stone can really stretch the field. Smith, Sheel and Parker are big time threats to get a lot of YAC. This could be a very good receiver group.
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Jay Scheel has a 2nd football gear - having seen him play many times in HS. Freaky quick and fast. But he HAS to be healthy. I am hoping very much for this.
 




MiniMoeHawk said:
If the answer isn't Sunshine then it will be a long year.
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At the very least, we see Jake 2.0. The Pitt game last year had zero drop off between the 2. I like CJ more in the early games over Jake though.

JJ is going to be a beast I think. The WR's are still total toss ups.. Hopefully they all take steps forward. I personally think Canzeri will be the most improved.
 




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SteveGarvey said:
This statement has a lot of wisdom. CJ needs to have a breakout year to mask deficincies elsewhere.
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I agree with you both the more I think about it. Cause we'll know if all the check downs last yr were due to play calling or if that's just what JR usually chose to do on his own. I think CJ will have to make plays with his legs a lot too which he's capable of. If he can do that and look to throw first much like Drew Tate there can be a lot of big plays to be had. So it starts with him for sure. I wonder if he's watched much of Drew Tates tape cause I can see him playing similarly to him just with a stronger arm and he will run more.
 


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