Here's my preferred starting defense....

[HoopsDawg]

DE: Simmons
NT: Nick James
DE: AJ Jefferson
Viper: Gerri Green

OLB: Leo Lewis
ILB: Richie Brown
OLB: JT Gray

FS: Kivon Coman
SS: Brandon Bryant

CB: Cleveland
CB: Durr

I know some will want to put Peters ahead of Coman, but I'm not there quite yet. I also know some will want to put Jiles ahead of Cleveland, but fans love picking on the corner. I think Cleveland is our best right now.

Overall I like the athleticism of this group. We should be pretty solid on D. Good depth at S. Good depth at viper. And good depth at NT. Weakness to me are CB and depth at DT.

[scottycameron]

Put Peters on the field and I like what you have. Front seven are downright SCARY.

[msugolf]

You guys will want to have Jonathan Calvin on the field somewhere. He's going to turn some heads in the SEC this year.

[HoopsDawg]

You guys will want to have Jonathan Calvin on the field somewhere. He's going to turn some heads in the SEC this year.

I really like Calvin. I think he looked great in the bowl game and spring game. Having said that, I think he's a 4-3 DE.

[spiral]

Is Leo as fast as Richie?

[HoopsDawg]

Is Leo as fast as Richie?

Yes and he's a big hitter. He brings the biggest thump in our LB core.

[thf24]

Why Bryant at SS and Coman at FS instead of vice versa? I know you're not wrong because that's how we actually played them when in the game together last year; it just seems counter-intuitive to the traditional roles of each position.

[HoopsDawg]

Why Bryant at SS and Coman at FS instead of vice versa? I know you're not wrong because that's how we actually played them when in the game together last year; it just seems counter-intuitive to the traditional roles of each position.

Those positions are pretty much interchangeable, but that's how we list them. Peters is backing up Coman and McLaurin is backing up Bryant right now.

[Homedawg]

Why Bryant at SS and Coman at FS instead of vice versa? I know you're not wrong because that's how we actually played them when in the game together last year; it just seems counter-intuitive to the traditional roles of each position.

We are going to play a 2 high 80%+ of the time anyway. Doesn't really matter.

[preachermatt83]

Looks good. Only changes I make is with peters replacing Coman and Simmons with Calvin.

[GreenheadDawg]

DE: Simmons
NT: Nick James
DE: AJ Jefferson
Viper: Gerri Green

OLB: Leo Lewis
ILB: Richie Brown
OLB: JT Gray

FS: Kivon Coman
SS: Brandon Bryant

CB: Cleveland
CB: Durr

I know some will want to put Peters ahead of Coman, but I'm not there quite yet. I also know some will want to put Jiles ahead of Cleveland, but fans love picking on the corner. I think Cleveland is our best right now.

Overall I like the athleticism of this group. We should be pretty solid on D. Good depth at S. Good depth at viper. And good depth at NT. Weakness to me are CB and depth at DT.

At what point did Cleveland give you the impression that he is our best corner. If he is our best then we are in serious, serious trouble in the secondary. He will be severely picked on this year, just like last year

[Jarius]

I like your defense, but I would switch out Cleveland with Smitherman and I don't think Coman will be as good as Peters/McLaurin by mid year so I would go ahead and make that switch. Having the luxury of having someone as good as Calvin/Simmons/Fletcher Adams/Corey Thomas/Nelson Adams come off the bench is nice.

[mcain31]

I'd go with Jung over Gray to get more size on the field.

[HoopsDawg]

I'd go with Jung over Gray to get more size on the field.

Jung is at Viper. Gray is at star. I see Peters moving to star some if he doesn't beat out Coman.

[mcain31]

I know that, but Gray is so undersized that I think Jung would be better off at star with what his JuCo film showed. Jung, with 4.45 speed, would probably be closest to a Matt Wells clone.

[the59dawg]

DE: Simmons
NT: Nick James
DE: AJ Jefferson
Viper: Gerri Green

OLB: Leo Lewis
ILB: Richie Brown
OLB: JT Gray

FS: Kivon Coman
SS: Brandon Bryant

CB: Cleveland
CB: Durr

I know some will want to put Peters ahead of Coman, but I'm not there quite yet. I also know some will want to put Jiles ahead of Cleveland, but fans love picking on the corner. I think Cleveland is our best right now.

Overall I like the athleticism of this group. We should be pretty solid on D. Good depth at S. Good depth at viper. And good depth at NT. Weakness to me are CB and depth at DT.

Go look at that 60 min film of last yr on SECN. Watch Coman and Cleveland lost on the field several times.

[BayouDawg]

Very excited about our front 7. Not sold on Cleveland being our best corner though. Cleve has to play atleast 10 yards off the line to just have chance at covering anyone. I feel good about our safeties though

[Todd4State]

I really liked how Jonathan Calvin played at the end of the year. I would platoon him with Simmons. Peters over Coman with McLaurin worked in at times at both safety spots. Giles over Cleveland would be my other change. And I will add Smitherman at nickle. Also need to work Jung in at LB as well.

[Todd4State]

Very excited about our front 7. Not sold on Cleveland being our best corner though. Cleve has to play atleast 10 yards off the line to just have chance at covering anyone. I feel good about our safeties though

Agree and disagree to an extent because you can process those that can't play.

Agree with him in that there are other ramifications for missing on guys such as depth issues.

[BayouDawg]

Agree and disagree to an extent because you can process those that can't play.

Agree with him in that there are other ramifications for missing on guys such as depth issues.

I see your point. i just don't know what happened with our secondary recruiting for about a 3 year span. We had about 3 years of guys that could barely tread water back there. It does seem to be on the upswing now though

[Reason2succeed]

I really liked how Jonathan Calvin played at the end of the year. I would platoon him with Simmons. Peters over Coman with McLaurin worked in at times at both safety spots. Giles over Cleveland would be my other change. And I will add Smitherman at nickle. Also need to work Jung in at LB as well.

I agree with this completely. I'm also hoping that another young corner could step up. My wish is that someone like CJ or Hankerson turns out to be a lockdown corner.

[lamont]

Calvin is the best pass rusher we have

[lamont]

Our CB's are not very good. We have to find ways to get pressure to help them.

And unless he gets hurt- Coman is going to be a 13 game starter in 2016

[lamont]

Gerri Green could have the kind of the year that convinces him to leave after this year. It's not a certainty like JRob and then DeRunnya were the last 2 seasons- but something to keep your eye on.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

Seeing this and knowing our backup options...our front 7..WOW!

[RiverCityDawg]

Jung is at Viper. Gray is at star.

Jung moved to Star according to Sirmon. Green to Viper and Jung to Star were two moves I was excited to hear about.

[GTHOM]

DE: Simmons
NT: Nick James
DE: AJ Jefferson
Viper: Gerri Green

OLB: Leo Lewis
ILB: Richie Brown
OLB: JT Gray

FS: Kivon Coman
SS: Brandon Bryant

CB: Cleveland
CB: Durr

I know some will want to put Peters ahead of Coman, but I'm not there quite yet. I also know some will want to put Jiles ahead of Cleveland, but fans love picking on the corner. I think Cleveland is our best right now.

Overall I like the athleticism of this group. We should be pretty solid on D. Good depth at S. Good depth at viper. And good depth at NT. Weakness to me are CB and depth at DT.

We need Peters, Mclaurin and Bryant all on the field at once. That is 3 primetime SEC players and a ton of athleticism to deal with. Our defense is gonna be damn good. People saying our depth at DT this year shows how far we have come. Fletcher Adams is a beast and Cory Thomas, Braxton Hoyett, Grant Harris can all give us reps when we need them. If Mullen will let Sirmon do his thing....we wont have to score very many points to win

[HoopsCoach21]

Jung moved to Star according to Sirmon. Green to Viper and Jung to Star were two moves I was excited to hear about.

This was the last update I saw as well. I think it fits Jung's skill set better and gives us a longer more athletic star linebacker to cover the TE

[HoopsDawg]

Jung moved to Star according to Sirmon. Green to Viper and Jung to Star were two moves I was excited to hear about.

I really like this move. Jung has good coverage skills. And it opens up Viper for Green and Calvin.

[Todd4State]

Our CB's are not very good. We have to find ways to get pressure to help them.

And unless he gets hurt- Coman is going to be a 13 game starter in 2016

Coman would be on the field if we had Ed Reed and Ronnie Lott on the team. It is what it is. But that doesn’t mean he should be on the field.

[Political Hack]

Simmons will need time just like any freshman. Calvin or Dale could assume that spot and not miss assignments. Given the rest of the talent on the field, there's no reason to rush him.

CB is the only potential ? So long as we stay healthy.