I'll go with the following. The more I think about it, I'm changing my mind. All of this is with the disclaimer that we always need every position. I'm looking at what position is in most dire need in 2012 compared to the average year.
1. Nose tackle. In 2012, we're slated to return two true NTs - Jesse Williams (who will be a senior) and Brandon Ivory (who is a work in progress). If Williams pans out, it's not out of the question that he could declare for the draft. If he doesn't pan out, we'll certainly need someone. Ivory is still a project. So, landing an elite guy capable of playing early is vital to this class. I think we are aware of what happens when there is not a true elite NT in our defense.
2. OLB. We're already pretty thin, but we're losing Jerrell Harris and Alex Watkins after Fall 2011. That means, at best, we're looking at having three SAM LBs in Spring 2012, and two of those might be at other positions - Sunseri and Calloway. Atchison should return at SAM. We could possibly move an ILB out to SAM, but none of them are really ideal SAM LBs. If Sunseri and Calloway both play SAM, and both develop well and quickly, then this need could fall down the list quite some way.
3. CB. We will likely be losing 3 of our 4 top CBs this year - Menzie, Jones, and Kirkpatrick. Even if Kirkpatrick comes back, we'll be losing him the next year, along with possibly Milliner. For a position that requires such a high level of learning and reps, we need to get some guys seasoned to prepare for their departures. Right now, we only have 3 guys getting ready for that - John Fulton, Jabriel Washington, and Chris Jones. That's good, but I think we need 2 solid CBs to prepare for the exodus over the next 2 seasons. If we don't land 2 solid CBs, then we could be hurting real soon here.
4. QB. However, I think if we land another prospect like Ely, we'll be fine here. That is to say, we don't need an elite, ready to play now guy. We can stomach a brainy guy who needs some physical development. Depth at QB is never bad. But, it will not break our class if we don't sign a top 5 QB, particularly if both McCarron and Sims stay.
Other positions may vary, depending on how guys develop (which the coaches already have an idea about, it's just that we don't).
- If none of our DEs develop, then we'll certainly have a need there, but we have some real potential there. If some of the potential materializes, we should be fine to sign a few "high potential guys" just like we do every year.
- If none of our WRs develop, then again, we'll have a need, but we still have plenty of guys that are expected to really contribute by 2012 - Deandrew White, Blake Sims, Kevin Norwood, and Kenny Bell to name the main ones. Marvin Shinn and Bradley Sylve also have some pretty good expectations. Again, we always need a few. Just not sure this year is a year of particular need here.
- We always need bodies on the OL, so signing one or two interior guys and one or two tackles is always a priority, and not signing these can hurt any class. I just don't know if we have any particular need on the line this year that is unique.
- At running back, we don't have an Ingram or Richardson right now, but we are pretty stacked with young talented guys. Again, we need to sign one or two RBs with some potential, but if we don't land a top 5 RB, I won't be worried.
