TXK's 2nd practice report cntd

LB - I'll start off with the inside then move it over to outside. Another MAJOR leader and captain on this team is Highower of course and he's started to get his the range of motion back in his knee which he didn't have at all last year he came back so fast that all year he looked slow and bogged down at times, that time is long gone now, he's done nothing but focus on speed and mechanics, he even told me how terrible it was to him to not have the speed to make the plays and watch the RB or WR fly by his outstretched arms and how he's so confident in his knee now he told me he's gonna beat the RB or WR to the hole this year and that's why he lost the wt down to 260 and everything else has come back he's gonna be scary good. The backups we have on the inside have the ultimate luxury of experience and both CJ Mosley and Nico are in a battle for that backup spot, both are working their tails off to beat the other and CJ has such a high ceiling but Nico is also a stud, it's a great problem to have. Chris Jordan has developed as well and has been working on read skills in the gap and technique just polishing up on his technique. Every D coach has been impressed with Trey DePreist since he arrived, he's another big LB Saban loves already the right size for the inside but what's so shocking so far is not only his technique but his speed for his size is something you don't see every day, like I told you guys before he's gonna be given a shot at both inside and jack in pads to see how well he plays as a pass rusher since he's so fast and athletic. Petey Smith really worked hard this offseason on slimming down and getting better with technique his read skills are amazing just was so raw when he first got here it's such a logjam right now that really unless either he or Jonathan Atchison step it up big time this Spring and improve significantly I don't see them earning significant PT, both have really been working hard so we'll see. Really and truly though until we put on pads it's really tough to tell the progression with the ILBs unless it's significant like we're seeing with Hightower this year compared to last year so expect a MUCH better assessment after the pads go on with this group. With the OLBs particularly the jack position, Coach Sal expects a MAJOR year for Courtney Upshaw, he compares everything to NFL terms so he told CU it's his "contract year" last year he made ripples, this year it's time for him to make a major splash and he is ready and prepared all offseason he watched film of famous NFL rushers with Coach Sal like Deacon Jones, Lawrence Taylor and our very own Derrick Thomas and studied it and worked sprints and worked on foot speed and he looks lime he will also be a monster, his technique and feet are better, his read skills are better, I feel like he's gonna have a huge year. His backup so far has been Anthony Orr and after dropping weight and moving to OLB from DE he has really responded, looks like a natural fit at jack, has great explosion and speed to get around and a nice little bullrush he has been one of the most impressive so far this Spring but like I said before we'll know MUCH more once the pads go on. Another guy who's developed well at the other OLB is Tana Patrick, he's also worked his butt off getting weight on and working on read skills, he's already got great technique and he'll have to fight off Jerrell Harris who really has been working on FINALLY earning PT but it'll be a battle and hopefully Jerrell can clean up some of his issues he's had that have kept him from playing but again pads will tell us a lot on all of these battles bit we are absolutely STACKED at every LB position, great problems to have to get this kind of competition.