Locked On Jayhawks - Daily Podcast On Kansas Jayhawks Football & Basketball - Kansas Jayhawks Football Adds POWERFUL Offensive Lineman Antonio Wilson from Garden City CC

Starting point is 00:00:00 Kansas added another offensive lineman this time from the Juco ranks in a very powerful offensive tackle. You are Locked On Jayhawks, your daily podcast on the Kansas Jayhawks, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. What's going on Derek Johnson here. This is Locked on Jayhawks. Thanks for making it your first listen every day. Thank you to every day. Here's catching each and every episode of the show. You can find us on YouTube where you can like and subscribe. You can find us anywhere that you get your audio side

Starting point is 00:00:37 of things with the podcast bonus episode on today's edition of Locked on Jayhawks. We talk a little Antonio Wilson. He is the newest addition to the KU football team, immediate help, possibly on the offensive line for KU. We're going to talk about what he brings to the table and kind of the pulse on the KU offensive line room. Is it concerning at all that they're adding somebody

Starting point is 00:00:55 this late in the game or is it not? Is it more of a future piece? We'll get to all that on today's bonus episode of the show. And let's start with just the news that is about Antonio Wilson. He has a six foot six, 320 pound offensive lineman though. I think on his own Twitter profile, he calls himself 305 pounds. So regardless, good frame, six foot six, over 300 pounds. He's originally from Orlando, Florida, went to Jones High School, and then he attended Garden

Starting point is 00:01:24 City Community College. And I don't know because there's like a recruiting profile of an Antonio Wilson from Orlando, Florida. Now, I mean, that's not the craziest name of the world and Orlando is a huge city. That's like the class of 2022 for high school, which wouldn't totally add up here unless and he had offers that kid, again, it could be the same one could be different. I don't know that one had offers to like Arkansas and Kentucky. So is it possible that that's the same guy and he took like gap year and then he had a redshirt year Garden City and then he had a year of play it could be him

Starting point is 00:01:55 might be not I'm not entirely sure what I do know is that he will be a redshirt sophomore in the fall of 2025 which means he'll have three seasons left to play for KU. It also means since he's already red-shirted, he doesn't really need to take a redshirt at KU. Then again, with this whole Juco ruling with the Diego Pavia stuff, if he's— because right now it doesn't seem like the NCAA is saying that both of your Juco years don't count. They're just saying that like one of the years don't count. Then again, are they just saying it was the one year Pavia was in school? Does that get changed if somebody else sues?

Starting point is 00:02:27 Does it get changed where none of the Juco years count? I don't know how that's gonna work. So I guess you leave it open that there's a possibility that Wilson theoretically could have four years left at Kansas, but the very least that we know, three years left to play for him at the very minimum. He did have offers at a Juco, Arkansas State, East Carolina, Texas State, Marshall, and many other G5 offers for Wilson, but he ends up picking KU. So what exactly does he bring to the table, and how does he fit in with the KU Offensive Line Room?

Starting point is 00:02:56 What does it mean for the KU Offensive Line Room? Let's get to that next. This bonus episode of the show is brought to you by Monarch Money. Ever check your bank account and wonder where did all my money go? Between dining out, online shopping, and entertainment, it's easy to lose track. That's where Monarch Money comes in, your personal CFO giving you full visibility and control over your finances. Monarch Money isn't just a budgeting app, it's a complete financial command center. You can track all of your accounts, investments, and spending in one place.

Starting point is 00:03:25 So you stop just managing your money, and you start building wealth. They have all in one convenience, where instead of juggling multiple apps, and you're popping between this and that, no, you can use Monarch to check finances, track spending, and even plan long-term goals. Take control of your finances with Monarch Money.

Starting point is 00:03:39 Use code LOCKEDONCOLLege at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year. That's MonarchMoney.com code LOCKEDONCOllege for half off your first year, Monarch buddy. market for Belfast going abroad to try to maybe pick up another splash move if they can't hypothetically land a Darien Williams or something like that. And then who are some possible players to look at from that perspective? Okay, so okay, you add Zantonio Wilson, six foot six off its tackle from Garden City Community College to the roster. Here's what he brings to the table. I mean, obviously, it's six foot six, he brings power five level length and frame if you can fill it out the right way.

Starting point is 00:04:26 Now being somebody who's over 300 pounds already, he is pretty well filled out, right? So maybe for Kansas, I mean, I'm sure that they're gonna get to know more about, you know, okay, maybe we need to add more muscle mass to his arms or his legs or whatever plan they wanna put him on. Or maybe we wanna do this with his diet, right? They're gonna figure that out.

Starting point is 00:04:45 But he does come in more ready to play in terms of body wise than somebody who comes in as a true freshman from high school is 260 pounds and needs to add 40 pounds to get on the field. Like you don't have to worry about that as much with this kid who comes in a little bit more ready from that regard. So watching some of his highlights,

Starting point is 00:05:03 like this is a very powerful offensive lineman. This is a very powerful player. The highlights, the films that I watched, he played both tackle spots on the left and right side. So that's nice to see for a couple of reasons. One, you know, the tackle spots are typically the hardest. The spots that you're kind of left on the island the most as a player where if you're playing the tackle spots, usually those end left on the island the most as a player where if you're

Starting point is 00:05:25 playing the tackle spots, usually, you know, those end up being kind of the most important positions because they're the toughest to play. So that is a good thing to see. But also the fact that he is playing both sides of the tackle spots, right? The fact that he is somebody who has the versatility to play both because Kansas loves guys that can play both positions because it allows you to almost extend your depth to a certain point. Like, if you have backups who can only play one position, then you have to have a backup for every position.

Starting point is 00:05:54 Then you have to feel comfortable about 10 guys on the offensive line, versus if you have a player who's good at multiple spots, then maybe you only have to feel like you feel good at seven or eight of your offensive line spots. Ideally, you'd like to have them feel great about 15 guys, obviously, but it doesn't always work out that way. Some guys are injured, some guys aren't ready,

Starting point is 00:06:15 some guys need more time to develop, and it gives you more opportunity. Plus, if it's a good enough player, it gives you more opportunity to get that player on the field if they can play multiple different spots. So that is a good thing to see there too. But again, from watching the film, from watching the highlights, very powerful player. And I wonder if he profiles better as a run blocker than a pass blocker.

Starting point is 00:06:35 From watching highlights, especially if an offense lineman, you're not going to realize how good a player is as well. Like if you watch a receiver or running back with highlights, again, that doesn't tell everything too, but you can at least see the potential in terms of the, you know, what's their speed versus other players. Are they breaking tackles? How's, you know, their vision here or there?

Starting point is 00:06:56 And again, with running backs, like it doesn't show the whole thing, like how are they as a pass blocker? How are they, you know, in terms of falling forward always, and in terms of seeing that vision on every play. You can't see all of those by highlight package. It's even harder though with offensive linemen. Yes, you can see the pure strength

Starting point is 00:07:14 and you can see some of the top plays of the pancakes, but like with linemen, for a quarterback, you can almost go look at their stats and be like, okay, this is their completion percentage. How accurate are they? It doesn't tell the whole story, but it gives you a hint. You don't see stats for high schoolers and junior college offensive linemen about what was their win rate. You know, how many sacks did they give up? So it's a little bit harder. But based on what I saw, I think there were a few times that I saw like, okay, maybe a

Starting point is 00:07:40 defensive end with good bend or good speed on the outside was able to kind of get by him in a favorable way. But there were some times where where defense linemen tried to go into his body, you tried to maybe get a swim move to get to the inside, or just tried to bull rush through him and he wasn't having it down the guy goes. Then in the run blocking game, you saw the power really come to play and then be able to bulldoze and truck guys over. So just based on that, I almost do wonder, is he going to be somebody who's better? You know, if you get a speed rusher against him, that could be problematic. But if it's power rusher, or if it's running game, those are going to be his strengths for his game. And now does he end up

Starting point is 00:08:19 working to the inside? If you're a better run blocker than pass blocker, sometimes those guys become guards a little more often than tackles, or is the fact that he was or can be with the 6'6 frame that he has potential to be a tackle and also the fact that he was at least good against bull rushers and power rushers and guys coming inside, maybe that makes him okay to be a tackle, right? So it kind of just depends what you want to do with him. But I do like the idea of bringing this kid in. He clearly has the frame for powerful football, and one of my favorite things with offensive linemen is the ones who are consistently blocking to the end of the whistle. Guys who, you know, you don't want them crossing that line. There is obviously a line there, but you want your

Starting point is 00:08:56 offensive linemen to be mean. You want them to be nasty on the field, and then when the whistle blows, sure, be a great dude. You know, be smart, know what you're doing, right? But he wants to get pancakes, he wants to finish the block, he wants to pile drive guys into the ground. And you see that on the highlight tape. And I really do like the addition for that very reason that you have a guy who clearly shows that ability, who shows that strength, who has the frame, and obviously has a lot of years left of play up to three years, maybe more if you can get a Jukko ruling in your favor. So how exactly does he fit into the offensive line room for this year? And how does he fit into the future? We're going to discuss those next on Locked

Starting point is 00:09:32 on Jayhawks. Thanks for joining us on this bonus episode of LOJ. So when you look at the offensive line room for KU, obviously part of it will depend. Does he figure in as a guard or a tackle? Is he a swing player that can play either? I view him based on his Juco playing as like a swing tackle. You can play him at either tackle position. You look at these years Ross who though I am under the assumption right now that Calvin Clements and Enrique Cruz Jr. Your transfer edition from Syracuse. Those would be your two starting tackles on this year's team. But beyond that, kind of wide open for who your your swing tackle, your

Starting point is 00:10:04 backup tackle would be. I think Nolan Gortzika is gonna have a real chance to start at guard. Now it could go to Tavaki, Tuiko Lovato. Maybe it goes to a guy like Amir Herring or something like that. And maybe Gortzika ends up being your swing. He can play guard or tackle off the bench for you, right?

Starting point is 00:10:19 And give you versatility. But if Gortzika does end up starting, then who's the backup tackle? Again, just Tuiko Lovato. Can he play tackle? I don't know. I view him more as up starting. Then who's the backup tackle again, just to equal of auto, can you play tackle? I don't know, I've even more as a guard. So you're looking at Jack Tanner, who's a transfer you brought in from Tulsa played a lot as a freshman, but you know, mixed results, there might need more time under his belt to get ready

Starting point is 00:10:35 to play for KU. You're talking about a bunch of players who redshirted last year's two freshmen, Carter, Loverski, David Obajian, who I think was injured Graydon Grimes who kind of rotating between what position is he going to play for Kansas and then you have guys who it's like okay are they going to be guards or tackles James Livingston Tabaki to go to so point being Wilson is not somebody that I like Deandre Harper would fit that billion

Starting point is 00:11:04 as well right Wilson is not somebody that I like Deandre Harper would fit that billion as well, right? Wilson is not somebody that I'm necessarily going to expect to get a ton of playing time this year coming over this late in the game. But knowing that there are some questions there and who's going to take down those spots and then we haven't heard a lot necessarily a lot of glowing reviews, not that we've heard bad reviews, we just haven't heard the glowing reviews from a lot of these young players. Does that mean that Wilson could be on the too deep as soon as this season, right? And then if you're talking down the road and RK Cruz Jr. graduates at the end of the season, he's a senior, spots up for grabs, like could he do enough in his first year, right? And I think like Dominic Pune, as good as he was for Kansas coming from D2, was almost as much as it's a good story for guys to be able to, okay, he was a late addition

Starting point is 00:11:52 to the game, came from a relatively unknown and he was a beast. Could that be Wilson? Sure. It also almost serves as a bit of a, it's almost like it's too tempting of something where it's like, well, this guy could clearly, he could just be that. And so, okay, but not every player you bring from a lower level late in the game is going to turn into an NFL draft pick who's starting day one in the NFL for the 49ers. Like, that stuff is pretty rare. You know what I mean? So, don't necessarily count on that, but I do like the potential that they have from Wilson.

Starting point is 00:12:22 Like I said, I don't know how ready he's gonna be able to play right away, but I think Kansas is in the boat with a lot of guys as far as the depth of their offensive line. I don't know how many guys they have ready to play right away. So somebody's gonna get thrown to the fire. Could it be Wilson? Maybe. And could Wilson be a long-term solution for KU

Starting point is 00:12:37 on the tackle position as well? Yes. Now, is it a little bit worrisome that they're bringing somebody in this late in the game? Does that necessarily indicate that maybe they don't feel great about the depth of the offensive linemen? They don't feel great about some of the future pieces and what they could provide to the table. It's entirely possible, right?

Starting point is 00:12:56 It's also possible that you don't feel great about somebody now. And then in a year from now, they take a bigger jump than you might have expected to. So kind of remains to be seen. But you know, you can never have enough offensive offense alignment, get as much depth as possible, get as much depth that can help you now and in the future. And I think they did that with Antonio Wilson. That'll do it for this bonus episode of Locked on Jayhawks. Don't forget to check out our regular show. And thank you, if you already did, for being it every day, or see you next time on Locked on Jayhawks.

Your Ad Here

Locked On Jayhawks - Daily Podcast On Kansas Jayhawks Football & Basketball - Kansas Jayhawks Football Adds POWERFUL Offensive Lineman Antonio Wilson from Garden City CC

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.