Darrin Johnson

[Scoops]

is now a Defensive Tackle.
This, in my opinion, is a terrific move by the coaches!

[PonyTales]

About time!
Way to go, coaches

[Stallion]

...well i don't know if I'd pat them on the back because I bet if you asked them they might tell you it is out of necessity due to the fact they struck out on just about every DLM recruit they went after in recruiting. But I think it is the right move

[PonyExpress]

So which is it? A cop-out, or the right move?

[d_pony]

they had already decided to move him last fall prior to recruiting

[No Quarter]

What is the source of information about this position change?

Are all position changes available listed in one place?

[JasonB]

The last I had heard was that he was moved to DE. The move to tackle, although it seems logical because of his size, is news to me. What does that say about Marcus Walkers health?

[Scoops]

My source was an SMU assistant coach. He said it's a done deal, and that they're going to try to make Darrin the biggest, baddest DT on the block, so to speak. He said Darrin already has the strength to move the pocket, has long arms that will allow him to knock down/alter passes and separate from blockers who try to grab and hold, and will gain significant weight. He compared his future to that of Richard Seymour, the former Georgia DT who's now in the NFL. There's a lot of work to be done between now and then, of course, but if he could get up to 310 or 320 and maintain his current level of quickness (which would be good for a DT but would be very average for a DE), this coach said he thinks Darrin could have a legitimate NFL future. Apparently Darrin has extremely strong legs, which will help him get a good burst off the snap and move the o-line backward toward the QB. And even if he can't chase down the quickest QBs, he'll either force the QB to alter or delay his throw, or roll away from him - right into the waiting arms of Don Ieremia-Stansbury, Allan Adami, Melvin Williams, etc.

[GrapevineMustang]

If Darrin Johnson turns out to be anything close to Richard Seymour, that would change the whole look of the defense and the fortunes of the team. But you're right - there's a lot of ground to cover between where he is now and equalling Seymour's performance on the field. But the potential sure is appealing!

[Vitale]

Is Johnson going to leapfrog over Walker on the DT depth chart?